~ Curious Charlie ~

Big Huey's Diner @ Saturday, January 02, 2016

Thursday 19th November

As a child-ish/teenager in the mid-2000s one of my favourite tv shows was Judge Judy, who was a real judge at some point, but now does tv court where nothing is real, but rather based in similar stories. She presides over a civil small claims court, and I have a similar style when dealing with people, which doesn't work out so well as a therapist. XD It was that show that we'd race home from school to watch. Later on in high school I would major in law, and go on to study contract law which gave me a buzz/high that nothing else does.

This week's food adventure was a trip to Big Huey's Diner, I am a Huey fan, and recall watching his show after school back home in middle school. Never knew he had some restaurants, till I saw them in the Good Food Month caterlog.

Right after Judge Judy was on, Huey's Cooking Adventures was on. It was the first and one of the only cooking shows I watched. Huey's food is simple things you can cook, none of that Masterchef or fine dining style where there's a tiny bit of food and them chocolate sauce used to decorate a huge platter. And he always cleans up the plate before presenting it which I love, and did myself when I studied cookery, oh wow that was a long time ago, back home when I was in middle school around 2004? According to wiki he's a chef though I can't picture him in the uniform, he's such a jolly easy going kinda guy, who likes to cook on the beach front at St Kilda, though mainly in his kitchen with Mr Moon (the camera guy?).

Apart from Huey I've only watched Jamie Oliver's School Lunches series, in class for a project where we designed the cafeteria menu and took over for a week. And bits and pieces of the earlier series of Masterchef. The only chef's cookbook I've ever "bought" and used was Julie Goodwin's Family Table,with family style food, that le beau bought me. You may have guessed by now that I don't cook. Domestic skills aren't innate, but Huey gives me confidence that I can cook.

Back to the diner.

In South Melbourne, across the road from the markets and on the same street as the tram stop with the mural is 'Big Huey's Dinner'. Because no one trusts a skinny cook (unless it's Fast Ed, he's half giant, so tall!).

Outdoor seating would be nice, but it was a bit chilly that evening.

As part of Good Food Month, Huey is offering a main, small side and drink for $20 from a set menu. The vanilla milkshake, I was delighted to see on the menu! They had every flavour except chocolate? There was blue heaven too. I really like my milkshakes and try to order them at bars too.

A booth to seat 10 was where we sat, there was also a choice of 50s tables (think Grease) and bar stools.

The music was old but familiar to me, through dancing to it, and there was a juke box. Does anyone have a dime or quarter? We forgot to ask how it worked, but I did recognize two songs.

My +1 tonight, 'The Writer' who had the coleslaw which he coated in hot sauce. To me it was a side dish, though he had it as a main and enjoyed it very much, stating this is something he'd cook at home. The dish came with egg plant chips. Big semi circle ones.

A Main Serving of Coleslaw

I had the 'shroom ~~burger~~ sub with sweet potato wedges.

The thing with American food is, we're known for quantity over quality, servings are always generous (much like our waistlines). The burger was a sub that I could barely finish it.

The second thing is, you need to do American food very well, or play with it, give it a twist. Add cranberry, walnuts and drizzle brie on the coleslaw. Add honey mustard and coriander in the 'shroom burger.

The burger didn't wow me, the flavours were basic: the butteriness of the butter on the beautiful toasted panni (until we went to restaurants and was served complimentary bread & butter, I have never had butter before), the earthly smooth chunky mushroom, paired with a (hot sauce). The flavours were basic with no surprises, which is what our (American) food is like. But I would have liked to seen something different, eating out at restaurants all these years has changed me. And so I wonder what it would have been like to eat here in 2004 when I was watching his show back home on cable.

I'm surprised that Huey chose American Cuisine, as that didn't come across as his style in his cooking show, and he's from NZ.

Le Beau says in a way you shouldn't meet your favourite characters, just in case you're dissapointed by the actor because after all they're an actor and not the character themselves, though they might look the same.

By random chance we saw Huey tonight! Some characters are the same as on tv like Masterchef George, and Luxbite's Bosses, but others not as they portray a larger than life character. Huey, the character's a great guy, he's funny, warm and just jolly. In real life he was switched off, and didn't approve of the camera (I didn't take a picture of him, just of the place and food as usual). Though we did spot him at the bar, and maybe he was just tired.

Overall an average experience, though everything was clean and they had milkshakes. Nothing worthy of a return visit though.

Great location, Huey's is located across the road from South Melb market and near that very same tram stop, no.96 St Kilda.

By the way, I have actually made something I saw on the show back home. It was a toasted cheese sandwich with a cut out in the middle, where you placed an egg. I also recall Huey having a little girl with the same name as me.

Does anyone remember Huey's Cooking Adventures, or been to his diner?