A while back I wrote a post about the world’s best street food (waxing affectionately along the way about my favorite sandwich, the doener).
One thing that definitely did not make the list was the Australian meat pie.
That’s not to say that there isn’t some warm little spot in my heart for this Down Under mainstay. I have fond memories of meat pies. When I used to live in Australia, there were many nights when, stumbling home from the pub, I picked up a good old Four and Twenty at a gas station, convenience store or all night bottle shop.
A meat pie is exactly what it sounds like: A pie filled with dark brown viscous gravy and minced meat. The meat is of the hot-dog-don’t-ask variety (some Aussies say Kangaroo leftovers figure in most pies), but whatever. They’re good, in the way that pretty much anything is good at 2 a.m. after a long night of drinking. At a convenience store, you grab one, nuke it, squirt two or three packets of ketchup across the top and just chomp down. When you’re starving, they hit the spot.
It’s important to note that many Australians view meat pies as more than a quick fix for late night hunger. But they are still a fast food, something one grabs on the run.
One meat pie stand is getting quite a lot of attention lately. Harry’s Cafe, in Sydney, is celebrating its 70th year in business, according to this recent CNN story. While I’ve been to Sydney a few times, I feel that I’ve missed out somewhat, since I’ve never paid Harry’s a visit.
As this story says, Harry’s is a favorite among tourists and locals alike, and it takes the meat pie to another level: Swapping traditional (read: dodgy) ingredients for real steak and no trans fats in the pie crust. And there’s variety: You can choose not only traditional meat pies, but vegetable pies, chicken and mushroom pies and other choices.
And, hey, it’s good enough for Rupert Murdoch. The tycoon reportedly once had meat pies from Harry’s flown in to L.A. during an Oscar bash thrown in honor of Aussies Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman.
Read more about Harry’s history here.