The Potato Man - Mindil Market

Potatoes are a huge weakness of mine. It's true. It's a versatile little tuber that has a million and one uses. Truth be told I take issue with those folks in the days of old who thought the potato was only good for pig feed. I tell you if there ever was a people who were downright crazy it's them!

As I was recently strolling through the Mindil Market I was lost in my thoughts that maybe man has indeed gone as far as we can with what we can create with a potato. That's when I spotted The Potato Man! There his stall sat with his team working like a busy bunch of scientists working in a magical potato laboratory creating wonders I can only dream about!

I tell ya… it's like finding the Willy Wonka of potatoes.

The Potato Man himself was unable to join me on camera. Luckily one of his entrusted assistants was kind enough to spill some of their secrets on the art of potato preparation.

Mmmmm. If it's that messy it's got to be good! Click to embiggen!

The folks at The Potato Guy really know how to make a baked potato into something even more exceptional. They have a range of toppings that go from the classics such as sour cream, cheese, and different kinds of butter (regular or garlic), and a range of hot toppings such as bolognaise, chilli con carne, bacon, and baked beans. Cold toppings include dry slaw, beetroot, pineapple, chives, and lots of cheese!
My party and I tucked into a pile of baked potato slathered in bolognaise, sour cream, and cheese. Boy was that great! Two or three people could easily share a large dish together. It definitely filled us up and it was hugely satisfying.
I'm eager to go back to The Potato Man and try the Chili con carne topping. I certainly always have room for potato!
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Gourmet Sushi - Mindil Market

I'm a recent convert to sushi. For years I have been of the understanding that sushi consists entirely of raw fish and that's about it. Not being the biggest fan of fish in the world I always given sushi a pass. Since moving to Darwin my eyes have been opened to the large variety offered in the world of sushi. I was especially happy to learn about what Di and her team was doing at Gourmet Sushi at the Mindil Beach Markets.

Di has been doing something unique with sushi and putting her own spin on the dish. The first thing I noticed about her range of sushi was all the unusual colours. Among the favourites we have like avocado and chicken there are also new ingredients like pumpkin, kangaroo, crocodile, barramundi, and sweet potato!

I had a little talk with Di where she told me a little bit more on what they are all about at Gourmet Sushi!

Di prepared for us two different varieties of her gourmet sushi. One was rolled with quinoa, sweet potato, onion, marmalade, and feta cheese. The other contained avocado, roasted pumpkin, capsicum and pepitas. This second sushi also contained a mixture of brown and black rice.

I've never had sushi quite like this before and I was quite amazed at how much flavour was bursting out with each bite. Di and her team are truly doing something unique and special here and I can't wait to try out some of their other dishes. If you are out at Mindil Market I would highly recommend stopping by Gourmet Sushi and trying out some of these unique dishes.

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Spiral Spuds - Mindil Market

I had a quick stop at Spiral Spuds and had a nice chat with Ash. When we stopped talking about comics, Doctor Who, and all things geek we got down to business and talked about Spiral Spuds.

Spiral Spuds are a tasty concoction where Ash and his team magically turn a spud into a spiral, cook it, and flavour it. It might be best to let Ash explain it in the video below!

I tried a plain salt Spiral Spud and it certainly was a treat! I'm a guy who likes his chips and crisps and these things are the best of both worlds! I'm excited to try more of the flavours in the future!

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Authentic Indian Foods - Mindil Market

To continue on our night of exploring vegetarian options we stopped off at Authentic Indian Foods. Graeme and his crew certainly make it difficult to choose from their wide array of fresh curry they have ready to be scooped out and devoured.

From mild to spicy there is certainly something here for everyone. Of course, this being a vegetarian night, we went with the vegetarian option. All the other varieties were certainly enticing!

My friend Baz joined me on camera to talk a little about Authentic Indian Foods, how many curry's one stall can have, and how long they have been serving these curries.

Mmmmm. Curry just makes everything better.

Meat or no we really enjoyed what Graeme and his crew had to offer when it came to a vegetarian option. The curry was served with rice and heaping with vegetables. The curry sauce itself was mild but perfectly seasoned. It certainly didn't last long!
Other than curry there are many other vegetarian and gluten free options available at Authentic Indian Foods. There are actually so many different items on the menu that you will have to get yourself to Mindil Market and check it out for yourself!

This is just the beginning of what they have to offer!

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Lucky Cow - Mindil Market

A nice colourful range of salads. Click to embiggen!

The next vegetarian stop for us carnivores was Lucky Cow. Why is the cow so lucky? Because she'snot being eaten! Lucky Cow specialises in vegetarian dishes with vegan and gluten free options.

The first thing I noticed from the stall was the colour. Not even from the stall itself but also from the food! It's hard not to pass by and not be curious about what's going on. It was enough to even get the mouth of this proud carnivore watering.

Di and her team were busy preparing hordes of chow for hungry market-goers. I had a moment to speak with Di and see what Lucky Cow is all about!

Is your mouth watering? If not you may not be human!

Di and her team prepared us a colourful array of salads and goodies that consisted of cow pats (no. Not THAT kind of cow pat. These are spinach and ricotta patties and they are heavenly), the vegetarian caesar salad known as Cleopatra, the best beetroot salad ever that can only be called Beautiful Beets, and the cooked camembert with cranberry sauce.

Being a cheese nut they had me at the cooked camembert and I was convinced that was going to be my favourite. After giving everything a try I would say that it's difficult to pick a favourite!

The cow pat was very popular among the group and those I asked said they would choose it over a steak. My conclusion is that Lucky Cow has done the impossible and made a bunch of meat eaters eat their vegetables!

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Nita Delights - Mindil Market

After weeks of meat eating and desserts it felt like a good time to try out a few vegetarian options at the Mindil Beach Market. The next stop for me and my carnivorous friends was Nita Delights.

Nita Delights offers a range of Thai goodies and treats put together by Marlene with impeccable style. One look at her stall and you will see a colourful array of mouthwatering goodies waiting to be devoured.

I had a little talk with Marlene from Nita Delights and learned a little bit about what she does!

Green Paw Paw salad. Click to embiggen!

Marlene put together for us a lovely Thai Paw Paw Salad. A Paw Paw salad is a very popular dish which I only tried for the first time on this occasion. Paw Paw salads come in many different varieties including prawn, chicken, and pork. Being this was a vegetarian evening we were going with Green Paw Paw Salad. Marlene prepared the salad with peanuts, garlic, tomato, salt, lime and chilli. Marlene worked some kind of magic there as it was heavenly at first bite. Not too spicy and considering the muggy day we were having a nice cool paw paw salad really hit the spot!

  I'm looking forward to trying some other of the treats that are on offer at Nita Delights. I've always been a fan of sticky rice and was very impressed by how many varieties that Marlene had on offer as well as the many varieties of coconut dishes. There are so many to choose from I hope I manage to try them all!

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Borneo Intersection - Mindil Market

After the first couple of weeks of the blog being very meat-heavy and the most recent week being dessert-based I felt it was time to have a vegetarian week. I've always eaten my vegetables but never have I really thought of anything non-meat to be the main part of a meal. As my waistline was expanding it was probably time for a diet.

I gathered up some fellow meat-eating pals to see some of the magic the stalls at Mindil Market could

Some of the offerings at Borneo Intersection. 

come up with when it came to meat-free meals. Our first stop was Borneo Intersection. Borneo Intersection is a stall at Mindil Market that specialises in Indonesian and Malaysian foods and they have a lot to choose from!

I spoke with Sarah from the Borneo Intersection to get a little more info on what they do!

Vegetarian roll. Click the image for mouth-watering bigness!

Sarah and her crew prepared for us a couple of different dishes to sink our teeth into. The first were the vegetarian rolls which were prepared with a mix of vegetables such as carrots, tofu, and covered in peanut sauce. They were soft, moist, and absolutely satisfying. I was surprised at how tasty they were and I was craving more! I had to save room as Sarah and her crew had more for us to dig into.                                

Nasi Campur with coconut rice. Beautifully presented and beautifully tasting

Sarah then presented us with a vegetable Nasi Campur. A Nasi Campur is essentially an Indonesian tasting platter. In the middle is a scoop of rice which is surrounded by all sorts of goodies. This was such a beautifully presented dish that I didn't want to ruin the presentation! I'm glad I did though as it was especially tasty! This is a great dish to share with a friend or two as there is a LOT of food. I was almost stuffed when Sarah came out with a special treat!

Gaze upon the numminess that is the vegetable tempura! mmmmm

Sarah surprised us with some vegetable tempura. I am a sucker for vegetable tempura and was ecstatic to have the opportunity to try it from Borneo Intersection. All the chow I had to begin with was exceptional and the tempura didn't disappoint!

Borneo Intersection is not strictly a vegetarian stall and has something for everybody. As a life long carnivore I can safely say that I was very satisfied with what we had. To tell you the truth it's got me rethinking my diet!

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The Great Mindil Market Dessert Adventure

You don't need to hear it from me that the seasons are changing. The dry season is coming to an end and the buildup feels like it's starting! Out on the Tiwi Islands we're seeing Hector the Convector, the Top End's most reliable storm system, begin firing up. With that the days are starting to get hotter and muggier! It won't be too much longer until mango season hits full swing and top enders everywhere will begin to gorge themselves on delicious freshly-picked mangoes! In the meantime my sweet tooth has really fired up so it felt like a good time to see what the Mindil Market has for the dessert minded.

This was a bit of an unusual week for me. I was given a gaggle of kids to feed! These weren't any ordinary kids either. These were some kind of running, jumping, juggling, diablo-tossing, hula-hooping circus kids! I kid you not. I was just waiting for them to light a hoop on fire and have a lion jump through it! It's safe to say that circus-kids are going to burn a lot of energy doing what they do. Thank goodness I had my friend Naomi helping me out this week. The weather was hot and everyone just wanted to cool down after an afternoon of juggling!

This was the perfect opportunity to try out some of the many stalls offering desserts and other snacks to quench the sweetest of any sweet tooth. We were pleased by the variety on offer from traditional favourites such as ice cream, healthy alternatives such as beautiful fruit salads, and international delectable dishes with difficult to pronounce names!

Naomi and I visited the vendors to see what was going to be on the smorgasbord for the evening. Check out more in the video below!

Top End Delights

It's like a rainbow of deliciousness!

Top End Delights was our first stop. I had a lovely chat with Charmaine and learned about her homemade sorbets and other treats such as dried mango. As well as everything being homemade a lot of it is also home grown! Charmaine has a nearby farm where she grows many of the ingredients that go into her delicious treats. Apart from mango you will also find sorbets and ice creams in chocolate, dragon fruit, lemon, passion fruit, honey, banana, and pineapple. Everything looked so amazing (and what I had tasted amazing!) and there is certainly something at Top End Delights for everyone. Especially during these hot days!

Kens Crepes

Banana and Nutella crepe with ice cream. Get in my belly!

I managed to steal Ken away from his busy schedule for a few minutes to talk to him about his famous crepes. Ken and his friendly team were busy churning out fresh crepes to hungry market-goers at a pace I could barely keep up with. It's not surprising that his stall has been at the market for 18 years. You can't walk by his stall without your mouth watering from the smell of the freshly cooking crepes being made fresh to order. With over 20 different variations on the menu they will have something for all tastes. From sweet to savoury there will be something to please even the pickiest of taste buds. Ken even suggests a splash of Bailey's to a crepe. I'm itching to give that a try!

Pranees Fruitshakes

Have you ever seen so much happy looking fruit salad??

Food preparation is an art itself but Pranee takes it to the next level. Pranee makes her fruit salads into fun presentations that kids are going to love. I'll admit I was a little apprehensive eating a fruit salad that was smiling back at me but it was hot, I was hungry, and I just couldn't help but dive in. Pranees Fruitshakes also makes, as their name suggests, fruitshakes! What they also make, and I can't recommend them enough, is the coconut chocolate shakes! Wow. Did that ever hit the spot! The coconut chocolate shake was absolutely perfect. The last thing I want on a hot day in Darwin is a thick shake I can barely drink through a straw. This was not the case here. It went down like a thick juice and easily quenched my thirst.

Churros Van

It's enough to make your mouth water!

The Churros Van provided us with, as their name suggests, Churros! (not the van). Churros are a Spanish donut that comes in a variety of flavours such as milk chocolate, white chocolate, and homemade caramel. It has been many years since I have had a proper Churro and what I managed to bite into before the circus kids gobbled them all down were amazing. The Churros Van crew were working busily away churning out delicious fresh churros that almost melt when they hit your mouth. I could easily see myself getting addicted to them!

Naomi tucking into a Poffertje!

Poffertjes

Now you are probably asking "What the heck is a 'poffertje?!" Well I'll tell you! A Poffertje is a Dutch dessert that consists of small fluffy pancakes topped with fruit and ice cream! How do you like them apples? Actually the poffertje I tried did have hot apples topped with cold ice cream which pretty much had me in love at first bite. These certainly were a treat and I almost had to fight my way through the horde of kids to get any. The Poffertje stand has a variety of toppings for you and your family to choose from so there is certainly something there for everyone!

Likitisip

There is no wrong way to eat an ice cream!

Finally we have the tried and true summer favourite: ICE CREAM! Likitisip has gallons of ice cream that their friendly team was scooping out onto waffle cones. For the thirsty traveller there is also a range of different drinks to whet your throat. With a wide range of flavours there is certainly something for everyone young and old alike!

The kids certainly enjoyed their treats and I know Naomi and I certainly did too. I've been to many markets before but never before have I seen the eclectic range of food stalls that Mindil Market has. It certainly makes deciding what to eat a tough decision but it's also a wonderful way to take a chance and try something new. 

Be that as it may, after all these sweets, I think the next blog entries are going to be vegetarian! 

The Roast Shack - Mindil Market

The Roast Shack has been my latest stop in my travels through the culinary world of the Mindil Markets. I found The Roast Shack team busy pulling out huge pieces of roast shank ready to be served. When I saw the smiling animals on the sign I just knew this wasn't a place to bring my vegetarian pals. Lucky for me I had a couple of hungry meat eaters ready to try what The Roast Shack was ready to throw at us.

Before chowing down I had a quick little chat with Kevin where he told me a little about The Roast Shack and what they do.

Kevin and his team were obviously very proud of their craft and very passionate about what they do. All through the evening they were continually turning out more shanks to feed a steady stream of hungry customers. When I later spoke to Kevin he told me the lamb shanks were slow roasted for a matter of hours before being ready to serve. I couldn't wait to try it!

The Roast Shack team prepared us a very plump lamb shank. I was then offered a mix of vegetables and mashed potato which I graciously accepted. One has to balance their diet, no? I was then offered gravy on the vegetables which I couldn't say no to. If I'm going to be diving into a lamb shank I might as well be going all out!

Phil had the right idea!

My friends and I attempted to go at the shank with  knives and forks. While it proved good for sharing it just wasn't as effective as eating it Fred Flintstone style! Phill (watch for him in 'Phill My Belly!') wasn't shy to take the shank by the bone and sink his teeth into it. The meat was tender, juicy and very tasty. The lamb shank combined with the mixed veg and mashed potatoes proved to be a very fine and satisfying meal and I can't wait to try some of the other items on their menu.

I spoke to Kevin before the night was through to tell him my thoughts and was pleased by how passionate this man was about his cooking. He may have even let a secret or two out to me about how he cooked his lamb shanks. Rather than spill those secrets it would be better for you to go see the team at The Roast Shack yourself and sink your teeth into their magical roast shanks!

Loukas Yiros, Souvlaki & Charcoal Meats - Mindil Market

 When it has a name like Loukas Yiros, Souvlaki & Charcoal Meats you know it has to be good. I'm a sucker for all things tiros, souvlaki, and meats. It's an extra bonus when it involves charcoal. Loukas Yiros, Souvlaki and Charcoal Meats (abbreviated to LYSCM) has been a long running staple of the Mindil Markets for nearly 3 decades. It's easy to see why they have been here so long. The small of the cooking meat over the coals on the rotisserie is always a welcome sign.

I had a chance to talk to Peter of Loukas Yiros, Souvlaki & Charcoal Meats a little about what they do. Not only did this man cook rotisserie on open coals but he also wore a Superman shirt. If this guy isn't a culinary hero than I'll eat my hat!

My friends and I were already salivating when we saw what we were in for on the rotisserie. We were given some lamb and chicken souvlaki hot off the coals which we tucked into like a pack of ravenous wolverines. Greek cuisine is certainly something special and the folks at Loukas Yiros, Souvlaki and Charcoal Meats know how to do it! The meat was tender and came right off the bone. Every bite was as good as the last and before we knew it we just had a pile of bones sitting in our tray. We were also treated to a greek salad which was also equally as delicious. That's a very good thing as we were badly in need of our greens after all that meat!

Loukas Yiros, Souvlaki and Charcoal Meats was continually cooking through the night and always pouring out freshly cooked lamb and chicken. The smell is overpowering and I'm sure even the strongest person will have trouble walking by their stall after smelling that beautiful rotisserie and charcoal.

Loukas Yiros, Souvlaki and Charcoal Meats may be a mouthful to say but it's also a lovely mouthful to eat!

Go On Be Game - Mindil Market

I had the pleasure of visiting Go On Be Game recently at the Mindil Market. Go On Be Game, as their name suggests, specialises in game foods. They also specialise in other native Australian foods from the territory. Their menu includes kangaroo, pork, and the ever popular crocodile. On occasion they also prepare camel which I am hoping to try in the future!

I had a quick chat with Keiran, the proprietor of Go On Be Game, about Australian game meat and one of the stranger benefits of eating kangaroo meat over beef! You can view that video below!


Keiran and his team prepared for us some wonderful Aussie cuisine consisting of kangaroo and crocodile. Both meats are quite difficult to properly cook but in the right hands they can be amazing dishes.

First it was kangaroo time. Also known as Roo Thyme! Roo Thyme is a sandwich prepared with a kangaroo fillet marinated in garlic, thyme, and olive oil and served on Turkish bread with Danish feta and tomato relish sauce. If that description doesn't get your tastebuds going I don't know what will. My experience with kangaroo has often been a tough meat. This wasn't the case with the Roo Thyme. Keiran and his team are wizards who know what to do with roo! My friends and I tucked into that with great glee and could have gone back for seconds and thirds. The meat was beautifully tender and perfectly spiced.

Next up we had the crocodile. The dish prepared was the Crocodile Terrine. Crocodile Terrine is an unusual dish consisting of minced crocodile meat, red onion, coriander, and native herbs. To top it off it's wrapped in a piece of bacon. What is most unusual about this dish is that it's served cold. I have never had cold crocodile meat before and admit I needed to work up some courage to try it. I'm glad I did because it was superb. This is one dish I have to tell everyone to put their apprehensions aside and just try it. I will admit I was a little apprehensive of it but glad I took that dive. I enjoyed it so much that I convinced a friend who was equally apprehensive of the Crocodile Terrine to give it a try. She was ecstatic after her first bite.

Keiran and his team at Go On Be Game are truly up to something wonderful. If you're at the market and spot their stall stop on by for some bush favourites. If you're feeling brave try the crocodile. You won't be disappointed!

You can visit Go On Be Game on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/goonbegame

-Tom

Territory Grill - Mindil Market

Territory Grill is a real treat at Mindil Market. The smell of a charcoal grill is always a welcome to my nose and the food that was grilling on it was even better!

I had the chance to speak to the owner/grill maestro JP during his busy schedule.


Territory Grill did not disappoint! My friends and I were treated to barramundi wings and pork ribs that were absolutely wonderful. The barra wings were first grilled over the charcoal and wok tossed in a sweet chilli, soy, and coriander sauce. They were absolutely fabulous and I am currently free of my phobia of fish. The pork ribs were absolutely perfect. They were grilled just right to come easily off the bone but not fall right off. Pork ribs can often be dry with very little meat but this was not the case at all here. These ribs were plump, juicy, and absolutely delicious.

Mmmmmm…. that's a lot of BBQ!

Through the night JP was busy at the grill always creating items ready to be served. There's no meat simmering for hours in this place. When you get it it's pretty much right off the grill!

If you're at the Mindil Market be sure to visit Territory Grill and their friendly staff if you're in the mood for some mouth watering BBQ! For more information you can visit their page on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/territorygrill

-Tom

Aussie Burgers & Hot Dogs - Mindil Market

I had the pleasure of visiting Aussie Burgers and Hot Dogs this past Thursday at The Mindil Beach Markets in Darwin, Northern Territory. When profiling different food stalls in a market renowned for a wide selection of international cuisine it might seem a little odd that we went right for the burgers! I can tell you that was not a silly move at all. Aussie Burgers & Hot Dogs offers a wide range of traditional favourites as well as their own spin on local cuisine such as crocodile, buffalo, and barramundi. My friend Samara and I sampled several burgers and we came out hugely impressed and wanting more!

Aussie Burgers & Hot Dogs has been at the Mindil Market for 17 years. It is run by a husband and wife team and their kids are even joining in on the family business. Apart from being extremely lovely people I can safely say that this family knows how to cook! A burger is often viewed as a simple every day food but what these guys do to them is utter perfection!

Feel free to take a look at the below video of my friend Samara and I trying out some burgers from Aussie Burgers & Hot Dogs. That night was a lot of firsts. Samara tried crocodile and buffalo for the first time and I finally got over my multi-decade fear of fish and tucked into a barramundi burger. In the end the barra burger was possibly my favourite of what we sampled.

Barramundi, crocodile, buffalo, and mango are pretty much the staple local food of Darwin and all have their benefits. In addition to be locally sourced buffalo meat is also very rich in iron and crocodile meat is very rich in protein. Not to mention they taste delicious!

I was very impressed at the mango sauce that Aussie Burgers & Hot Dogs used on their crocodile burger. It was savoury and just downright incredible. The buffalo burger was very flavourful and left me wanting more! The biggest surprise for me in the evening was the barramundi burger. It was like rediscovering an old friend. As I stated before I have not had fish in quite a number of years yet felt brave. That bravery has paid off and I now understand the whole barramundi craze in The Territory! It was delicious and I wolfed that one right down.

All in all I was very impressed by Aussie Burgers & Hot Dogs. While it may sound like a run-of-the-mill burger and hot dog stand it is anything but! This is gourmet burgers at its finest!

Welcome to Tom Nom Nom!

Welcome to the first entry at Tom Nom Nom! Over the next little while this relatively round Canadian will be exploring some of the great places to eat in Darwin, Northern Territory. Here in Australia people love their food and the places to eat are quite amazing!

As we are approaching the last couple of months of the Mindil Beach Market before the wet season begins I thought I would try the wide range of food stalls there. The Mindil Market is a regular destination for locals and tourists alike every Thursday and Sunday during the dry season. The market is host to a wide range of stalls offering crafts, clothing, tours, souvenirs and, of course, food!

Join my friends and I as we learn about the various food stalls at the Mindil Market and fill our bellies with all the sundries put in front of us.

Bon appétit!

-Tom