TL;DR: While the outlay is simple, and won't be attracting many of the trendy foodies anytime soon, something about Jay's Emporium is alluring. It takes a classical approach, bringing up the foods that even to this day many an Australian like myself can't help but salivate over. You could have this in any era, and a decent audience would wander over. I am tempted to be back, since there is so much for a good buck right here.
These days, we all know the crunch of money in trying to get anything for something affordable. That is entirely the idea that is driving Jay's Food Emporium down in the Gold Coast. They want to give a good feed for a price that is affordable to all, and for what it is worth they are doing one heck of a job.
My parents have been collecting all kinds of menus and looking out for new places to grab a bite to eat. They are well aware of how much of a gourmand I tend to be. By saying that, I like to get under the skin of a local area whenever I can as well as checking out what the most popular and touted places are nearby. What also works is changing everything up a bit, with each location being different from the last. Such an example comes to this little find.
It was a menu that was lying around the place, and what stood out about it was not the food that it was serving but more so the price of everything. For once, you only needed one hand to count what cost double-digits. After a bit of weighing it up, I went out and gave this place a try. To be honest, even if it is what it is I reckon I will be back.
Walking right into it, looking around the shop, and hearing the playlist booming over the speaker, you could get forgiven for wondering if you stepped back into the 1980s. Everything is pretty simple here, and straightforward. The food selection is undoubtedly from the Australian takeaway in any old suburb of times gone by, and the setting won't be getting any kind of design award either. However, it is that sort where I wouldn't care anyways since there is a real heart to it all.
It's a pocket-sized institution overall and about half of the interior has the kitchen. As well as the music playing, you can hear the sizzle and the fry of the appliances constantly humming. Tables are present just outside, and a bit away from the door, as well as a row inside. Right at the counter, there are the additional barstools. You could hear over the speakers some of the great songs from the 1980s (maybe a deliberate touch? I approve either way), and that possibly tied it altogether more than the pocket money-friendly prices.
As with any of the old Australian takeaways, you've got the characteristic service. You know you are in Australia when the lady shoots the general terms of endearment at you while you order. It is a quick, streamlined process; you go up to the counter, place the order, and then pay. Memory is hazy about whether they give you a number or not, but if they don't these guys are pretty good at remembering who you are. Plus, the food is on the table before you know it. Another good takeaway from here is that they use actual crockery and cups if you choose to eat in. Environmentalist or not, the taste is a lot cleaner that way, plus the aesthetics are also much more pleasing on the eye.
They keep their selection of food simple. If you can think about anything from your standard local takeaway, that is bound to be here. The selection is a range of burgers, in addition to toasted sandwiches, some basic meals, and salads. You can also hit up a decent breakfast for a cheap dollar.
In getting something to drink, they have got a decent selection. A potential upgrade from most takeaways is they serve both tea and coffee. If it's something cold that is desired, do they have something in the store or what? The fridge has all the sodas, the fruit juices, iced teas, and whatnot (only missing some flavoured milk), yet they can also concoct up some delights. Smoothies, milkshakes, and other iced beverages are available. I reckon you need to pinch me to check that I am not dreaming.
However, how they distinguish themselves from being just another old-style takeaway to walk by is their selection of sauces. They are known fairly locally for these. There are dozens of them, all sorts of flavours for various palates. You can easily get the classical tomato, but there are also a fair few spicy kinds, various infused mayonnaises, and all other kinds that need to be seen. They are available for wholesale purchase. Additionally, these guys adorn the walls ready to the customers to pour on their food; burgers and such come out dry without sauce, allowing the customer to do their choosing. This is a pretty unique aspect, even in over 1000 go-arounds at various places. You can always get something new.
When it came to getting something to eat, I was staying modest this time around. In times like these, the old bacon and egg roll is hard to beat. Add a coffee onto that, and I will stand with many tradies that this is a hard-to-beat combination. Throw in a hashbrown as an extra, and you have yourselves a real winner.
When it comes to the coffee, I can't quite remember what beans they use to make it. I would not be surprised if it were Merlo, in which if that is correct you could do worse. If the barista knows what they are doing, you can get a very good coffee. This was the case this time. It was slightly strong, the texture as smooth, and the sweet heat and flavour was all that mattered.
Getting the roll on the plate, it was time to chose the sauce. I can't quite remember which one I squeezed onto the roll, though it could have been the Cajun mayonnaise - this works well with a contrasting combination of creaminess, along with just a bit of spice. On the roll, the egg was cooked soft allowing the yolk to be a sauce in itself. Add onto that several slices of crispy bacon. To me, the hashbrown more or less adds to it being the third man in a delicious breakfast. What tied it all together was the roll, a soft bap fresh from the bakery that encompassed everything.
Still, the biggest takeaway I can get from eating here is that I must have stepped briefly through a time machine and gone back into the 1980s. It was in the kind of food they served, plus the aesthetic, and even the music playlist they had. Whatever your opinion on that is, take it for what you will. The real takeaway from it is whether it is worth giving a try.
The answer to that last question is yes. It is wholesome fare, that is hot, filling, and tasty. From all the memories I had during my younger years with the Gold Coast, the food was often fairly homely not venturing too far from the fish and chip variety. This was a great callback to those days. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, time was going a little slower, and what I had hit the spot in the way that it should.
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