In the past when a restaurant in Cabramatta closes, another Vietnamese restaurant opens. Lately, that hasn’t always been the place, Super Dish (Chinese), Dai Jang Gum (Korean), Malaysia House are all notable new, non-Vietnamese restaurants that have opened recently in the area.
The Subway “opening soon” banner I saw today is another reminder of the Cabramatta transformation. The fast food chains are moving in…
When Subway opens it will join Gloria Jeans, Red Lea, Eagle Boys Pizza, Pizza Hut (Canley Vale) and Domino’s Pizza – what is it about Pizzas that locals love so much? The pizza chains have a loyal clientele – me included :).
Actually, the title of the first chain in Cabramatta goes to KFC, however, it closed down over a decade ago. The longest currently operating chain is Red Lea, many of us know them for selling fresh chicken, in Cabramatta their roast chicken and chips are legendary. It’s not unusual to see parents sitting down to a bowl of pho at a local eatery and their children happily munching on Red Lea chips.
I’m torn about the changes, while I accept all communities go through these changes as they become more part of the mainstream. And I know the franchisees are local people and this is their family business. Still I feel sad that Cabramatta will slowly lose the things that attract visitors here, cheap, authentic, no-nonsense Vietnamese food.
What do you think about these changes, am I over reacting, these changes are a normal part of life? Or are we losing something special?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I don’t think Cabramatta will lose the cheap, authentic Vietnamese food it is famous for! There are some places that are definitely there to stay for a very long time!
Hum interesting you say that, I’m noticing that as time moves on the prices are going up.. together with more ‘upmarket’ places opening.. give me cheap decor and cheap food any day!
I hope the chains don’t take over but something tells me they won’t. I understand how you feel though! On the one hand, a $5 pizza is nice every now and then. On the other hand, you want to keep the Vietnamese restaurants that have served the area so well for so many years.
Yeah, I have mixed feelings.. I know my head knows I can’t stop the change, but my heart wants to 🙂
The rent is probably getting out of hand as well. I noticed the Mitchum Newsagency moved across the road apparently because rent was too high. Only the franchises can afford the ridiculous rent!
Wow, I knew about the move, but didn’t realise it was over rent… but come to think of it, it’s a pretty big area where they were.
It’s a tough call. The big chains don’t set up where it’s not profitable for them, so that means they think there’s money in Cabramatta. Personally, I don’t like the big chains. Even for pizza, it’s better to find a Mum & Dad operation if you can! I’ll have to get to Cabramatta before it changes too much more!
Yeah, change is inevitable, my head knows it… but my heart won’t let go!
The chains definitely won’t take over. If you’ve noticed, the fast food chains which will do well in Cabramatta are ones which aren’t already in the scene. KFC didn’t work because Redlea made better chicken and chips. A lot of people like pizza, not many cafes sold lattes until Gloria Jeans came along and while I’m not sure about Subway, all those food chains haven’t clashed with the strong South East Asian culture that steeped into Cabramatta.
I hope you’re right. I’m a bit less optimistic, because I’m seeing as restaurants close less and less are south-east asian restaurants are cropping up to replace them.
People drink coffee at Gloria Jeans Cabra? I had assumed people just purchased something and spent most the working day sitting around holding onto the cup as some type of status symbol.
Capitalism at its best, but I suppose how these people spend their Centrelink money is none of my business.
Oh no, Gloria Jeans is always busy! Go figure.
Thang,
To be honest, the poeple of Cabramatta will like the novelty affect of these chains because it’s “new and different” but after a while it will wear out and they will go back to the usual places. Subway is going to have to come out with a vietnamese pork roll version or something, because when I come to Cabra, I want a pork roll, not a bloody Subway that I can get elsewhere. I personally don’t see it as a problem and these chains will struggle in the long run if they don’t offer something that appeals to the locals.
Would you pay $3-$4 for a pork roll or $6 for a 6 inch sub?
I know which one I would be going for.
I wish I was that optimistic. I’m already seeing young people choose chain food while their parents eat traditional meals…
it is the rent and food cost that are killing those cheap and cheerful places. just need to ask around and you will find out how much people are paying for rent (3 or 4 times of King st newtown sometime). a commercial property is twice or 3 and sometime 4 times the price of one in the city or innerwest for shops. maybe the perception of what is consider “cheap” need to shift upward too as time go by. (petrol are 3 or 4 times higher than it once was). this is probably the reason that there are less and less cheap and cheerful places sprinting up as the whole enviroment has changed and people can no longer operate in such a manner.
Perhaps there’s something the local council can be involved with. They approve the DA for new developments, and places like Haberfield and Katoomba have successfully kept the chains out to preserve the local identity.
I also recall places like Fairfield and Cabramatta before there were the changes we know and love now (hmmm, getting old, I remember when McDonalds first opened in Fairfield) – is this just part of the big cycle of change that happens in communities?
I don’t think Fairfield Council is as concerned as Katoomba in these issues… I’m kinda on the fence. Maybe I just don’t like change.. just as much a reflection on me…
Have you over reacted? Definitely not, if anything you have been too kind to this global behemoth!
Subway have managed to become the biggest fast food restaurant in the world through misdirection and half truths – they pretend that all their sandwiches are the ‘fresh’ alternative and and their loaves are all freshly baked, when in truth nothing is even cooked in store and the part cooked bread is merely finished off.
KFC, McDs, Red Rooster at least have the some honesty and you know that whilst you may not agree with their food, it is at least cooked there and then.
Look at the ingredients for their ‘steak’
STEAK, Diced Beef (80%), Water, Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Dextrose, Maltodextrin, Hydrolysed Soy
Protein, Acidity Regulator (330, 339), Gelatine, Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein, Flavour, Colour
(Caramel), Soy, Yeast Extract, Garlic, Anti-caking Agent (551), Onion, Thickener (414, 415),
Emulsifier (433), Tapioca Maltodextrin, Vegetable Oil, Alcohol, Humectant (1520), Preservative
(202).
And Maccas ingredients for their burgers
BEEF PATTIES: Beef (100%).
Subway also, sneakily, take the health moral high ground, pushing the low fat angle – saying how selected sandwiches are low fat (so is sugar!!). What they fail to mention is that the calories in their big sellers are anything but low – a 12″ (because lets be honest who orders a 6″ sub!) meatball marinara contains 3420kj (out of a recommended 7500kj per day) whilst a Big Mac AND regular fries weighs in at 3600kj – not a great deal of difference!
I’m no apologist for Maccas or any of the fast food chains, but people at least know that these are not the best foods to eat, and treat them accordingly. Subway have conned people into believing that they are somehow better and they’re not – in fact people who think they’ve had a healthy lunch will often treat themselves to one, if not two of their cookies – which are about 900kj each!
I really hope they fail in Cabra – if the second and third generation Vietnamese embrace Subway at the expense of mom and pop restaurants then Sydney loses far more than it gains.
I had no idea, thanks for the post Ben
i probably wont eat subway at cabra… why eat that when theres an abundance of vietnamese food to choose from….!
I completely agree Betty!
I think you’ll find that Red Lea actually predates KFC in Cab.
Wow, didn’t know that! Thanks for the info about Red Lea!
yep, can confirm that red lea existed long before KFC did
in fact, i believe its the locals’ loyalty to red lea that caused KFC to fail