As part of my birthday week celebrations I organised dinner with a group of friends at the Mandalay Bus. The bus is an iconic fixture in Canberra, and is somewhat notorious for pumping tunes loudly from its location at the top of Lonsdale Street. The menu is a mish-mash of fried food and Burmese curries, so I picked one of each to try. I couldn’t resist the waffle cut fries, which came in a generous serving and were crispy and well-seasoned. Friends had the chilli cheese version and enjoyed them too. Actually, I think most of the group ordered a serve of the fries, and we all nibbled on them throughout the night! For the Burmese dish, I ordered the pumpkin curry, which was also incredibly good – the soft, creamy pumpkin contrasted perfectly with the assortment of seeds scattered on top (pepitas, sunflower seeds, and others I didn’t recognise). The curry was mild but had plenty of flavour and after all those fries I couldn’t quite finish my bowl. I’d recommend rugging up as the nights cool down – milk crates aren’t the warmest seats but the casual community vibe and the fabulous street food makes it worth the effort.
The Mandalay Bus, Haig Park Carpark, Corner Lonsdale St and Girrahween St, Braddon ACT, no website
