Stream free On Demand
A Cotswold Farmshop
series • documentary
PG
series • documentary
PG
Sure, a skatepark isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Western Australia's Margaret River region. But a roadtrip down the South West is never complete without a pitstop at Dahl Daddys, a small canteen nestled beside a skatepark.
In 2023, Corey Rozario and Imogin Mitchell decided this was the place to dish out dahl, rendang and paratha, quickly becoming favourites for locals and road trippers alike.
Why a skatepark? "The skate park canteen is as close as it gets to cooking on the street," Rozario explains. "We really like our canteen with outdoor dining as it simulates the food stalls in the regions that inspired our menu."
Dahl Daddy knows a thing or two about dahl. Credit: Dahl Daddy
It simulates the food stalls in the regions that inspired our menu.
Then there's the beef rendang, with its complex yet comforting flavours, and the lahpet thoke (tea leaf salad) – Dahl Daddys' warm introduction to Burmese cuisine. Comfort food is punctuated with the unmistakable shrimp-like goodness of a heaped tablespoon of balachaung, the star of a lineup of homemade condiments, including pickled eggplants, lemons and turmeric. The golden, flaky, crunch of parathas round the menu out.
The blackboard menu reads like a letter to the South West's best suppliers. While the menu changes with the seasons, expect to find a mix of organic beef from local farmers Geo Organics, vegetables from Margaret River Fresh Produce, and organic kombucha from local producer Alewife that Rozario praises as "liquid gold".
Dahl Daddys' menu is inspired by South and Southeast Asian food. Credit: Dahl Daddy
"One day we had an excess amount of fresh fish that needed to be used. So we cooked a paratha, filled it with pan-fried dhu fish, turmeric sauce, pickled radish, bamboo slaw and balachaung.
"We didn't plan to make it, it's not traditional. It has become one of the most popular things we created."
Its appeal is simple. As Rozario puts it: "Nothing beats fresh fish".
Dahl Daddys' canteen. Credit: Dahl Daddys
They can unwind with the beauty of the outdoors (thanks to its outdoor seating), childhood nostalgia (the clattering of skateboards punctuated by exclamations and laughter), and the canteen's window service.
There’s also unexpected benefits for nearby skaters. "We do find ourselves giving out a lot of ice packs and bandaids, that's for sure!" says Rozario.
A warm reminder of how good food takes care of communities in more ways than one.
