HOT: Round the Way Bagel Burgers Food Truck, Mr Wow’s Emporium, 97B Smith St, Fitzroy

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One of my favourite local bars is the fun-filled Mr Wow’s Emporium. There aren’t many inner city bars which also feature an airport strip light-style indoor bocce corridor!

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I also love the ping pong table, large curved bar festooned with dangling phallic looking naked bulbs against the backdrop of a huge Melways mural (in case you get lost, y’know) and the covered balcony overlooking Smith Street if you don’t fancy being sportive.

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Mr Wow’s Emporium is also unique because it has a rear-access astro-turfed garage which can host a round robin of food trucks because technically it’s ‘private property’ (sister Cuban bar Los Barbudos shares the food truck space).

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Their latest resident was Round the Way, a sleek food truck serving bagel burgers using interesting ingredients and house-baked bagels of the bready rather than chewy boiled variety.

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The menu varies from time to time and on my visit there were three burgers on offer – a vegetarian option, one bagel burger and one deli-style bagel.

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We tried the ‘Czech 1-2’, a high tower cevapi beef burger, crispy iceberg lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion with tomato chutney and mayo. A reasonably standard burger combination lifted beyond the norm by the run-down-the-chin juiciness of the patty.

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We both also enjoyed the ‘Baus Hawg’, a seasoned pulled pork with a smattering of caramelised onions, a deep Texas style BBQ sauce and cheese. I would have liked a little more layers of flavour and texture in the burger – maybe some chilli or fresh greens.

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For those with smaller appetites or daintier fingers try the mini bagel bruschetta toasted with garlicky oil and topped with tomato, Meredith goats cheese and fresh basil, proscuitto, peppers and a slice of King Island blue cheese and my favourite, a slice of eye fillet bresaola with a sprinkle of green olive tapenade and semi-dried tomato ($12).

You can keep an eye on where Round the Way parks their van by following them on and .

Round the Way Bagel Burgers Food Truck, Mr Wow’s Emporium,


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