Paul's Famous Hamburgers of Sylvania - Sydney, New South Wales

During a recent trip to Sydney, we made our maiden voyage to Paul's Famous Hamburgers of Sylvania. This is a Sydney institution, selling burgers long before fast food chains like Hungry Jack's or McDonald's came along.



It's important to note that Paul's is closed on Mon & Tues. Luckily, we visited on a Wednesday so they were open for business!



Inside the shop, they proudly display that they were established in 1957. I have a feeling they haven't changed too much since then either.



The menu includes Hamburgers (with various toppings), Chips, Milk Shakes & Fresh Pineapple Crush.



We considered a milk shake (there were heaps of flavours to choose from) but we decided to try the Fresh Pineapple Crush. This drink is really special as it's real pineapple juice with plenty of pulp as well. Tarty, sweet, and very refreshing! The food comes in a white paper bag. Based on my observations of other customers, it's common practice to rip the bag open to get to your food. This indicated to me that what's inside must be pretty good.



We decided to go with a Plain Hamburger ($5.90), a Works Burger ($8.90), and a Small order of Chips ($3.80). The chips were impressive - crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside with an appropriate amount of chicken salt (optional).



The Plain Hamburger was an excellent example of an Aussie fish 'n chip shop burger. The bun was fresh, it had plenty of salad and sauce, and the meat was well seasoned.



The Plain Hamburger was good, but the standout burger was definitely the Works. It had an abundance of toppings - tomato, lettuce, onion, tomato sauce, egg, bacon, cheese & pineapple. Each topping was excellent quality and the bold flavours somehow worked together perfectly. The size of the burger made for a challenging but rewarding bite.



If you're in Sydney, make sure you visit Paul's Famous Hamburgers for a great Aussie style burger & chips with Pineapple Crush to drink. There's a reason they've been in business for 55+ years.

Jaffle King & Karvery - Millicent, South Australia

During a brief visit to Millicent, South Australia (near Mount Gambier) we came across something amazing: Jaffle King! Even though we had already eaten lunch, we had to stop and check this place out.



I had no earthly idea what a jaffle was, as this is an Australian term I hadn't come across before. I was keen to try one for myself. As we approached the front door, a lady waiting inside began giving me and my camera a constant evil stare. Needless to say, I was a little freaked out so no pictures were taken inside. This is unfortunate because the inside looked like it hadn't changed for decades. The shop was filled with all of the usual takeaway options as well as some special touches like fried chicken. We spotted a Ham, Cheese and Tomato Jaffle and a Caramel Macadamia pie calling our names. It turned out that these were both great choices. The caramel macadamia pie was filled with gooey, dense caramel and the crust was the perfect thickness and very fresh. The macadamias on top added some crunch and even more flavour. Sweet, salty & delicious!



Now to the main event: the jaffle! A jaffle is basically just a toasted sandwich but because of the cooking method, the ingredients get sealed inside so it's pretty magical. The outside of the jaffle, I later found out is usually just normal white bread. I wouldn't have guessed this based on the texture and flavour of the final product. To make a jaffle, you butter the outside of both pieces of bread, put one piece of bread into the jaffle iron (a hinged skillet - either round or square) butter side down, place your fillings on top of the first piece of bread, place the second piece of bread on top of the fillings butter side up, close the jaffle iron , trim the excess bread from the outside, and cook it over the stove or an open flame. They also make electric jaffle irons if you prefer.



As tasty as it was, apparently ham cheese & tomato is not the most popular jaffle. Much more popular fillings are: baked beans & cheese, or tinned/leftover spaghetti. You can even make sweet jaffles like apple & cinnamon for dessert.



After returning home, I started trying to find out more about Jaffle King. Turns out this is the only full fledged location. The only other one I could find is in a petrol station in Mount Gambier. Next time we're in Millicent, South Australia we will definitely be stopping in at Jaffle King & Karvery for some more great take away. If you can't make it to Jaffle King, you might consider purchasing a jaffle iron so you can try to replicate some of your own jaffle magic at home.

Kytons Hot Cross Buns with Menz FruChocs - Adelaide, South Australia

I first fell in love with Kytons Bakery for their fresh, fluffy lamingtons dipped in rich chocolate and coated with plenty of coconut. These lamingtons are so good that they won 1st Prize in the 2008 National Baking Awards in Sydney. Kytons products are mostly sold as fundraisers for community groups and sporting clubs across South Australia and Victoria.You can also find them in most FoodLand and IGA stores as well as a selection of other retailers. We purchased this pack from our local FoodLand for Australia Day and loved every bite.



In addition to their amazing lamingtons, Kytons also sells hot cross buns in the lead up to Easter. This year, they've partnered with Menz to produce the new hot cross buns with FruChocs!



This might sound like a strange combination to some, but it totally works! First, slice open the bun to reveal the awesome FruChocs inside. FruChocs are a South Australian icon, now sold nationwide. Note that due to pronunciation problems interstate they're called Choc Apricot Balls outside of SA. FruChocs are so awesome they even have their own Appreciation Society.



I like to slice the hot cross bun in half and spread some butter or margarine inside. Next I recommend lightly toasting them before serving with a cuppa tea.



The chocolate melts, the apricot stays chewy, and the edges get toasted and crunchy. They taste like a mix between fruit-filled and chocolate buns so they're a hybrid hot cross bun that is the perfect celebration of South Australia.



I hope everyone buys the new Kytons hot cross buns with FruChocs this year to ensure they keep making them every year. Check the list of Stockists (alphabetical by suburb) to see where you can get yours.