Centre Road Diners

Doing a rare Saturday morning shop at my local strip in Centre Rd Bentleigh.

I finally found a shortcut to the street from the car park thru the greengrocer that I use sometimes. So I ducked, down some stairs and came across these gentlemen having lunch together.

I was taken aback, delighted and struck by this scene that would normally be happening if I had been traveling in a foreign land.

They hadn’t started eating yet and my politeness radar felt that a couple of the older men were a little hesitant but the younger one immediately offered some of their lunch. A lively “gee that looks great, thank you very much, but no I won’t, bon appetite!” and I was off.

I decided to return by the shortcut and there they were on their coffee. The copper coffee pot was there, they with their tiny wee plastic espresso cups and then I was offered some of their Lebanese coffee. It was great to learn what nationality they were. Though I had had my coffee already I delightedly accepted; boom, rocket fuel, black strong and no sugar. That would keep us all going for our afternoon labours.

I said that I wished all Australians ate like this for lunch. A simple dish of potatoes and brown lentils with flat bread, chunks of sweet raw onion and a few cos leaves . Asked if they brought it from home, they all turned to a well-loved gas burner right there.

They told me they loved to eat together and the most important thing for them was the chatting, not just the hearty, sustaining meal for their physical hard work. And pleasure.

Made my day.