Cycle 3 – Item 322

22 (Thu) November 2012

Australian Vegemite Toast

1.0

at Tony’s Aussie Bar & Grill

-Itaewon, Yongsan, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

with DJ

Project 30/30/30: 22 of 45 (see also 45/45/45)

Throughout this November, I am challenging myself to eat 30 dishes from 30 countries over the course of 30 consecutive days.

Australia is the 22nd country.

Tony’s Aussie Bar & Grill is an Australian restaurant.

Disappointingly, other than Vegemite, the restaurant didn’t offer anything else distinctly Australian.  No kangaroo, no shrimps on the barbie, no bush tucker.

Vegemite is an Australian food product.  It’s a spread made from yeast extract, commonly applied to toast or crackers.

At long last, I finally got to try Vegemite.  I’ve never uttered the name of a food so many times in my life -solely in the recitation of that infamous lyric in “Down Under” – without having tasted the actual thing.  Here, I went with the toasted sandwich at the suggestion of the server, who claimed that most Aussies prefer it that way.  I found that the Vegemite had a salty-sweet and slightly bitter flavor of caramelized vegetables/fruits, as if a batch of onions-carrots-celery-tomatoes had been sautéed and simmered way way down to a thick dark paste.  I can’t say that I enjoyed it, but I appreciated the authenticity (otherwise, Australia’s entry in the project might’ve been a Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse). 4,000 won toasted, 3,000 won untoasted (toasting costs 1,000 won?).

Incidentally, the rest of the food was horrible.  For example, the fish & chips may have been the worst that I’ve ever had in my life – greasy/mushy coating on the outside, dry/flavorless fish on the inside, chips sprinkled with artificial cheese powder and dried parsley flakes – disgusting.  Even DJ wouldn’t touch it.

We didn’t stay long.

(See also BOOZE)

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)