Not having a large migrant community anymore, Castlemaine relies on Melbourne visitors to bring it some variety and change. Just ask the locals.
Divide aside, without this frequent visitation of tourism, Castlemaine would not be the quirky place it is today, being one of the first places alongside Daylesford and Hepburn, Macedon and the Dandenongs to be poplulated with satellite residents of Melbourne.
Artists, musicians, bankers, and other privileged and creative types have always looked for refuge in either the trees or the salt water. Look the world over.
You will find these popular places in the states of Australia, other countries and islands around the world, and always with a connection to art and culture.
Here in Central Victoria, we are lucky to have the abundance of good food and drink, but it always comes with a price, the price, and that being the busiest days for business is always weekend-centric. Now that we have been paying the price for more than 20 years, it is a shame that we (all regional residents) have been hit even harder by investment greed to be moved along to lower value areas.
Enjoy these treats, as i do with the feeling of impermanence, sort of like a Banksy or a sand mandala. Know that, while you feel like the price you pay now might be steep, it will soon be forgotten, as the oppurtunity awarded to these businesses in the form of skilled staff will eventually peter off, as workers can no longer afford to travel from affordable accommodation to serve at minimum wage your deliciuos nourishment.
Love your work and forever a loyal customer. As always, the standard is the best option here, dont be fooled by your instagram diet or your political leanings on ethical consumption. Go with Pork, on a Bagguette with 🌶 and patè. Dont forget to indulge with a bao or 4 and...
Read morePlaced an order at 12.10pm. Ordered the banh mi pork, bao chicken and chicken bun. When ordering was not given a rough waiting time but got the buzzer. 50 minutes later I was still standing outside waiting until I decided to go in to check if the buzzer wasnt working to be told the oven was running very slow and then my order was fast tracked. 55 minutes later and recieved order. The chicken dishes when we ate them a few minutes later were almost cold.
An apology was given but unfortunately not good enough waiting over 50 minutes and to have food that had obviously been just sitting there.
Updated: Have spoken with owner and came up with a positive response. The food here is very good. Just a very busy day today and a miscommunication which was...
Read moreThis tiny hidden away gem was a wonderfully discovery. I thought I had tried and found the best Banh Mi in Victoria already. I was wrong! My boss a Castlemaine local, suggested I try her favorite only a few shops up from were we work. I was absolutely blown away by this establishments authentic Vietnamese menu. The Banh Mi was extremely tasty and flavoursome .the combination of all those flavours with roast pork on an lightly crusted baguette was fantastic and second to none. I really wanted to keep this place a secret but just couldn't deprive you all. Real quality food lovers of Victoria ,I know you will...
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