Golistan Take Away

768 Station St 

Box Hill North, VIC 3129

What with being between jobs at the moment, and with my parents having just completed their new house, moving out isn’t very high on my list of things to do. Besides, my area has some pretty good eatin’, and if I were to move out, the only thing that would likely change is that I move down the road into a shanty town so that I can continue getting take-away dumplings from Glen Waverley.

Or maybe I’d move up to the northern suburbs and indulge in their large variety of kebab, naan, shawarma, shish kofta, and falafel. Because I sure as heck can’t get that trusty meat-and-bread combo down my end... or can I? Turns out Golistan Take Away has existed all along, and serves up a small selection of authentic (as far as my cross-referencing with Wikipedia tells me) Afghan food. If I were asked to describe it, I would call it a combination of Indian and Middle Eastern, which makes perfect sense given its geographical location. 

Manto ($12, 7pcs)

Manto ($12, 7pcs)

The Manto ($12, 7pcs) definitely sits closer to being Indian. The soft, silky parcels were filled with a mixture of spiced lamb and onion, before being steamed and doused in a mixture of spicy tomato sauce and yoghurt. It is bold and full-flavoured, and the sauce perfect for mopping up with bread, or dipping meat into. 

Mixed Tikka ($15)

And of course, a plate of Mixed Tikka ($15), grilled to order over a charcoal fire. The meat was cooked absolutely perfectly, sizzling and spitting over the flames. I couldn’t decide which I liked more – the smoky pieces of marinated chicken, or the tender, juicy chunks of lamb. Or maybe the piece of bread laid out underneath the skewers to catch the delicious delicious meat juices. 

And the bread. Oh goodness the bread. It was soft and crisp and chewy all at the same time, its just-baked aroma absolutely irresistible. Even though we couldn’t even finish the serve we were given with the tikka, I still got an extra one to take home – a whole metre of bread (basically what’s in the picture here) for a mere two dollars!

Well I guess I’m never moving out.

Rating: 14/20 – go to bread.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. 

Umaido

1 Main St 
Box Hill, VIC 3128

It just hit me that in the two and a bit weeks I spent in Japan last year, I didn’t have a single bowl of udon. At the time, I was too busy chasing up the perfect ramen that was, until recently, so elusive in Melbourne. In hindsight it probably would’ve been nice to have a bona fide Japanese udon, but I’m not too upset – I think we have it pretty good here in Melbourne. 

Japanese food doesn’t have much of an audience in the outer eastern suburbs, where the Asian population largely stems from China and south-east Asia. But that doesn’t stop the occasional Japanese restaurant, such as Umaido, from cropping up. And I for one rather like the blatant Japanese-ness of it. 

One thing I got very used to seeing in Japan was wide selections of fried snacks lounging under heat lamps – they were everywhere, in restaurants, supermarkets, even convenience stores. And Umaido, aside from specialising in udon (and a small smattering of rice-based dishes), also has one of those nostalgically familiar pick-your-own-sides stations. 

Ontama Udon ($5.9)

The Ontama Udon ($5.9) is exactly what I think of when I think of udon. Though the noodles were a bit overcooked, they were fat and slurpable. The soup is fantastic, a light umami with the faint fishiness of bonito, turning creamy with the stream of yolk from the soft boiled egg. 

Hungrier than I am, but less of a purist, Chris had the winter special of... I have embarrassingly forgotten to note the name down, but it was something along the lines of a Pork Belly in Pork Broth Udon ($9.9). Unlike the delicate little bowl of Ontama Udon, this one was much more generous in portion, the delicate soup replaced with a cloudy, garlicky broth. The slices of pork, rather than being thick and fatty, were smoky and chewy, and enjoyable in its own right. 

Takoyaki ($2, 2pcs)/Vegetable Korokke ($1.8)/Karaage Chicken ($2.9, 3pcs)

We chose three sides to go with our meal. The Takoyaki ($2, 2pcs) was a disappointment, gluggier than it should’ve been even after sitting out under the heat lamps. The Vegetable Korokke ($1.8) fared better, the patty of smooth mashed potato coated in a golden crumb. The Karaage Chicken ($2.9, 3pcs) was the best, the juicy ribs flavoured with a spice rub and tasted fantastic despite being lukewarm.

Though Umaido is not fine dining, and the udon certainly isn’t as good as this or as this, it provides a good imitation of the true udon experience for a fraction of the price. If I can peel myself away from the Ontama Udon, I might give the soft boiled egg curry rice a go.

Rating: 13/20 – slippy slurpy.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. 

Simon's Peiking Duck

197b Middleborough Rd 
Box Hill South, VIC

I am so ducking happy. My parents have figured out that there is nothing I love more than a ducking good feed, so when I finally turned 20, they took me to Simon’s Peiking Duck Restaurant for a ducking awesome birthday celebration. 

Simon’s looked just like your everyday Chinese restaurant – it hustles, it bustles, but it’s a lot cleaner, newer, and brighter. The staff were bewilderingly helpful and ever so charming. I have to say, as much as I don’t expect stellar service at Chinese restaurants, having it did make a huge difference to our overall experience.

And of course, the man himself. Throughout the entire night, Simon stood at the front of the restaurant in his little bowtie, silver hair tied back, serving up duck after duck. He twirls the bird around on the plate in a little dance, making a precise incision here and a nifty flick of the wrist there, and before you know it there’s a pile of duck plated up and ready to be served. It was magic of the most hypnotic variety. 

Peking Duck

We opted for just one Duck served in Three Courses ($55) between the 4 of us, then some additional dishes and rice for mummy, who doesn’t eat poultry. 10 minutes later, there were 15 pieces of succulent duck, topped with a tile of golden skin, placed in front of us. Served up alongside were soft pancakes so delicate they could’ve been made of tissue paper, and the classic garnishes of cucumber, spring onion, and plum sauce.

A quick demonstration later (duck, cucumber, spring onion, sauce, fold fold fold, *eating motions*), Simon was off again with a chuckle and a joke, leaving us to practice our new-found Peking duck pancake making skills. The first bite had us all humming in delight; the duck was sweet and succulent, the oil oozing out of the crispy skin as we sank our teeth in. Dad even admitted that it was better than the duck he had when he last went back to China. 

Stir Fried Beanshoots with Duck Meat

What did they do with the rest of the duck, I hear you ask? Well they take it back into the kitchen, and once we had finished with our pancakes, it was served up as Stir Fried Beanshoots with Duck Meat. It almost seems unholy to say this but, I actually enjoyed this even more than the duck pancakes. The wok they tossed this through must have been blistering hot, because that was the only way the vegetables could’ve been so unbelievably smoky yet still crunchy-fresh. I’d fit out my future home with a professional kitchen just to make this dish alone. 

Duck Bone Soup with Beancurd

Not a single bit of our duck was wasted, with the remaining bones and organs cooked up into a Duck Bone Soup with Beancurd. This was a refreshing welcome after the richness of the last two dishes, the clear and umami broth flavoured with the sweet herbal flavours of star anise, to be slurped up along with tender slips of tofu. 

Eggplant with Pork Mince ($15.8)

So whilst we were gorging ourselves on various reincarnations of our duck, mum sneakily worked her way through practically the entire plate of Eggplant with Pork Mince ($15.8). The bits I managed to steal between mouthfuls of duck were scrumptious; the eggplant was sticky with caramelisation, almost to the point of gooeyness, and the mince was vibrantly flavoured with generous amounts of garlic and spring onion.

Sweet and Sour Pork ($16.8)

And because we’re all big kids at heart, a plate of Sweet and Sour Pork ($16.8) done perfectly with crisp batter encasing generous chunks of pork, a sauce that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet or sour, and crisp vegetables.

We were full, we were content, and we left with less than $100 damage between the 4 of us. A good time was had all-round, especially by my ridiculous little sister.

Rating: 15.5/20 – ducking fantastic.

The rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.

Pho 888

552 Station Street
Box Hill, VIC 3128

You’re on the wrong side of the tracks. I’ve had a pretty stressful week, including no less than 3 calls to my mobile provider to sort out a new phone that had supposedly been delivered 3 weeks ago but I’ve never seen in my life. And lots of work. So by the end of the week I could practically taste the pho in my mouth, I was craving my favourite comfort food that much.

For my family and myself, Pho 888 is literally on the wrong side of the tracks. I’ve always thought that once you cross the tracks and are on the other end of Station Street in Box Hill, it’s a wasteland when it comes to dining options. Serves me right for assuming so – as a result I didn’t know for years that I can get pho practically on my doorstep (ish).

Also is it just me, or is the same cow and chicken displayed in every single pho shop ever? Chris and I are starting to suspect that all the pho places in Melbourne are run by one guy. Maaaaybe two.

Small Special Beef Pho ($8)

Small Special Beef Pho ($8)

I wasted no time in gunning for my favourite Small Special Beef Pho ($8). The soup is a bit too sweet and lacks depth but in the throes of my craving it will do! The rare beef wasn’t quite rare enough for my liking (though still very tender), and whilst there was plenty of beloved tripe, there wasn’t very much of the beef sausage or tendons. Nevertheless, I slurped this all up along with a handful of crisp sprouts and a squeeze of lemon.

Grilled Pork Chops with Steamed Rice ($9)

Chris the pho-hater, in a desperate attempt to get away from the inevitable chicken on rice, had Grilled Pork Chops with Steamed Rice ($9) instead. He left all the vegetables alone but I don’t blame him when the meat is so good. Smoky and I’m-not-sure-if-it’s-fatty-but-it-sure-tastes-fatty, there was plenty of tender, porky goodness to go around. Even the rice that lay underneath it was flavoured with charcoal and lemongrass from the pork.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls ($7 for 10)

Having just finished a whole day of work, I also wanted some Vietnamese Spring Rolls ($7 for 10) added to the feast. These were nothing to brag about but they weren’t bad either. The small batons were crispy and filled with a can’t-complain mixture of pork and vegetables. The lettuce was limp and soggy but the accompanying chilli sauce made up for its lack of vitality.

Ok so Pho 888 isn’t the beef noodle mecca I had been hoping for. But you know what? Pho is still pho and I will have it bent over a table if I have to, so long as it’s not filled with MSG. In this case, close enough really is good enough, and that pork chop was really nice.

Rating: 13/20 – close enough is good enough