T H E
GOOD
L I F E
Taking - out the rubbish F O O D
|
W I N E
|
T R A V E L
Photos and listing by Matthew Michaelis
Australians today are now some of the world’s busiest people (statistically speaking). We are working the longest hours in the developed world (go figure) with an average of 1,855 hours at work each year, apparently 200 hours more than employees in other nations. Many Aussies work more than 50 hours a week: ‘All this work and no play makes Johnny get takeaway...’ Now, I’m not really sure how many people work this hard in the northern rivers, but we are all likely to take a break from slaving in the kitchen. Takeaway food in this part of the world is just magnificent and we, the consumers, have chosen to gravitate toward fast foods that have goodness in mind rather than allow a lot of rubbish to flourish here. The result is the ability to just grab a quick meal and enjoy Wategos, the hinterland beauty or just feed the kids at home with an abundance of healthy takeaway food choices on hand. I’ve chosen a slow exposure of a few different places serving good examples of fresh foods served quickly and packed to go. Over the next week or so stay tuned for my take on takeaways.
A well-rounded Soul Matthew Miall looks more like an archetypal healthy blond surfer than he does a businessman. He moved up from Melbourne to Byron Bay with his family a while back to enjoy the friendliness he and his partner had experienced while visiting the Bay. He now contributes to this warmth in a very practical way: fronting his own health bar Soul Bowl situated opposite the beach in Byron. I suspect that it’s in this guy’s nature to be congenial rather than a Byron Shire Council mandate to act all welcoming and such; no, Matt exudes a charm that’s infectious and appears to be quite natural. I’ve watched this takeawayfrom a foodie’s arm’s length, and you get the feeling that he works at it and it’s well received. I’ve witnessed during my visits all nations being charmed and appearing to look comfortable in his healthy food haven. So, how important is all this ‘nice’ energy when it comes to choosing what you put into your body? Look out! Here comes my soap box... I’m climbing up and here it is: Food = energy; ergo, you can receive energy via the food you eat. This means that the people who are happy to serve you and are placing you at ease while preparing your food are doing you a service; these folks should be paid more money. So, having said this, it’s hard to get good help and a workforce that know the ‘hospitality’ in the hospitality industry is quantifiable. While the cliche Y gen’ are all ‘I can’t make it, I’m, like sick... “cough” “cough”.’ Here, you can take advantage of the difference when the care is in house and a part of your daily order. ‘Millions of dollars are spent on advertising takeawayfood outlets; they do this to make themselves seem healthy.
Left: A cup of fresh Ewingsdale coffee to bring balance to a healthy brekkie, lunch or dinner. Right: A large selection of fresh produce is available to be collected up at your leisure then readied for takeaway or bowl
We all know that’s not always the case. Soul Bowl isn’t a franchise. We’re still on the ground and look after the produce until it gets to the consumer,’ Miall told me. ‘We’ve created a sort of destination for people to collect their own style of healthy food – literally with a stainless steel bowl we collect your choice of ingredients for your salad or wrap etc, no pre-made stuff, quick and fresh. We can step up in summer and serve food fast, so it’s a sort of fast food outlet only to this extent,’ Matt added. Fresh food is not, by its nature, produced quickly. Here the menu contains all the healthy elements people are after – all the non-allergenic and the good stuff. This is like the old days of beach juice bars. There’s stuff for the lads here too – the meat lovers, big baked potatoes and wholesome fills. and the promotion of local growers the likes of Ewingsdale Coffee are all sitting comfortably on the menu boards.
So, come across smaller establishments that haven’t got a barrow to push, just great fresh healthy produce… Gluten free, lactose free, certainly not free from taste and zest. Soul Bowl is a fairly customary concept juice and salad bar. It’s clean and shiny with a large windowed salad display, drinks fridge and stainless benches, all as you’d expect to find in similar healthy-food places. The difference is service with a bit of Soul. Q Soul Bowl Eat in / Takeaway. 8am–8pm 7 days. Byron Bay 2/14 Bay Street (opposite Surf Club) Byron Bay 6685 5252 Burleigh Heads 26 James Street, Burleigh Heads (07) 5535 7007
Japanese | Italian | Raw
Honestly Good Food French Bistro / Bar Every Friday & Saturday Starts 17 th October @ the Bowlo 18-20 Marvell St, Byron Bay Dinner from 5:30pm – Tuesday to Saturday 28 October 21, 2014 The Byron Shire Echo
Sunday October 26, 12.30pm À la carte menu Bookings Essential Ph: (02) 6685 5366
72 Burringbar St. Mullumbimby
www.latable.com.au
Try our famous Moreton Bay bugs with ginger chilli & lime glaze.
Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au