Welcome to the 46th guest blog post of Time Out Sydney's 52 Weeks of #SydCulture 2017 challenge! November’s culture selector is Ayebatonye Abrakasa: DJ, event producer, curator, director – and founder of House of Ayebatonye. Every week in November, Ayebatonye will be telling us what she loved the week before. Think of it as your recommendations for this week, from someone who sees a helluva lot of arts and culture. Over to her.
If you know me at all, you would know I am all about food. I grew up knowing the importance of good food with my parents’ African restaurant in Newtown, and I am always looking for flavours that inspire me to live my best life. So there was no doubt in my mind that I would skip the social anxiety of big crowds at Newtown Festival (although I am sad I missed Oyster Club’s David Bowie Extravaganza) and instead spend my Sunday with two Brown Queens serving up plates of delicious food.
Muhammad Ali and Amar (aka Bangles and Bindi) are two boys dressed in Saris bringing South Asian food to the Inner West with the launch of their new food truck: 2 Boys in Saris.
I was lucky enough to be invited to the private launch, where in the company of ten fabulous people I ate my body weight in the deep fried decadence that is onion pakoras (onion, chickpea flower and curry leaf fritters) and fantastic North Indian street food, dahi bhalley (almond-ginger-lentil dumplings in spiced yogurt sauce).
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What started off as a small-time catering business has blossomed into a glorious collaboration with the newest Arts Space in Sydney, The Sheds. When asked why they want to launch a truck here, Bangles said “over the course of many an incredulous and trivial arguments – because we are such petty Brown Queens – we birthed a brainchild in the closet, named 2 Boys in Saris. This child needs a place to play, and Marrickville and The Sheds was that space for us.”
Everything cooked is inspired by flavours and memories of growing up. Aunty Bindi grew up with an array of fusions and his food is homage to these memories. Bangles brings performances that every drama queen would live for and reflect on their queer experiences.
A love of food is actually what brought these two together as partners in every sense of the word: Amar loved to cook and lovingly made dishes for his boyfriend and now business partner Muhammad.
The way to my heart isn’t purely through my stomach, but if you can cook me a lush and decadent Briyani with rose petals and Pandang flower water as well as Aunty Bindi, I can guarantee we would be the greatest of friends.
You can catch 2 Boys in Saris every Friday from 6.30pm and Sunday from 11am at 30 Carrington Rd, Marrickville serving some South Asian street food realness!
While you’re here, check our 52 Weeks of #SydCulture challenge, and let us know what you're seeing/loving on Instagram via the hashtag #SydCulture.