Saturday, August 13, 2011

Silo Bakery

Do you know what has just occurred to me? I have never ever written about eating at Silo. Never. This is just the most amazing revelation. Why? Because Silo saved me from hating Canberra, and it is the place I've eaten at the most in the entire world.


When I moved here all those years ago, I moved because he got a job. I was working on an exhibition... so he would go to work, and I would work from home. By myself. Just me and the dog. And while the dog is awesome, he doesn't talk.


So what did I do?  I made super best friends with the Silo cheese girl. I would go down there a couple of times a week just so I could interact with my new cheesy friend. I'd mix it up with my friends at the Fyshwick food markets and my pals at the Griffith butcher, but nobody could compete with my silo besties. I'd walk into the bakery to be greeted with smiles and straight away she would steer me towards the cool room, cooing about a new french triple cream that just arrived this morning. Sigh. I was in love.


Then cheese girl left, as most of the staff do, but it didn't matter so much anyways because I soon made friends with people who weren't in the service industry. This, I have to say was a relief, because buying friendship via cheese can be an expensive habit (fast forward to my love affair with the belgium cheese guy at Deli Mart - it cost me $110 per kilo for truffle infused pecorino to flirt madly with someone who turned out to be gay). 


But back to Silo - I've always remained loyal. I've defended the bad service, the moments of sheer rudeness, and the inconsistencies around being allowed to book (or not book). And my has it been worth it. Never has it disappointed, and I couldn't guess how many meals I've had. Hundreds? Todays was a slow cooked meat pie - pudding with mash. Amazing. Kir Royale to wash it down, that you very much. So indulgent for a Saturday lunch.


So writing about this I began to reminisce, what are my favourite food memories from there?


The beef bruschetta - I think I ate this about half a dozen times before deciding to try something else. The potato and anchovy pizza with chilli jam is such a wonderful cheesy gooey potatoey wonder. The vegetable pates are always good and with three flavours my favourite always changes - right now the artichoke is the best for me followed by the hazelnut with capsicum and then pumpkin last (actually pumpkin is always last). The fresh sourdough bread is always heavenly, but at the moment they are baking a breadstick with walnuts. Oh...my...god. I could name about another dozen more meals, but I won't...I won't mention the breakfast choices, nor the tarts or pastries, nor the juices...and especially not the cheese.

2 comments:

  1. Silo sounds divine. Kir Royale will to it for me every time.

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  2. I know - such a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Sometimes I forget how lovely living in Canberra can be.

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