THE hipster dream has been reduced to a bag of frozen chips.
Recently I was in the supermarket and saw McCain’s were selling craft beer batter chips with a “pale ale inspired taste”.
Jesus wept.
Thankfully you can still get real craft beer and food in places like the Otherside Brewshed, where inspiration is not mass-produced.
Located in Freo Social (the old artillery hall beside Fremantle Markets), the Brewshed has some lovely craft beers on tap and a cosy courtyard with a food truck.
As I get older my tastes become more primitive and I am drawn to street food rather than lingering meals with effete waiters and fizzy water.
I enjoy feeling like a caveman who has just glimpsed a flying saucer.
The Brewshed food truck “Nomads” has a modest range of snacks, burgers and main meals, including mushroom and okra gumbo, 4 cheese mac and a fried chicken doughnut burger.
There were some vegan and gluten-free options, and extra dishes were available at night including a delicious-sounding rotisserie with caribbean chicken, porchetta and Greek lamb.
We were there for lunch on a cold day, so I went for the cheeseburger ($10) and my wife Katrina got the loaded fries ($14).
“Why do you always get a burger?” asked my wife, condensing Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus into one question.
While we waited for our food, I snuck inside and marvelled at the range of craft beers on offer. I went for the Hazy Sunset, which was crammed with flavour, but had a brown hue more akin to a nuclear winter.
The moustached barman was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, and we had a nice chat about a Scottish blacksmith that lived beside him.
The loaded fries were perfect comfort food for a chilly winter’s day: a mound of rustic chips were topped with chilli con carne, sour cream, jalapenos, nacho cheese and spring onions.
It could have easily been a greasy catastrophe, but this was packed with quality ingredients and hit the trailer-trash spot.
The dish was very moreish and my wife grabbed her fork, exhuming fries like a demented grave digger.
My cheeseburger was simple and perfectly executed: a few pickles and red onions were sprinkled over a quality beef patty with tasty melted cheese.
The burger was just the right size to be picked up with both hands (some specimens are like the leaning tower of Pisa and descend into a fatty farce after a few bites).
The bun was light and fresh, and complemented the juicy meat inside. Delicious.
No hipster dreams at the Otherside Brewshed.
This is the real deal.
By Stephen Pollock
Otherside Brewshed
(Freo.Social)
Parry Street, Fremantle
http://www.freo.social