SoHo cafe provides good reason not to judge a book by its cover
Head to this cafe for lunch or drop in and pick up dinner, just don’t make the same mistake I did and underestimate South Hobart’s newest burger bar, writes TasWeekend’s Alix Davis
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Don’t make the same mistake I did and underestimate South Hobart’s newest burger bar.
Southside may look unassuming from the outside but it’s serving up some of the best burgers – and pastries – I’ve eaten in quite a while and my husband has already been back for a second visit.
It was previously a fish and chip shop for many decades, but new owners Rick Jerrems and Linda Abdul have stripped the painted windows to give diners a magnificent view of the mountain from window bench seating and let curious passers-by see that something new is getting cooked up inside. Make your selection from the overhead menu – don’t forget to check the specials board – and then grab a table or loiter for takeaway.
If a burger’s not grabbing you, there are also hot dishes (changing daily) to choose from that include pasta bakes and mixed vegetables.
I’m in the mood for a classic burger, so opt for The Lot ($16.50), which comes with bacon, egg, cheese and relish in addition to a thick beef patty. All the elements of a classic burger are here and every mouthful is a satisfying combination of meaty, savoury and hint of sweet from the relish. The bun is nicely soft – without disintegrating in your hands.
Obviously, we needed some hot chips (small, $5) to go with our burger and again, top marks for crispy, fluffy chips that were piping hot and dusted with just the right amount of chicken salt.
Old-school milk bar food might seem like simple stuff – but nobody wants a bad burger or sad fish and chips and with Jerrems heading up the kitchen, the fortunate citizens of South Hobart are in good hands. Most recently, Jerrems was the executive at Hill St Grocer across all 10 stores and prior to that he was a head chef at Mona, working with Vince Trim.
The move to a milk bar might seem a strange one, but Jerrems says he “missed the interaction with the customers and being hands-on with the cooking. I was spending more time with a clipboard than a saucepan. I really do like cooking and that’s where I wanted to be.”
Southside’s doors opened in April and while Jerrems admits that a midwinter launch can be tough, locals are “realising that [the shop] has been reinvigorated.”
Classic fish and chips are proving popular, as are ready-to-heat meals like lasagne and soup that people can pick up on their way home.
“They’re really popular with our older customers,” says Jerrems of the meals, which change depending on what he’s cooking up that day.
In addition to the burger, I’ve also ordered a duck and mushroom spring roll ($4.50) and a pulled pork burrito ($14). The generously sized spring roll is outstanding – no stodgy cabbage and carrot filling here – instead there’s large pieces of shredded roast duck, glass vermicelli noodles and flavourful shiitake mushrooms. All wrapped in spring roll pastry that shatters on impact. I can confirm that these also reheat brilliantly in an airfryer.
The burrito is a plump parcel stuffed with tender 12-hour pulled pork, black beans, cheese and just a hint of jalapeno. It’s satisfying, tasty and a very filling lunch.
However, professional that I am, I made sure I had room for dessert as there’s a tempting range of cakes and pastries that have all been made on-site. It’s tough to choose just one (OK, two) from this sweet line-up and I end up with a chocolate cronut and a piece of carrot cake. Luckily, my husband doesn’t like cronuts (or maybe he just wasn’t fast enough) so I happily devoured this light and buttery pastry that was indeed a wonderful mix of croissant and cinnamon sugar-dusted doughnut. A dab of dark chocolate ganache in the centre added just the right touch of richness.
The carrot cake is a lovely moist version of a classic, with frosting that’s the backup singer, rather than the main act.
Head to Southside for a lunchtime burger or drop in and pick up dinner and dessert. I’ll be over here reminding myself not to judge a book by its cover.
SOUTHSIDE
402 Macquarie St, South Hobart
Opening hours: Tues-Sat 8.30am-7pm; Sun 8.30am-4pm
On the menu
The Lot burger, $16.50; pulled pork burrito, $14; duck and shiitake spring roll, $4.50.
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The residents of South Hobart are indeed fortunate to have this bustling cafe as their local and, after this brunch, I’m vowing not to leave it too long before my next visit, writes Alix Davis