For the past year, eating South African food at Baby Mammoth in Northbridge has been at the top of my list and I finally got around to visiting! I only regret it took me this long to eat here.
Visiting with a few girlfriends on a Friday night, making a booking in advance was a good move considering this place is on the smaller side. Indeed, they only take bookings for groups no larger than 12 people, so keep this in mind when you are planning a night out.
Upon entering, I was enamoured with the décor and the chilled vibe. The music playing reminded me of lazy days at the beach.
Loving the decor and interior design at Baby Mammoth.
We started off with drinks, the choice of drink being Savanna Dry cider, a bottle only costing $5! It was quite refreshing drinking a cider that wasn't sickly sweet.
Trying a refreshing bottle of Savanna Dry cider
When it came time to order food, one friend chose the Pork Doughnut – described in the menu as an African doughnut with pulled pork, Feral Hop Hog cheese sauce and jalapeno slaw. The other friend went for the Cajun Calamari while I decided to go all out and try the famous Bunny Chow. And no, there is no rabbit in this dish! Rather this is a beef curry inside a bowl made from house-made brioche. This in combination with the mango pickle and chutney was absolutely divine. I have decided I could live quite happily on bunny chow for the rest of my days.
Tucking into the bunny chow!
If I had any more room left in my stomach, I would have been keen to try one of their desserts such as the milk tart or malva pudding. I actually tried a malva pudding at the "This Is Africa" festival the next night and it is seriously to die for! It reminds me a lot of the steamed pudding I grew up on as a child. Next time, I'd also be keen to try the Bobotie spring rolls. I mean, lamb in spring rolls? Need I say more? I think the biltong popcorn would also a very interesting dish to try!
On the first Tuesday of each month, Baby Mammoth hold an event called "Chef Lab" where their chefs create a new, original dish and guests get to vote and choose a winner – you can find out more information about this event on their
Facebook page. To try all 3 dishes only costs $20 and you can bring your own wine without paying the corkage fee!
Baby Mammoth is open Monday to Saturday and also opens for lunch on Fridays and Saturdays.
So if you'd like to try some incredible South African cuisine, make sure Baby Mammoth is on your list, but don't be like me and make the mistake of taking an entire year to visit!
