[1] Have you ever watched the way teenagers eat when they’re out? They constantly check their phones and pay little attention to their environment, let alone what’s in front of them… their lack of seriousness is fantastic. You may think taking them to a restaurant would be a waste of time and money, but it’s not. You just have to find the right eatery.
[2] To prove this theory, I took some friends and their two teenage daughters to the Food Garage. The family had recently relocated to New Zealand from America, and I thought if I could fill them with burgers, fries and hot dogs, they may feel less homesick. It worked like a treat.
[3] I first learned of the Food Garage after watching an episode of the TV show, Cool Food. At that time, it was just a humble food truck, turning out fast food that promised not to send you to a fast grave. After the show aired, fans flocked to the truck, and the business has since also opened a restaurant on 90 Wellesley St, West, in the City Works district.
[4] The first things we ordered were fish wraps and mini pizzas. The wraps had plenty of zing and slap from fresh lime, and were topped with hot chilli and fresh greens all locally grown. The pizzas bore no resemblance to those served at late-night deliveries. This version consisted of a thin crust and a light layer of cheese. The flavours were moreish in the extreme. Next to arrive were our burgers and hot dogs. The knock-out was the hot dog, a dark sausage of minced and pickled pork, with homemade sauce. Yums!
[5] The Food Garage concept plays heavily on the ‘healthy’ aspect of classic fast food and, without a more scientific test, at the end of our meal we all reported feeling fabulous and guilt-free. If you feel as though dining out has become a bit serious of late, parking up at the Food Garage is the perfect antidote.