One of my many favourite moments of being in a theatre group was staggering to Ric’s in the Brunswick Street Mall, at three o’clock in the morning, and ordering a big breakfast.

Ric’s has gone through a few name changes since I first went there, Fat Ric’s and Fatboys to name 2, but the coffee has always been welcome and the food has always been pleasing.

I am not sure if it is still open 24 hours or not, but it used to be a long time ago, and used to be one of the places to find drunk, annoyed thespians at four am. Having just checked the website, it is open from seven am to nine pm Sunday to Thursday, and from seven am to ten pm Friday and Saturday. It is also apparently still called Fatboys. So today’s title is changing to…

R is for the Royal George Hotel Fatboy Cafe

Though this is also not the exciting bit about this weekend.

It was a good bit though.

Most of the time when I go to Ric’s (you all know where I mean, and if you don’t when you go there Ric’s is written above the door) I have FatRics breakfast. I love it. It is something that has helped me on numerous occasions. It has helped me to sober up enough for a walk home, when I was a lot younger. It has helped me kill time while waiting for people. It has even been something for people to pick at while we muse about the day ahead of us, or catch up.

This time I wanted something different.

This time I went for a BBQ Meat Lover pizza. It was good. Not the best pizza I have ever eaten, but definitely worth contemplating if you are there for lunch. The biggish slices of meat were well spaced, lot’s of cheese and a pretty good barbecue sauce.

These were not my favourite bits of it though.

My favourite bit was the base. The base was great. It reminded me of, but definitely not as good as, the sourdough bases Pete used to make for our pizzas in St Lucia. I loved those things. It had the consistency and flavour of something home made. Much to the surprise of the guy working there, I asked if they made it in store. After realising this was not a question he was ready for, I went to walk away. He said he didn’t think they made the bases there, but they definitely make the pizza part there.

If I could get the crust Peking Duck Pizza on that base, I would be an incredibly happy man.

And the coffee was welcoming, as always.

This was the day after the best part of the weekend though…

The night before I had something I don’t think I have ever had before.

After the improv show, some of us went to King Tea.

Firstly, the menu has a small thing at the bottom left of it saying ‘We recommend using your hands’. Nice.

Secondly, the pickled anchovies here were not as good as Italian Street Food’s. They were ok though.

Thirdly, the blue valdean goat milk cheese, which has the words strong and tangy beside it, is only strong and tangy if you don’t like blue vein cheese (which I love). It is pleasantly mild for a blue vein. Mixed with apple and chutney, it is not an offence to hoard this for yourself. Mixed with what is coming next, it is definitely something I could get used to as a snack.

Finally, TERRINE, TERRINE, TERRRIIINNNNNE.

I may be a little impressed with the terrine. I don’t think I have had one of these before, and if I have it was not as memorable as this one. Smoked ham hock, duck leg, pistachio and pickle. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

The plate came out with three individual terrine’s on a bed of lettuce. There was mustard on it, but there is a chance that was from the goats cheese plate I had as well. Unlike the goats cheese I was not willing to share this one. The first mouthful was a good indicator of that. It wasn’t too fatty, it wasn’t greasy. It was just a burst of flavours from the different things crammed together into this brick of meat.

I had the first one on its own. The second one I mixed with some of the things from the goat cheese plate, including the goat cheese. The goat cheese, terrine, mustard, apple and chutney on a small piece of bread was pretty awesome. I don’t think it would have worked as well with a stronger blue vein cheese.

If you ever get the chance, go to King Tea and try the smoked ham hock, duck leg, pistachio and pickle. I am ending this here, as I have made myself very hungry.

 

Oh yeah, and go to Ric’s.

Have fun and eat well.