Comments on: Very Cheap annoucement http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/ The insiders' guide to food and drink in Melbourne. Since 2005. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:40:44 +0000 hourly 1 By: Ed http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30844 Ed Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:35:58 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30844 Okay, invites have ben sent finally Johanna and Phil. jack, there are plenty out there that meet the criteria. We probably have to watch the situation carefully to see if $20 is realistic with the current inflation. Remember the whole idea is for very cheap food , not the normal stuff. There's nothing wrong with using under $5 worth of ingredients, the public is that is usually comes with strip lighting in Footscray. All we are trying to do is give a guide to good cheap food and be focused on our aim. Okay, invites have ben sent finally Johanna and Phil.

jack, there are plenty out there that meet the criteria. We probably have to watch the situation carefully to see if $20 is realistic with the current inflation. Remember the whole idea is for very cheap food , not the normal stuff. There’s nothing wrong with using under $5 worth of ingredients, the public is that is usually comes with strip lighting in Footscray. All we are trying to do is give a guide to good cheap food and be focused on our aim.

]]> By: Jack http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30812 Jack Tue, 22 Apr 2008 05:29:41 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30812 Hi all I too have been reading with interest, as trying to achieve two courses for $20 seems very tricky, appart from the obvious noodle shops. I've been racking my brain about my favourites and have realised that even if it fits this price point I would rarely actually eat two courses there as it is more of a easy fueling station than a leisurely night out. The other thing that bugs me is the tiny amount of money that the chef has to spend on the food I am about to eat. Once you take out GST and all the other basic fixed costs that are usual (and a tiny profit), you are looking at about $5.50 food cost which is pathetically small to make two courses from, especially if meat/fish is involved. I worry about the quality of the ingredients, and perhaps the restricted skill of the chef to utilize the best cheap produce into a great meal. I think we perhaps do a dis-service to the restaurant industry and ourselves in the long run to chase such unsustainable pricing, we could very well end up all eating McDonalds like junk, in the name of saving a few bucks. I'm not saying that Cheap Eats is perfect, I just don't know if i want to rave about what a tired 'very cheap eats' chef can prepare from such a pitance of food cost. Jack Please bring on the examples to prove me wrong!!! Hi all
I too have been reading with interest, as trying to achieve two courses for $20 seems very tricky, appart from the obvious noodle shops. I’ve been racking my brain about my favourites and have realised that even if it fits this price point I would rarely actually eat two courses there as it is more of a easy fueling station than a leisurely night out.
The other thing that bugs me is the tiny amount of money that the chef has to spend on the food I am about to eat. Once you take out GST and all the other basic fixed costs that are usual (and a tiny profit), you are looking at about $5.50 food cost which is pathetically small to make two courses from, especially if meat/fish is involved. I worry about the quality of the ingredients, and perhaps the restricted skill of the chef to utilize the best cheap produce into a great meal.
I think we perhaps do a dis-service to the restaurant industry and ourselves in the long run to chase such unsustainable pricing, we could very well end up all eating McDonalds like junk, in the name of saving a few bucks.
I’m not saying that Cheap Eats is perfect, I just don’t know if i want to rave about what a tired ‘very cheap eats’ chef can prepare from such a pitance of food cost.
Jack

Please bring on the examples to prove me wrong!!!

]]> By: Johanna http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30811 Johanna Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:08:58 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30811 Hi Ed, I'd love to contribute. I've been fairly disillusioned with Cheap Eats for the past couple of years and the most recent was the final straw. Count me in! Hi Ed,

I’d love to contribute. I’ve been fairly disillusioned with Cheap Eats for the past couple of years and the most recent was the final straw. Count me in!

]]> By: Ed http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30807 Ed Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:13:07 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30807 Phil, love to have you on board. That $20 was just our idea for local food and we need to add a side bar to detail costs for other countries. Got any suggestions for costs in SE Asia. An invite should be on its way. KH, yes, it becomes one upmanship and crowing about ones superior knowledge. When I was trained I was told to write for the "man from mars" but nobody seems to do that anymore. And if I was going to add a guideline it is write for "the man/woman from Mars". Phil, love to have you on board. That $20 was just our idea for local food and we need to add a side bar to detail costs for other countries. Got any suggestions for costs in SE Asia. An invite should be on its way.

KH, yes, it becomes one upmanship and crowing about ones superior knowledge. When I was trained I was told to write for the “man from mars” but nobody seems to do that anymore. And if I was going to add a guideline it is write for “the man/woman from Mars”.

]]> By: kitchen hand http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30805 kitchen hand Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:07:41 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30805 The problem with many published food guides - and much of the food press - is that despite initial good intentions, they end up being written for their peers, not Joe Public. In fact, like much of the cultural elites that comprise the media, they openly detest Joe Public; and their work becomes oneupmanship rather than well-written information with an angle, which is all it should be. The problem with many published food guides – and much of the food press – is that despite initial good intentions, they end up being written for their peers, not Joe Public. In fact, like much of the cultural elites that comprise the media, they openly detest Joe Public; and their work becomes oneupmanship rather than well-written information with an angle, which is all it should be.

]]> By: Phil http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30804 Phil Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:11:25 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30804 Count me in - although I can't guarantee that I'll be the most conscientious contributor. I've got a lot on at the moment. I'm not sure that starting out as a global guide is the best idea: $20 was about my weekly food budget in Cambodia. You're pretty hard pressed to spend that much in a single meal anywhere in the entire country. Count me in – although I can’t guarantee that I’ll be the most conscientious contributor. I’ve got a lot on at the moment.

I’m not sure that starting out as a global guide is the best idea: $20 was about my weekly food budget in Cambodia. You’re pretty hard pressed to spend that much in a single meal anywhere in the entire country.

]]> By: Ed http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30801 Ed Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:36:12 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30801 Duncan, Juliette would you like to join? Elliot, invitation on the way. Rumi, Supper Inn, Bar Lourhinha, Oriental Tea House are in both at a glance. There does seem to be some sort of demarcation though with some places worthy of the GFG only in Cheap Eats. Next blog to come: Very Expensive Eats! Duncan, Juliette would you like to join?

Elliot, invitation on the way. Rumi, Supper Inn, Bar Lourhinha, Oriental Tea House are in both at a glance. There does seem to be some sort of demarcation though with some places worthy of the GFG only in Cheap Eats. Next blog to come: Very Expensive Eats!

]]> By: Juliette http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30800 Juliette Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:11:24 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30800 great idea... i'm going to cut and paste your guidelines and keep them in my wallet as a kind of form i can fill in, as my cheap eats outings tend to be fairly casual. i'm pretty forgetful on details so hopefully this will work! good idea ed! great idea… i’m going to cut and paste your guidelines and keep them in my wallet as a kind of form i can fill in, as my cheap eats outings tend to be fairly casual. i’m pretty forgetful on details so hopefully this will work!
good idea ed!

]]> By: Ed http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30799 Ed Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:04:00 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30799 Everyone, it is $20 plus beverage and I've changed the copy to make that clearer Everyone, it is $20 plus beverage and I’ve changed the copy to make that clearer

]]> By: Duncan | Syrup&Tang http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/comment-page-1/#comment-30795 Duncan | Syrup&Tang Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:22:06 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/very-cheap-annoucement/#comment-30795 I've been reading Very Cheap Eats since Food Nazi and the rest of you guys started it and I think it's a really great initiative. Even better opening it up to more contributions. I’ve been reading Very Cheap Eats since Food Nazi and the rest of you guys started it and I think it’s a really great initiative. Even better opening it up to more contributions.

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