Cheap and Cheerful: Offbeat Originals
This week's Cheap and Cheerful is written by Sindy
Where: Offbeat Originals, Left Bank, Cuba St
What: Burger, toasted sandwich, milkshake
How much: $9, $4, $4 respectively
Offbeat Originals plays on the same 20-something's sense of nostalgia that so many other places are cashing in on at the mo' they got their spaceman cigarette candies, their giraffe-brand milkshake cups, and their toasted sammages. But Offbeat seems sincere with their use of kiwi-kid icons and don't charge an arm and a leg for your own memories.
One beautiful thing about this place is the huge choice of fillings & accompaniments. You can build your meal perfectly to taste, ensuring no nasty surprises*. I had a $4 Toastie - cheese and pineapple (they actually offer three fillings for this price but who could want for more?) and the $4 choc-spearmint milkshake. My only grumble is that they didn't give the option of grain or white bread - I got grain, which is what I would have chosen, but it's nice to be asked!!
The service here is good too. The guy behind the counter offered advice on fillings, was friendly and patient, and I enjoyed overhearing his interesting conversation with his friends while I dined. Meals were served promptly, with good spacing between delivery of aforementioned shake and toastie (I have a habit of gulping shakes too quickly and filling my tummy - so timing is important).
Hadyn went for, what was later described as, "The Mega-Burger". The basic chicken burger (a grilled chicken breast with aioli, lettuce, and tomato for $6) plus cheese ($1) plus bacon ($1) and, after some light coercion form the guy behind the counter, crushed pineapple ($1). This meant his Mega Burger came to $9 or roughly the same price as a Burger Fuel creation. Was it better? Apparently so.
Hadyn: (between mouthfuls) "Good. Filling with no faux-rock and roll"
Ambience: great. Service: great. Value: great. Food: beyond reproach.
Sindy's score: 9
Hadyn's score: 9
* I personally hate capsicum snuck in my salad, and beetroot snuck on my burgers.
No, I think nostalgia often kicks in at about the mid-twenties: once independence and the stresses of adulthood really start to hit, the appeal of childhood and the associated era becomes very noticeable.
I keep saying it, but Offbeat also do great coffee too. Though not all people like it in the paper cups.
And yeah, Nostalgia pretty much kicked in when I was mostly through university. Oh life was so simple way back when :-)
We had coffee there on the weekend, it wasn't memorable but not memorable in bad way either. But coffee reviews can be very hostile territory.
Nostalgia kicked in when I went to Uni too. "Remember how cool Han Solo was in Star Wars?" etc
They have the best milkshakes in Wellington without a doubt! They are cold, thick and most of all delicious.
Have you tried the peanut-butter ones at Sweet Mother's Kitchen? I'm told (by Sindy) that they're good.
I didn't like the one I had, but in their defense, it was a chocolate/peanut butter one and it didn't have enough of either flavour.
the best milkshakes in wellington are at the coffee bar at the magazine shop in midland park
no thickener
just flavour, milk and kapiti ice cream
"20-something's sense of nostalgia"
There is surely some lower limit for what constitutes nostalgia?