By Lia Bichel
Development co-ordinator Leanne McCready with a table full of
goodies. 51772
YOU don’t need to travel far to experience some great Afghan food; the City of Greater Dandenong’s Food Lovers Tour proves just that.
About a dozen people participated in the first daytime Food Lovers Tour on Thursday last week.
The tour gave guests the opportunity to sample different Afghan spices and sweets, learn the process of making delicious Afghan naan bread and ultimately gobble up the scrumptious Afghan cuisine. Guided by Stella Hennequin from the City of Greater Dandenong, the first stop was at C.J. Spices on Lonsdale Street.
Aksgaya Rai and owner Sheela Joseph discussed their wide range of Indian, Sri Lankan and Pakistan products before providing the tour guests with tons of goodies.
“We have been open for about 10 years. We import a lot of Indian and Sri Lankan food, but also stock a lot of local products,” she said.
On the second stop, Sahar Take Away owner Reza Akbari and baker Hussim Bakh gave the tour a behind-the-scenes look at the process of baking traditional Afghan naan bread in a special clay oven, before letting them sample the goods.
The tour finished with a generous banquet at Uyghur Cuisine Restaurant on Thomas Street, where everyone left with full bellies and smiles on their faces. City of Greater Dandenong Retail Development co-ordinator said the monthly tours have been a hit since they started in 2008. Residents are encouraged to grab a family member or tell a friend and jump on board the tasty tours.
The next tour is the Deli and Grocery tour that offers a banquet lunch and a trip to the Dandenong Market on 25 August. The Afghan Bazaar tour gives people the opportunity to experience the enchanting Afghan culture, fashion, food and music while the Little India Tour allows people to view a wide range of Indian clothes, jewellery, food, film and music. For more information, contact 9239 5100 or visit www.greaterdandenong.com.
