Page 49 - Tropic Magazine Issue 31
P. 49
TROPIC • FOOD
Menu magic A café menu is like a cast of actors in It’s an ocean-based umami flavour bomb,
a great movie. Imagine each dish is a eggs on eggs, the orange of both egg types
CREATIVE CUISINE character, with a few stars that tying in visually, with an added pop and
are possibly familiar, a handful of crunch texture.
The owner of Guyala Café good supporting roles and plenty of The balance of taste is considered
shares his recipe for whipping talented extras. In this analogy, the café’s carefully. From sweet to acidic, salty,
up a winning menu. creed is the script or storyline, and that’s bitter and umami, I try to find a
communicated through the menu. harmonious combination. It’s the same
Words: Oliver James Just as a great movie is the combination with texture – crunchy, melty, runny, soft,
of these things, a great menu is popping. Finally, the dish needs to
built on interesting dishes and an look good. Colour on a plate is key as we
appealing narrative. start to eat with our eyes.
I love creating menus. The process of
identifying the personality of the venue
– and subsequently, the storyline of the
menu – is fun. It’s really an extension of For me, this is foodie poetry
my curiosities.
I’m currently obsessed with Indigenous
Australian ingredients and at Guyala,
we use Davidson plum, lemon myrtle,
kangaroo, macadamia and finger lime. From the cornerstone menu items, I love
Seafood also naturally features due to exploring a couple of exotic alternatives.
our location at the Cairns Esplanade’s Our Vietnamese pork crepe is just that.
northern end. Inclusivity in a menu is Pork belly, spices and bean sprouts,
important too – whether its wrapped in a crunchy rice flour, coconut
plant-based, gluten free, dairy free milk and turmeric crepe, served with
or garlic free, a good café menu should nuoc cham (an incredibly delicious,
provide delicious and healthy options for sweet, sour and salty dipping sauce).
everyone. Pleasantly, I’ve discovered it’s This dish naturally works out to be
not that hard to cook, and often is gluten free and dairy free, and by
crazy delicious. using vegan mushroom-based fish
The next step in my design process is sauce and swapping the pork for
to nail the basics and tweak them to fit confit tofu, it becomes a super tasty
the storyline. I’m talking about avocado plant-based brunch!
on toast, eggs on toast, ham and cheese There are no accidents in menu creation.
toasties, eggs benedict, the big brekky – Each dish has a purpose and links back to
the cornerstones of an Australian its creator’s philosophy to deliver
café menu. At Guyala, we serve food packed with personality and
eggs on toast with tobiko (flying fish tantalising tastes.
roe), seaweed salt and locally
grown microgreens. MORE: guyalacafe.com.au
49 • tropicnow.com.au
