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Perfecting our Italian at L’Enoteca, Victoria Park

Posted by  | Categories: Featured, Italian, Perth, Restaurants, Wine Bar

Staff shortages are a quick way to destroy anyone’s social life. Recently at work we have been stretched thin on the ground turning my standard weekend roster of two-on-three-off into a full roster circuit of five weekends working. Joy. As the chance for my weekend time-out finally approached, I pre-emptively booked a dinner reservation for us at a local Italian restaurant L’Enoteca. The restaurant is a short skip and jump from our front door so all week in the lead up anticipation I envisaged strolling down hand in hand with the Boy to the Broken Hill Hotel for a few drinks then crossing over the road for a romantic meal.

When the weekend actually arrived, it was joined by a severe weather warning. Complete with dark ominous skies and whirling wind that vortexed around our house like a hurricane I could see the chances of us walking anywhere were doomed. Not willing to be beaten we rugged up and bundled into the car for our date night.

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House marinated olives ($6)

After a few rounds of drinks at the pub we were lucky enough to catch a break in the rain and power walked as best as one can with a broken toe down Albany Highway to L’Enoteca. The inside of the restaurant was cosy and warm and a welcome relief after the blustery walk. The menu was uncomplicated and clearly marked with both vegetarian and gluten free options. It made a nice change as it made ordering dishes so easy. As we perused the wine list we asked the waitress to bring out some marinated olives. Each olive was a soft little bomb of flavour with hints of citrus and the slight heat of some chilli. I prefer my olives soft; I don’t enjoy the harder ones as much.

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Stuffed field mushrooms with ricotta ($15)

The stuffed field mushrooms were the Boy’s choice and although this dish is something I often enjoy making for us at home it was by no means less satisfying eating it out in a restaurant. There is something oddly meaty about mushrooms when they prepared this way and I almost feel like I’m eating a bit of steak. Weird I know. L’Enoteca’s mushrooms were flavoured with fresh parsley and basil and were thick, juicy and surprisingly filling.

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Marinated octopus ($12)

Since my trip to Barcelona, I remain on a quest to find myself octopus in Perth which tastes as good as the dishes I ate in all those late night tapas bars. Although this octopus was very tasty it just didn’t have that plump soft texture that I’m aspiring for and it was a touch on the chewy side.

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Insalata Caprese with imported Italian mozzarella de bufala ($12)

Risotto is a dish I rarely have the time or patience to make at home. Maybe one day when I eventually get myself a Thermomix my world will change but until then I find it hard to justify standing in front of my stove stirring for what feels like an eternity.

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Duck risotto, porcini mushrooms, spinach ($35)

Our waitress came to our table and placed a huge bowl of creamy duck risotto in front of me and my lusting for Spanish octopus quickly faded back to the distant corners of my mind. The thickly sliced duck breast was cooked to a buttery soft texture and rich nutty tones from the porcini mushrooms added beautiful depth and substance.

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Handmade chestnut tagliatelle with a mushroom ragu, cream, shaved truffle pecorino, truffle oil ($28)

Our night was like a re-run of one of our Mushroom Mania meals. Not only was our shared entrée a mushroom dish but both of our mains were a mix of hearty mushroom goodness too. There was certainly no complaints from either of us! The Boy ordered the handmade chestnut tagliatelle with a creamy mushroom ragu and generous shavings of truffled pecorino (Moliterno tartufo). Each ribbon of soft pasta coated itself beautiful in the rich chestnut puree and buried amongst this was a variety of slippery soft mushrooms and whole roasted chestnuts . The Boy commented that the truffle aroma from the cheese was very subtle and being a truffle addict he would have preferred a touch more pungency.

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Pannacotta with balsamic strawberries marinated in a 4 year old Vincotto (cooked wine) ($15)

We had a teeny bit of room left to share one more dish. I would like to have tried some of their cheeses which I noted were all proudly Italian. There was one cheese in particular that sparked my attention; the Moliterno tartufo that the Boy had grated over his pasta. This is a type of truffle infused pecorino cheese. But recalling the Boy isn’t really into his cheese, I considerately selected a dessert for us to share instead. Such a good wife I am! Suffice to say we were pretty chuffed with our selection. The pannacotta had perfect form and cemented my deduction that L”Enoteca know their Italian cuisine. Delizioso!

L’Enoteca
249 Albany Highway, Victoria Park WA 6100 | (08) 9472 5881 | www.lenoteca.com.au
 
Price:                     $$$        
Food:                    4/5 (classic Italian favourites made with obvious passion and love)
Service:                4/5 (friendly & knowledgeable about their menu)
Ambience:          3.5/5 (a bit noisy, subdued lighting, quite romantic)
Drinks:                  3.5/5 (good selection of predominately Italian wines)
Total:                     15/20

L'Enoteca on Urbanspoon

Halia, Singapore Botanic Gardens

Posted by  | Categories: Attractions, Degustation/Fine dining, Featured, Restaurants, Singapore, Travel

One of the many unfortunate consequences for me if I eat gluten is the way my skin reacts. Within about eight to twelve hours of being “poisoned” I break out in an extremely itchy rash that often spreads to my face. The itch is incessant day and night breaking my sleep into fitful scratching fragments. The eczema is unsightly and I’ll confess to my vanity as it makes me feel highly self-conscious taking over a week to heal, sometimes longer.

Understandably in the months preceding our wedding I became painstakingly cautious with everything I ate.  I was not ready to take any risks of accidental gluten ingestion. My sufferance paid off because on the wedding day my face was blemish free and radiant. On the return trip home from Thailand via Singapore my newly wed husband and I spent nearly four days eating non-stop. I was so relieved to finally be able to stop scrutinising everything I ate; it felt like a pressure was lifted off my shoulders. However as is often the case with me it is all-or-nothing and consequently I swung too far into complacency resulting in the obvious; gluten poisoning.

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Singapore Botanic Gardens

The following day the Boy dragged me from our hotel room to the Singapore Botanical Gardens where he started to get a little frustrated with me. I am normally a very energetic and excitable person sometimes to the point of excess.  In stark contrast gluten transforms me into a lethargic, whingeing misery guts. As we walked around the beautiful gardens all I could selfishly think of was finding a cool place to sit and enjoy a drink and hopefully some gluten free food. We were right in the heart of the Gardens so the Boy thought the easiest thing to soothe for his poor suffering wife was to take her to the café inside the Gardens themselves; Halia.

As we walked toward the restaurant my head was spinning and I felt nauseous. Gluten does evil to me I tell you! Desperate to escape the humidity we moved inside keen for some icy air-conditioning. I noted two big split systems side by side on the wall inside and chose a table where I thought we would receive most of their blast.  Sadly it turned out that it didn’t really matter where we sat because the sliding door opening out onto the decking outside was continually left open by passing staff members.

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Raspberry sorbet amuse bouche

The prices on the menu were fairly high for Singapore standards and I hoped this meant we were in for a fine dining treat. Our fine dining experiences in Singapore have been out of this world but these meals haven’t come cheap. Halia offers a set menu for lunchtime or you can order dishes at full price off their à la carte menu.  There was a dramatic difference in prices between the two menus but sadly nothing appealed to me off the cheaper set menu. I ordered a single course off the more expensive option with a garden salad on the side whilst the Boy opted for the two-course set. I was brought out a small serve of raspberry sorbet as an amuse bouche but because the boy had the set menu they didn’t offer him a serve. It was very refreshingly and cooled me down nicely.

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Garden salad

Despite advising them I would like my salad to come out with my main, it was brought out separately on its own without any other meals. We finished it well before either my solitary main or the boy’s entrée even made it to our table.  Each of our meals then came out slowly one by one, the Boy ate his entrée, after a bit of a wait his plate was cleared and then out came my main dish, and then just as I finished my food out came his main. What terrible timing!

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Harissa tuna tataki with tuna tartare became Harissa chicken

The Boy ordered what was described on the menu as harissa marinated tuna tataki, tuna tartare, daikon salad, avocado and lime.  However placing our order we were informed that there was in fact no tuna left and that the tataki and the tartare would be replaced by harissa chicken tenderloins. Hey? That’s one way to save on kitchen costs! The Boy was served a couple of barely edible dry pieces of overcooked chicken bedded on a smear of avocado with some grated daikon.

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Salmon gravlax rosette with ginger flower perfumed Hiramisa kingfish sashimi and salmon roe

I ordered the salmon gravlax rosette with ginger flower perfumed Hiramisa kingfish sashimi and salmon roe. Sounds amazing. Priced at $32 Singapore dollars I was expecting either incredibly high quality pieces of fish or a decent sized serve on my plate; one or the other. Unfortunately I presumed incorrectly. My salmon roe was not fresh and left an overly fishy aftertaste in the mouth.  The small serves of salmon were a little chewy and lacked much flavour. The biggest joke of all was the “ginger flower perfumed Hiramisa kingfish sashimi”.

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Spot the miniscule pieces of king fish inside the salmon

Blink-and-you-will-miss-it pea-sized nubs of kingfish sat inside each rosette and were each barely bigger than the baby capers on my plate.  It was embarrassing.
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450 days grain fed Rangers Valley Wagyu rump cap, potato puree and chimichurri

The Boy’s main arrived just as I finished my three mouthfuls of tired fish.  He chose the aged grain fed Rangers Valley Wagyu rump cap. His dish was the only one for our whole meal that had any merit. Although his piece of rump was not much bigger than a large spoon, the meat was buttery and tender.

Having visited Singapore twice in the past three months we have been consistently wowed with some incredible food on both ends of the price scale. Halia was our only disappointing meal for both of these trips. I found this quite a surprise considering the prices of the meals and the location but I guess I should be grateful.  Two trips spanning over a total of seven solid days of eating yet only one meal that didn’t hit the mark is a pretty good innings!

Halia
Ginger Garden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569 | +65 6476 6711 | http://www.thehalia.com/
 
Price:                     $$$$      
Food:                    3/10 (lack of fresh ingredients, over-priced, no flavour)
Service:                2/5 (very slow and unresponsive)
Ambience:          3/5 (dirty glass widows and poorly functioning air conditioning)
Drinks:                  Unable to assess
Total:                     8/20

Lunch with the In-Laws at Taylor’s Art and Coffee House, Swan Valley

Posted by  | Categories: Breakfast/Brunch, Featured, Perth, Restaurants, Swan Valley

I am fortunate enough to work on the doorstep of the Swan Valley.  This means that it is relatively easy to have some office meetings out and about and over the years we have developed a few favourites. Taylor’s Art and Coffee House has been one of those locations mainly due to their excellent coffee and interesting range of gluten free cakes. Their coffee is sourced from a small local company called Dark Star who roast their own imported beans on site in Northbridge. It is a full flavoured coffee that is perfect for an espresso or short mac, just how I like it.

Choosing a venue to celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday was left up to me and with some winter sunshine on the forecast I suggested a trip to the valley. The Boy’s family appreciate eating big hearty meals in a casual relaxed dining atmosphere so I knew Taylor’s Art and Coffee House would fit the bill perfectly. No pretension or tiny plates of food.

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Daily specials

Having never been here before on a weekend I was surprised to see the place was packed inside and out. Although the winter sun was shining brightly there was little warmth coming from its golden rays so we made ourselves comfortable inside under the heaters.

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Cream of corn soup

There were a few winter coughs and snuffles around the table so we all treated ourselves to a bowl of hot soup of the day to warm our bellies and sooth our throats.  Unfortunately a few of the bowls that were brought to our table were lukewarm and had to be sent back to the kitchen to be reheated. The smooth and creamy corn soup provided excellent value at just $9 for a small bowl however I did think the one thin slice of accompanying gluten free bread was a bit on the stingy side. On previous occasions I have received a couple of slices with my soup, I’m not sure if they were on bread rations that day and were running out?

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Frittata

For my main I ordered the vegetarian frittata made with eggplant, fire roasted capsicum, basil, spinach and feta. It came with a massive side serve of salad containing sweet potato, pine nuts and fresh greens. The serving size was enormous and I starting wishing I didn’t order the soup as well. I guess I didn’t really need that extra piece of toast with my soup after all! The frittata could have done with a touch more seasoning and was very slightly burnt on the bottom. The huge salad was very filling even for my over-sized stomach and it was a struggle to finish it. Once again I felt this was value for money.

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Veggie burger

The Boy ordered the vegan burger. It contained a falafel patty with cashew cheese, beetroot relish and fire roasted capsicum. He was very disappointed with his choice and barely ate any of it. He said the bread was too hard and tasted almost stale; the burger patty was very soft and crumbled apart too easily and the relish was far too spicy for his liking. What a shame because it looked really tasty.

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Savoury tart with home-made pastry

My mother in law ordered the mushroom tart with caramelised garlic, chevre and salmon. I didn’t really get a lot of adjectives from her describing its taste but I do know she enjoyed it and had no complaints.

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Chermoula Chicken salad

My sister-in-law ordered the chermoula chicken salad.  I have had this salad on a couple of occasions and once again the serving size is more than ample and will leave you contentedly full. Pieces of chermoula marinated chicken were served with a high mound of roasted sweet potato, beetroot, chickpeas, spinach, spiced yoghurt and a garlic walnut crumble. The flavours all work nicely together with a lovely balance of textures and a slight spicy kick.

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Apple berry cake

One of the main reasons I came back to Taylor’s was that I knew they had a few gluten free options for dessert.  However by the time I had eaten my soup, my huge plate of salad and my frittata I was bursting at the seams.  When we were ordering our lunch earlier I spied a pile of rich cubes of gluten free chocolate brownies in the cake cabinet and was sure that between the Boy and I we could polish one off. Unbeknownst to me my young nephew had also decided that HE wanted a brownie too. When we returned back to the counter to order our coffee and cakes, the mound of brownies had been reduced to a mere single square! I figured that must be a signal to me to stop being greedy and let him order it for himself, not without stealing a few mouthfuls though! It was moist and very chocolatey, there would have been no way I could have eaten one to myself after all the food I had already chowed down.

I still haven’t quite made up my mind about Taylor’s Art and Coffee House; whilst their coffees and cakes are worth a visit the execution in the kitchen didn’t seem to handle the busyness of weekend brunch. I haven’t had such problems during my mid-week visits and I can assure you I will still return.

Taylor’s Art and Coffee House
510 Great Northern Highway, Middle Swan 6056 | 0447 441 223 | http://www.taylorscafe.com.au/
 
Price:                     $$          
Food:                    2.5/5 (awesome coffee & cakes but lukewarm soup and inedible vegan burger)
Service:                3/5 (slow service but friendly enough, the barista is a character who shows passion & enthusiasm)
Ambience:          3/5 (quaint, relaxed country feel)
Drinks:                  4/5 (the coffee won me over)
Total:                     12.5/20 

 Taylors Art & Coffee House on Urbanspoon

Halo Espresso, South Perth

Posted by  | Categories: Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee, Featured, Perth, Restaurants

After such a magical time away in Thailand for our wedding, coming back to the humdrum reality of house work, cooking and cleaning felt like a kick in the face.  To make matters worse, our maxed out cards and empty bank accounts meant we both had to return promptly back to work and start earning some cash. After a week of living like millionaires at Andara with a maid and a personal chef, the idea of returning to boring home cooked food sounded as tempting as eating my own arm.

The day before we both went back to work we begrudgingly headed off to our local greengrocer Scutti’s for our weekly food shop. It was the first time in nearly three weeks that we had to do such a chore and as we parked the car we were both looked longingly at each other for a solution. The idea of a temporary escape by delaying the shopping and heading over the road to a café for lunch sounded promising.  Shoving my shopping list deep into my handbag we strolled over to Halo Espresso.

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Spinach salad with chicken

After all the rich food we ate on our stopover in Singapore my stomach was in dire need of something healthy and light. With this in mind I opted for a spinach salad with chicken served with avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and gluten free bread and the Boy ordered a steak sandwich.  As I handed over a fifty dollar note for our two meals and one coffee I was surprised that it wasn’t enough and rummaged in my bag for some extra change.  I hoped the meals would be worth the reasonably high prices.

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Spinach salad with chicken

As we took our seats near the front window I noticed a big A-frame sign out the front saying “Best Coffee in WA”. I have to be honest as there is no way that I have tried every place in WA worth trying to know if this is actually is the best coffee however I can agree that it is extremely good and injected a much needed boost into my downer of a day. Unfortunately Halo’s food does not match up to their wonderful coffee. My spinach salad was dripping in copious amounts of dressing, oil coating each and every glistening spinach leaf and to add to the unctuous burden, my toast tasted like it had been laden thick with butter before it was toasted. The additional of some dry chicken in no way improved the dish either as it was flavourless. My only consolation was all the oil made the overcooked chicken more palatable.

"Steak sandwich" "steak" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "South Perth" "angelo Street" "Breakfast" "brunch" "coffee" "Halo Espresso, South Perth" "halo espresso"

Steak sandwich

The Boy’s steak sandwich was a bit better than my choice however in no way impressed him considering the price. The cheese was half melted and half hard, the steak very thin and dry and his side salad had no dressing at all! Instead of giving us one last hurrah before heading back to work, we were left somewhat unsatisfied and with a lighter wallet than expected. I would probably only go back there again for the coffee.

Halo Espresso
82 Angelo Street, South Perth 6151 WA | (08) 9367 4444 
 
Price:                     $$
Food:                    2/5 (disappointing considering the calibre of the coffee)
Service:                2.5/5 (quick but not very welcoming or friendly)
Ambience:          2/5 (very noisy dining room, we could barely hear each other and it was half full)
Drinks:                  4.5/5 (great coffee)
Total:                     11/20
Halo Espresso on Urbanspoon

The Publican Bar, Victoria Park

Posted by  | Categories: Bars, Featured, Modern Australian, Perth, Pub, Restaurants

Some of you may recall my unusual Australia Day weekend this year. It started off at our local pub The Broken Hill Hotel where we munched on casual pub food with drinks a plenty and could even see the fireworks show from where we sat on their balcony.  A far cry from our usual annual party extravaganza we hold at our house but a great night out all the same. The reason for such a tame national holiday you see was that the weekend preceeding this relaxing weekend happened to be my Hen’s day.  In true Chompchomp style I burnt all my candles at both ends and managed to come out with a fair share of bruises coupled a strained joint in my spine. It was worth it; we had a total hoot of a time but entertaining and cooking for the masses was out of my capabilities that following weekend.

After such a fun night at The Broken Hill, we decided to continue in our “let’s go local” mode and walked down to the other end of Albany Highway to The Publican Bar. Our wedding was just over a month away at this point in time and both of us were filled with excitement and anxiety.  The biggest thing that recently was absorbing our thoughts was the choreographed dance for our first dance.  We were both feeling like we may have bitten off more than we could chew but knew how jaw dropping it would be if we could pull it off. To make matters worse, our dance practice had been stalled to a halt by my stupid drunk and disorderly neck injury from the Hen’s.  This left me feeling guilty as I was the one responsible for disrupting our progress.

"Lemon pepper squid" "calamari" "seafood" "fresh lemon" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Pub food" "Perth pubs" "Perth bars" "Publican Bar" "Publican Bar, Victoria Park" "Victoria Park "Albany Highway" "Vic Park"

Lemon pepper squid, fresh lemon

We initially took a seat indoors but after such a relaxed evening outdoors the night before I could immediately see the Boy was uncomfortable and not happy with our choice.  We looked out into the tiny courtyard and although there were no customers sitting out there to give any atmosphere it was still better than sitting under the dim lights indoors.

"seafood" "shrimp" "garlic prawns" "garlic shrimp" "Garlic butter prawns" "white wine" "fresh rocket" "Turkish bread" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Pub food" "Perth pubs" "Perth bars" "Publican Bar" "Publican Bar, Victoria Park" "Victoria Park "Albany Highway" "Vic Park"

Garlic butter prawns, cooked in white wine with fresh rocket and Turkish bread

The Publican Bar has a number of gluten free options and these are clearly marked on their menu.  We started with some lemon pepper squid and garlic prawns. Their prawns had a lot more flavour than those we had the previous night at the Broken Hill Hotel lacking that metallic watery after taste that can only come from frozen produce. The calamari were an eclectic mix of chewy and soft so it was a secret surprise whether you got the perfectly cooked piece or the rubbery one.

"Surf and turf" "grilled creamy garlic prawns" "sirloin" "beer battered chips" "beef" "beef steak" "sirloin steak" "garden salad" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Pub food" "Perth pubs" "Perth bars" "Publican Bar" "Publican Bar, Victoria Park" "Victoria Park "Albany Highway" "Vic Park"

Surf and turf, grilled creamy garlic prawns, 300 gm sirloin with beer battered chips and garden salad

Predicting what the Boy will order to eat can sometime be a challenge. Often he will go for a long spell of choosing the same dishes over and over and then randomly pull out a left field and often successful punt at something more unusual. This Australia Day weekend however he has sticking to true blue Aussie man food and ordered another steak, this time the surf and turf.

"Surf and turf" "grilled creamy garlic prawns" "sirloin" "beer battered chips" "beef" "beef steak" "sirloin steak" "garden salad" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Pub food" "Perth pubs" "Perth bars" "Publican Bar" "Publican Bar, Victoria Park" "Victoria Park "Albany Highway" "Vic Park"

I have it rare thank you!

I could hear an audible crunch as he chowed down his beer battered chips and noticed that his steak was cooked rare just as requested. We have had previous experiences where this wasn’t the case so it was a relief to see the kitchen was on track to serve this simple hearty meal well. The prawns however were more tasteless than our entrée and his salad appeared like it was dressed much earlier in the day leaving it looking sad and wilted.

"rocket" "feta" "spinach" "Grilled vegetable salad" "vegetarian" "beetroot" "pumpkin" "roast vegetables" "broccolini" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Pub food" "Perth pubs" "Perth bars" "Publican Bar" "Publican Bar, Victoria Park" "Victoria Park "Albany Highway" "Vic Park"

Grilled vegetable salad

I never used to be one to obsess over calories but preparing for a wedding will surely do it to the best of us and after drinking more than a bottle of wine with my three course meal the night before I was feeling racked with guilt for my indulgences this close to our wedding.  To amplify my worries my injured neck meant my usual fall back to combat caloric excesses of running long distances was an absolute no go zone.

"rocket" "feta" "spinach" "Grilled vegetable salad" "vegetarian" "beetroot" "pumpkin" "roast vegetables" "broccolini" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Pub food" "Perth pubs" "Perth bars" "Publican Bar" "Publican Bar, Victoria Park" "Victoria Park "Albany Highway" "Vic Park"

Grilled vegetable salad

Taking this into mind I chose the grilled vegetable salad served with baby spinach, mushrooms, pumpkin, almonds, feta and roasted beetroot.  Now I cannot say I’m a vegetarian by any means but I do actually prefer to eat a lot of vegetarian meals. I would expect maybe 3 out of 5 of my meals are meatless and when I do eat meat it tends to be from the sea.  However, vegetarian doesn’t have to equate to boring and I cannot imagine what the chef was thinking when he prepared this salad.  What ever happened to tossing all ingredients together? Odd. Needless to say I do love roast veggies so I still managed to walk away very satisfied. Just a little confused.

The Publican Bar is one of our locals but with the increasing number of new bars and restaurants opening up in the area I think they should really consider lifting their game in order to keep up with the competition. There were items still on their menu that I recall from visits several years back. I’m sure we will head back there again but it won’t be in a hurry.

The Publican Bar
774 Albany Highway, East Victoria Park 6101 WA | (08) 9470 5818 | http://thepublicanbar.com.au
 
Price:                     $$$ (Tapas $7-16, Mains $23-36)
Food:                    3/5 (a little hit and miss but does the staples well)
Service:                2.5/5 (slow and reluctant)
Ambience:          2.5/5 (it has a sports bar feel)
Drinks:                  3/5 (big range of beers, wine list fairly standard)
Total:                     11/20

 The Publican Bar & Cafe on Urbanspoon

Four Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne

Posted by  | Categories: Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee, Desserts, Featured, Melbourne, Restaurants

I am always a little torn having my homes in a number of places around our vast country. Having lived in Perth for most of my adult life it is obvious that this is the main place I love to call my home. However to add to this, my Mum lives in Adelaide and returning back there to the house I grew up in I get that familiar sensation like I am returning home.  To complicate things further, my Dad has lived in Melbourne with my Step mum for nearly twenty years and in many ways staying with them also feels very homely! I often wonder when we eventually return back to London where the Boy and I lived for several years, would this feel like another home to me? How many places can one call home before it starts to get a bit over the top?

Over the past six months, I have been fortunate enough to have the need to return my “home” in Melbourne several times for my wedding dress fittings at Luci Di Bella. A bride needs sustenance for such endeavours and here are my recent top four Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne.

Cooper & Milla’s

"Raspberry meringue" "dessert" "desserts" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Armadale" "High Street" "Cooper and Milla's" "Cooper & Milla's" "alfresco dining"

Raspberry meringue

After a bit of an emotional experience at the first wedding dress fitting, Mum and I wandered down High Street in Armadale in search of some gluten free friendly fare.  We stumbled upon Cooper and Milla’s and were drawn in by their spectacular window display of treats and salads.

 "Passionfruit creme brulee" "desserts" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Armadale" "High Street" "Cooper and Milla's" "Cooper & Milla's" "alfresco dining"

Shop counter deliciousnesses

Like children in a candy store we wandered in all wide-eyed and totally distracted by all the adorable cakes and tarts on the counter. I had to consciously remind myself that I had a wedding waistline to watch and physically forced my eyes away from the many delicious desserts. I shall make sure to return here again to sample some of their dulcet delights.

"Blueberry & lemon cake" "desserts" "carrot cake" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Armadale" "High Street" "Cooper and Milla's" "Cooper & Milla's" "alfresco dining"

Blueberry & lemon cakes and more

Thankfully not all their fare is sugar laden and piled high in the window was a stunning looking seared tuna Nicoise salad and once noticing it my attention was easily dragged away from the cakes and onto this seemingly healthy yet vibrantly coloured snack.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Tuna Nicoise" "salad" "healthy" "seafood" "tuna" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Armadale" "High Street" "Cooper and Milla's" "Cooper & Milla's" "alfresco dining"

Tuna Nicoise

My Mum didn’t take much convincing and before long we were both enjoying the sunshine sitting outside at their alfresco dining area feeling proud of ourselves for our dietary choices.

Riverland

The following day on Christmas Eve there was a lot of market shopping to do in preparation for our big day of feasting. Getting up bright and early the Boy and I walked down to the river with my Dad & Stepmum for some hearty breakfast.  Right on the banks of the Yarra River near Federation Square is a gorgeous little spot Riverland.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "dogs" "pooches" "Cocker Spaniel" "American Cocker Spaniel" "cute dogs" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Riverland Bar" "Riverland" "federation Wharf" "Federation square" "Melbourne CBD"

The Pooches

My parents are regular locals there and the staff all know their three Cocker Spaniels by name.  As we arrive one of the waitresses brings over a bowl of water for the pooches as Dad places our order to include toast for the dogs.  (I might add that this is not something his diligent veterinarian daughter advocates as good nutrition for his dogs!)

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "gluten free bread" "poached eggs" "roasted mushrooms" "feta""Riverland Bar" "Riverland" "federation Wharf" "Federation square" "Melbourne CBD"

BYO gluten free bread with poached eggs, roasted mushrooms, feta

Unfortunately they do not stock any gluten free bread so I always come prepared and bring a couple of slices of my own. They have always been happy to toast this for me.  I love their poached eggs with roasted mushrooms topped with a big glob of feta. The mushrooms can be a little oily sometimes however and I occasionally need to blot the oil off with a serviette!

Lindt Chocolate Café

After a full day of last-minute Christmas shopping the Boy and I headed back home which took us up Collins Street and past the Lindt Café.  Now before any of you say anything,  I understand that this café cannot really be classified as a brunch spot but being a ridiculously obsessed Lindt chocolate addict I felt it would be negligent for me to pass this café by.  The interior of the café is initially quite impressive with high ceilings and everything seemingly glittering in gold.  We made our way through to the back of the store into the café and were shown to our seats.  After this we appeared to become invisible for quite some time despite the appearance of adequate staff and minimal customers. I hate that feeling when you try to catch a waiter’s eye and they look right through you like you are not even there.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Christmas Delice" "macaron" "macarons" "chocolate" "Lindt chocolate cafe" "hot chocolate" "dessert" "Almond cake" "mousse cake" "St Moritz" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Lindt chocolate" "melbourne cafes" "melbourne chocolate" "Collins Street" "Melbourne CBD"

THE hot chocolate

As this place is well known for its hot chocolate the Boy simply couldn’t resist.  Piping hot milk served with molten Lindt chocolate on the side; this decadent treat filled the hungry hole in his belly satisfactorily.  Not wanting to eat too much dairy as I tend to get eczema outbreaks, I avoided the milk and satisfied myself by licking the remaining chocolate from his little jug with my finger! Such bad manners!

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Christmas Delice" "macaron" "macarons" "chocolate" "Lindt chocolate cafe" "hot chocolate" "dessert" "Almond cake" "mousse cake" "St Moritz" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Lindt chocolate" "melbourne cafes" "melbourne chocolate" "Collins Street" "Melbourne CBD"

St Moritz

After the hot chocolate the Boy protested that he really did not need the St Moritz cake I had strongly encouraged him to order.  Hey, if I can’t enjoy any of the cakes (as they are not gluten free) at least I can live vicariously through his gastronomic experiences! Despite his complaints he still managed to eat his way through the silky layers of alternate dark, milk and white chocolate mousse each separated by a thin layer of almond cake. The cake was topped with ultra-thin squares of Lindt dark chocolate with a generous dusting with cocoa powder.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Christmas Delice" "macaron" "macarons" "chocolate" "Lindt chocolate cafe" "hot chocolate" "dessert" "Almond cake" "mousse cake" "St Moritz" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Lindt chocolate" "melbourne cafes" "melbourne chocolate" "Collins Street" "Melbourne CBD"

Christmas Delice

Now don’t be fooled into thinking I sat there empty handed watching the Boy indulge.  Other than buying some chocolate for the road, my main reason for entering the café was to stop for a “Mac attack”.  The Christmas Delice macaron is seasonally exclusive and is filled with Christmas spices and a white chocolate filling. Although it had a good layering of flavours it was a little lost on texture and lacked the thin outer crisp sensation. It also was an unusually shaped with one side half the size of the other!

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Christmas Delice" "macaron" "macarons" "chocolate" "Lindt chocolate cafe" "hot chocolate" "dessert" "Almond cake" "mousse cake" "St Moritz" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Lindt chocolate" "melbourne cafes" "melbourne chocolate" "Collins Street" "Melbourne CBD"

Christmas Delice

The European

After a memorable time on Christmas Day with my family eating and drinking all the excesses imaginable, Boxing Day quickly followed and I realised it was soon time for the Boy and I to jump on a jet plane and head home.  I was torn between the emotions of being sad it was all over whilst excited that the next family celebration would be our wedding day! Despite feeling very hung over and sluggish, we managed to squeeze in a last minute brunch catch up with Mum at The European on Spring Street.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "spanish eggs" "Madrid eggs" "Huevos madrileños" "baked eggs" "black pudding" "chorizo" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "The European" "Short Macchiato" "coffee" "short macchiato" "Melbourne CBD" "Spring Street" "The European Restaurant"

Short Macchiato

The European is one of my favourite regulars in the Melbourne CBD and this French-Spanish-Italian hybrid is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week making it easy to slip in a visit each Melbourne trip. Although they do not have gluten free bread, there are a number of gluten free breakfast options and their menu goes well beyond the standard choices. Their coffee is particularly moreish and after drinking the A to Z of booze the day before I quickly ordered a second macchiato while we waited for our meals.

   "Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Goat’s cheese omelette" "cheese" "goat cheese" "eggs" "vegetarian" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "The European" "Short Macchiato" "coffee" "short macchiato" "Melbourne CBD" "Spring Street" "The European Restaurant"

Goat’s cheese omelette

As the three of us sat in the sun in silence I started to the caffeine course through my veins and push my sleepy brain kick into gear and wake up. We hadn’t seen Mum on Christmas Day as she had spent the day with my sister so we had much to catch up on; what we ate, what presents did we received and what memorable good times we all had. I was feeling a little on the queasy side so I ordered the goat’s cheese omelette which had all the light fluffiness my delicate stomach lining needed and helped make me feel human again.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "spanish eggs" "Madrid eggs" "Huevos madrileños" "baked eggs" "black pudding" "chorizo" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "The European" "Short Macchiato" "coffee" "short macchiato" "Melbourne CBD" "Spring Street" "The European Restaurant"

Huevos madrileños: baked eggs, black pudding, chorizo

The Boy wanted something a little more substantial and enjoyed his “Huevos madrileños”; baked eggs with black pudding and chorizo served with toasted ciabatta. I wish I had room for his choice as it looked amazing. I am in love with Spanish style baked eggs and his oozy gooey eggs didn’t disappoint. True food envy plagued me for most of the day and my only consolation was thanks to my gorging efforts the day before, I doubt I had any room in my tummy for them anyway!

Cooper & Milla’s
1094 High Street, Armadale VIC 3143 | (03) 9500 8127
 
Price:                     $$ ($10-16.50 breakfast)
Food:                    4/5 (I need to get back and try some sweets!)
Service:                3.5/5 (casual, no table service)
Ambience:          3/5 (hive of activity, funky)
Drinks:                  3/5
Total:                     14/20
Cooper & Milla's on Urbanspoon
 
Riverland
Vaults 1-9, Federation Wharf, Melbourne VIC 3000 | (03) 9662 1771 | www.riverlandbar.com
 
Price:                     $$ ($7-20 breakfast)
Food:                    3/5 (not bad, a little heavy on the grease, BYO gluten free bread)
Service:                3.5/5 (relaxed and friendly)
Ambience:          4/5 (sitting by the river watching boats go by…)
Drinks:                  3.5/5
Total:                     14/20
Riverland on Urbanspoon
 
Lindt Chocolat Café
271 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD VIC 3000 | (03) 9667 0900 | www.lindt.com.au
 
Price:                     $$
Food:                    3/5 (it’s Lindt chocolate, it was always going to be amazing, pity about the macaron)
Service:                2/5 (get better service at McDonald’s)
Ambience:          2/5 (surprisingly poor)
Drinks:                  4/5 (get the hot chocolate)
Total:                     11/20
Lindt Chocolat Café on Urbanspoon
 
The European
161 Spring Street, Melbourne CBD VIC 3000 | (03) 9654 0811| www.theeuropean.com.au
 
Price:                     $$ ($8-19 breakfast)
Food:                    4/5 (interesting breakfast options, no gluten free bread)
Service:                4/5 (quick and efficient)
Ambience:          3.5/5 (sit outside for breaky, a bit too dark inside)
Drinks:                  4.5/5 (coffee is the bomb!)
Total:                     15.5/20
The European on Urbanspoon

Celebrating Australia Day at The Broken Hill Hotel, Victoria Park

Posted by  | Categories: Desserts, Featured, Hotels, Modern Australian, Perth, Pub, Restaurants

We traditionally celebrate Australia Day in our household by throwing a Triple J Hottest 100 countdown pool party. Joined by our close friends we devour lots of good food, drinks a plenty and generally end our night with a short stroll to the end of the street to view the fireworks show. In the ten years we have lived in this house we have only had one year off when I had the misfortune to be rostered on to work.

On the weekend prior to Australia Day this year it was my Hen’s day.  It was a fabulous day out in the Swan Valley which turned into a Hen’s night with many of us boogying on the dance floor of Geisha nightclub until the wee hours of the morning. I had an absolutely ball of a time and am so grateful for all that came to the various parts of the day and night to celebrate with me.

However what goes up must come down and the following day I seriously began to regret my stubborn choice of monstrously high shoes that I had spent the night dancing in. Within 24 hours the whole side of my neck swelled up and I could barely move my head without sharp pinching pain.  After a few days in a cloud of pain killers I popped my head up out of the self-induced haze and ta-da; it was Australia Day! No party for us this year!

Having such a quiet and empty house felt like a bit of a fizzer for us so in order to liven things up the Boy suggested we walk down to our local; The Broken Hill Hotel. I donned some boringly flat shoes in a moment of complete sensibility and off we set down to the pub.

We were greeted by the sounds of the DJ spinning many dance music hits that all seemed to be released in the same year; 1989. We both found this very entertaining until we both realised that although it felt like yesterday we were dancing in the clubs to these very songs, it was indeed over 20 years ago! We really are getting old!!

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "pub food" "Broken Hill Hotel, Victoria Park"  "Broken Hill HOtel" "Perth hotels" "perth pubs" "Albany Highway" "Victoria Park" "Australia Day" "Triple J" "JJJ" "Hottest 100" "Seared scallops" "apple puree" "chive vinaigrette" "chorizo"

Seared scallops, apple purée, chive vinaigrette (chorizo excluded as not gluten free)

Our waitress was very helpful in negotiating with the chef what could be done gluten and onion free. We started with the seared scallops served on a bed of apple purée. The chorizo was excluded as it couldn’t be guaranteed gluten free. With the second main ingredient of this dish omitted it did seem slightly unfinished however the scallops were adequately browned to a rich honey colour whilst maintaining their delicate softness within.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "pub food" "Broken Hill Hotel, Victoria Park"  "Broken Hill HOtel" "Perth hotels" "perth pubs" "Albany Highway" "Victoria Park" "lemon yoghurt" "Australia Day" "Triple J" "JJJ" "Hottest 100" "Chermoula prawns" "prawns" "seafood"

Chermoula prawns

The chermoula prawns were the least enjoyable dish of the evening.  The prawns didn’t taste very fresh and lacked that exquisite crunch that I love.  After failing to taste much in the body of the prawn the Boy proceeded to suck out all the heads in a quest for something with more flavour.  This was something my family introduced him to over Christmas and he is now converted to dedicated prawn head sucker for life.

"Crisp skinned salmon" "pumpkin puree" "broccolini" "tomato vinaigrette" "fish" "seafood" &quo</a></p>



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Wedding band shopping, Subiaco Hotel and some Geláre gluten free waffles

Posted by  | Categories: Desserts, Featured, Modern Australian, Perth, Pub, Restaurants, Wedding

It is finally getting close enough to our wedding to start to feel the buzz and excitement and relieved to say I think I am pretty well set. Well, at least for the important stuff!. I have found the perfect dress from Luci Di Bella, I am blessed with two of the most awesome bridesmaids who also have fabulous dresses, I have a choice of stunning Dior or Jimmy Choo bridal shoes and our wedding venue at Andara, Phuket is something dreams are made of.  Best of all; I have found the most amazing man who I could have ever wished to marry.  Naw, that’s enough gushing for one post I think!

My engagement ring was designed at Linneys; a well-known West Australian jeweller famous for their Broome pearls and Argyle diamonds and it seemed fitting to return there for our wedding bands. We both arrived wide-eyed and smiling as the reality of our big day approaching fast sunk in. We helped each other deliberate over all the beautiful wedding band designs and each ended up selecting ones we both loved.

It seemed ridiculous to go home straight away while on such a high so we strolled over hand in hand like newly found lovers over to the Subiaco Hotel to relax with a few drinks and a bite to eat.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Subiaco Hotel" "Subiaco" "Rokeby Road" "gelare" "gluten free waffles" "pub food" "Perth pubs" "Subiaco pubs" "desserts"

Subiaco Hotel

It was still early in the evening and strangely neither of us had very big appetites.  Maybe it was due to all the Slim Pasta we have eaten lately because it is quite an unusual occurrence for either of us. Perhaps the knowledge we didn’t have much time left to get our bride and groom bodies in fit shape played a factor. We both ordered some small dishes to share.

"Quail breast kebabs" "muscatels" "quail" "poultry" "eschalots" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Subiaco Hotel" "Subiaco" "Rokeby Road" "gelare" "gluten free waffles" "pub food" "Perth pubs" "Subiaco pubs" "desserts"

Quail breast kebabs with muscatels & eschalots

Our food took an exceedingly long time to arrive and our quick drinks started to drag out into the evening. The quail breasts served on kebabs were stringy and dry making them very hard to eat.  I didn’t try the eschalots for obvious fructose reasons however the Boy felt that they greatly improved the dish and he didn’t feel it was as great a failure as I did.

"BBQ lamb ribs" "lamb" "barbecued" "preserved lemon" "pomegranate yoghurt" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Subiaco Hotel" "Subiaco" "Rokeby Road" "gelare" "gluten free waffles" "pub food" "Perth pubs" "Subiaco pubs" "desserts"

BBQ’d lamb ribs, preserved lemon, pomegranate yoghurt

The barbecued lamb ribs were sticky and tender, slithering off the bone easily and leaving a sweet caramel after-taste in the mouth. The addition of sharp tangy pomegranate brought an exciting extra level of flavour and we were both thankful there was an even number of ribs because I’m sure we would have fought over the last one.

"Balsamic poached chicken" "peppers" "spinach" "Reggiano" "chicken salad" "cheese" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Subiaco Hotel" "Subiaco" "Rokeby Road" "gelare" "gluten free waffles" "pub food" "Perth pubs" "Subiaco pubs" "desserts"

Balsamic poached chicken with peppers, spinach, Reggiano

The balsamic poached chicken salad was nothing spectacular but served its purpose to cleanse the palate after a taste overload from the ribs.  Anything more complex may have been a bit much to eat all at the same time.

"Chick pea salad" "avocado" "vegetarian" "garbanzo beans" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Subiaco Hotel" "Subiaco" "Rokeby Road" "gelare" "gluten free waffles" "pub food" "Perth pubs" "Subiaco pubs" "desserts"

Chick pea salad with avocado

I didn’t think to ask if the chickpea dish contained onions and alas it was full of it so I didn’t try much of this one. The chick peas were lacking in flavour and had a very soft texture making me suspicious they may have come from a can. The addition of avocado saved this dish.

"waffles" "cream" "maple syrup" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Subiaco Hotel" "Subiaco" "Rokeby Road" "gelare" "gluten free waffles" "pub food" "Perth pubs" "Subiaco pubs" "desserts"

Gluten free waffles with cream and maple syrup

I have never been big fan of Geláre waffles; not even back in the day when I was oblivious to my gluten intolerance and could have eaten them to my heart’s content.  But let’s be honest, you don’t have to be a fan of waffles to be stopped dead in your tracks by that sweet aroma that wafts out of their stores onto the facing street.

As we walked down Rokeby Road toward Geláre on our way back to car I recalled they recently started offering gluten free waffles. Once we were hit by the fragrance of maple dough, I turned to the Boy and suggested we try them.

He declined, not really being a dessert type of guy, so I ordered a small gluten free waffle with maple syrup and cream.  I planned to just have a couple of mouthfuls then walk away.  Wasteful I know but I need to fit into that wedding dress! It has been many years since I tried a normal waffle to compare but this one had all the layers of texture I vaguely recall makes a good waffle. It was crisp on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside.  I put my spoon down and stared into the distance daydreaming for a few minutes.  Before I knew it the Boy had eaten the lot! So much for not wanting to share!

Subiaco Hotel
465 Hay Street, Subiaco 6008 | (08) 9381 3069 | www.subiacohotel.com.au
 
Price:                     $$$ (Entrée $15-25, Mains $25-37)           
Food:                    2.5/5 (interesting menu but hit and miss execution)
Service:                2.5/5 (a long delay until our food was served despite an empty dining room)
Ambience:          3.5/5 (relaxed, lots of natural light)
Drinks:                  3/5 (reasonable wine list)
Total:                     11.5/20

Subiaco Hotel on Urbanspoon

Geláre
51 Rokeby Road, Subiaco 6008 | (08) 9316 4898 | www.gelare.com.au
 
Price:                     $             
Food:                    8/10 (tasted like normal waffles to me!)
Service:                3/5 (quick, efficient and with a smile)
Ambience:          2/5 (sticky, dirty tables)
Total:                    13/20

Gelare  on Urbanspoon

Some Snippets from my Gluten Free Christmas Indulgences!

Posted by  | Categories: Degustation/Fine dining, Desserts, Featured, Melbourne, Recipes

Christmas is the time of year when the distance that separates me from my family feels the longest. December is our busiest month at work so I can only return back home for the silly season once every few years. This year I had booked our flights well in advance to avoid the last-minute price blow outs; flights across the continent triple in price around this time of year as people arrange to visit their family and friends.

Because we would not be in Perth to join the Boy’s family for Christmas Day, we agreed to celebrate our family lunch the weekend before our departure in a casual pool party affair at our house. However, in the lead up to flying out my work pressures were at boiling point so in order to avoid having a mental breakdown I opted for simple fresh dishes that were bound to please the Boy’s very hungry family!

"Prawns" "Kailis Bros Fish Market" "shrimp" "Leederville" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Fresh North-west Prawns from Kailis Bros Fish Market, Leederville

"Wasabi devilled eggs" "appetisers" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Wasabi devilled eggs

These wasabi devilled eggs were so quick to prepare and were snuffled up in minutes. Even by those who don’t really like wasabi!

"Christmas crackers" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

There was no room on the table for Christmas crackers!

"Smoked salmon" "potato blinis" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Smoked salmon on potato “blinis”

To replace the classic blinis that smoked salmon is traditionally served on, I baked these little potato “blinis”. They turned out a bit more like a rosti but still managed to complement the flavour of the fish without overpowering it. Being baked and not fried they were light and not oily at all.

"Mixed tomato salad" "basil" "balsamic vinagrette" "vegetarian" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Mixed tomato salad with fresh basil and balsamic vinaigrette

"Roasted beetroot" "roast pumpkin salad" "rocket" "hazelnuts" "feta" "vegetarian" "salad" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Roasted beetroot and pumpkin salad with hazelnuts and feta

"beef eye fillet" "pesto" "Rosas gourmet sauces" "proscuitto""Proscuitto wrapped pesto beef fillet" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Prosciutto wrapped pesto beef fillet

For mains I cooked a prosciutto wrapped beef eye fillet using some of my Dairy Free Pesto Sauce sent to me complementary to try by Roza’s Gourmet Sauces.  The original recipe used a Wattle Valley Chunky dip so I adapted and added chopped cashews. I was secretly hoping that after all our starters the Boy and I would end up with a fridge full of left overs but everything obviously tasted too good because alas there was slim pickings in the fridge the next day.

"Christmas tree" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Nothing beats a real live Christmas tree. The wonderful smell filled the loft apartment.

"Christmas Day" "fruit mince pies" "Pannetone" "cherries" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

The essential Christmas Day nibbles: succulent cherries, fruit mince pies, pannetone

"American Cocker Spaniel" "dog photos" "cute dog" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

The adorable Lily. She has stolen my father’s heart…he is besotted with her.

The following weekend we jetsetted over to Melbourne where we were to celebrate with my family. My Mum had also flown in from Adelaide so we could all be together. The schedule was a busy one: wedding dress fitting on day one, followed by some last-minute Christmas shopping, an indulgent night out on Christmas Eve at Rockpool with my Mum and then a day of festivities with eleven people and seven dogs at my Dad and step mum’s house on Christmas Day.  Here are some more snap shots of our memorable day!

"Flowers" "table setting" "christmas decorations" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

The most exquisite fresh flower Christmas table setting

"Ropiteau" "Nuits Sainte george" "Bordeaux wine" "red wine" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Cracking out the favourites for family!

"Beetroot marinated salmon gravlax" "seafood" "gravlax" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Puts my salmon to shame! Beetroot marinated salmon gravlax.

"Christmas Nativity" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Christmas Nativity

I apologise for the lack of photos of our mains; but for those interested we feasted on honey roasted ham, cranberry and macadamia stuffed turkey and roast pork with crackling. In my eagerness to get stuck in and eat I totally forgot to take photos! The best I can offer you is a shot of the duck fat potatoes.

"Duck fat potatoes" "vegetarian" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Duck fat potatoes…oh yeah!

"Christmas pudding" "dessert" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Christmas pudding goodness. Just not for me. Not to worry! I have my own!

My Step mum’s sister owns a cake shop and so it was logical that she was delegated to make the Christmas pudding for everyone. I have grown accustomed to missing out on this fabulous end to a traditional Christmas feast but this year I was so lucky  as the lovely folks from Just In Time Gourmet had kindly delivered to my front door a sample of Newcastle’s Pudding Lady gluten free pudding for me to taste test.

"gluten free Christmas pudding" "Newcastle's Pudding lady" "just in time gourmet" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

My gluten free Christmas pudding

"gluten free Christmas pudding" "Newcastle's Pudding lady" "just in time gourmet" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

No crumbling or stodginess. A gluten free success.

Moist, rich and overtly fruity I accepted that while a fructose overdose was inevitable (and tolerable) I was to relish in the knowledge that no serious gluten aftermath would follow. With freshly made brandy cream drizzled on top this was a delightfully decadent way to end a feast. For those gluten intolerants out there…grab one while you still have the chance or risk having to wait another whole year!

"gluten free Christmas pudding" "Newcastle's Pudding lady" "just in time gourmet" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Topped with home made brandy cream. In heaven.

"Chocolate nut Christmas tree" "chocolate" "nuts" "dessert" "sweets" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "recipe blog" "gluten free recipe" "Christmas gluten free" "Christmas" "lunch" "seafood" "entertaining"

Chocolate nut Christmas tree

Hoping all my lovely readers had a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for a fabulous New Year!

 

 

InContro, South Perth

Posted by  | Categories: Degustation/Fine dining, European, Perth, Restaurants

I have very fond memories of my last time at Matilda Bay Restaurant with two of my favourite people in my life; the Boy and my dearest Mum.  It was Christmas Day lunch some years ago and it remains one of our most relaxing and stress-free Christmas’s to date.  So when the Boy invited me to join him there on a business dinner recently I didn’t have to hesitate in my response!

Being so food obsessed is proving to be my Achilles heel by hindering my success in achieving the svelte bride body that I want. I have a bad habit of over eating and seem to enjoy the feeling of being insanely full.  My solution is simply to focus on eating less for the last six months in the lead up to the big day.  This night out was to be the last night of uninhibited eating before the frustrations of restriction begun so I wanted to go out with a bang.

You can only imagine my disappointment when a few hours before we were to all meet for dinner, the Boy was informed by email that the invitation didn’t extend to partners.  Knowing how much I was looking forward to the evening and presuming the refusal was due to a strict budget, the Boy explained that we were not expecting a free meal and I was more than happy to pay my own way.  Unfortunately this wasn’t good enough for the agency and after receiving a fairly patronising reply the Boy’s blood started to boil.

"Perth city skyline" "Perth city" "Perth river views" "swan river" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Even on a stormy night….Perth skyline is so beautiful

Not wanting to disappoint his food obsessed wife-to-be, he softened the blow of the bad news to me by offering to still take me out somewhere nice.  We toyed with the idea of getting a table right next to the one I got booted off at Matilda Bay purely for entertainment value. However after briefly thinking about this further we figured that probably wouldn’t gone down so well!  After a few unsuccessful calls to some favourite venues, he managed to secure us a reservation at InContro in South Perth.  We even managed to get a table with city and river views. (My apologies in advance for the photos…even Gordon didn’t cope in such low level lighting!)

"Campari" "bar" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Tempting but once I started on the Billecart nothing else would do!

InContro offers a style of dining they call “piccolo dining” which is a bit like a Mediterranean version of tapas. They create small dishes for the entire table to share and it is brought to the table in a tiered rack reminding me of years gone by where I shared High Tea with my Dad and stepmum at Brown’s Hotel in London. After discussing my allergies with our waitress, she offered for the chef to select appropriate dishes to make up a two courses of a piccolo experience. Not being in the mood for anything specific, the Boy and I both smiled at each other and chose to go ahead with her recommendation.  I love surprises!

"Moroccan spiced cauliflower" "lamb cutlet" "Dorper lamb" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Moroccan spiced cauliflower and Dorper lamb

Each course contained three carefully selected and quite interesting dishes using lots of fresh seasonal local produce.  The succulent frenched Dorper lamb cutlets were topped with Moroccan spiced cauliflower.  The sweet tasting cumin paired harmoniously with the tender lamb leaving me wishing we had more.

"Scallop" "seafood" "pea puree" "prosciutto" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Scallop with pea puree and prosciutto

Our seared scallops were plump with a crisp browned surface and a nearly creamy centre of amazingness. On a bed of pea puree and topped with crispy shreds of prosciutto these little morsels were nearly as moreish as the cutlets.  I was pretty excited about what else was to come.

"Lobster salad" "seafood" "avocado" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Lobster salad

Our third entrée was simply described as a lobster salad. A fairly decent serve of decadent lobster sat innocently hidden underneath a handful of shredded greens.  Further hiding below the lobster was bite sized chunks of thoroughly dressed avocado, tomato and fresh herbs.  Although this dish wasn’t much to look at, each mouthful was bursting with flavour.

"Sticky Black Angus short rib" "beef" "beef rib" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Sticky Black Angus short rib – sorry about the blur!

The sticky Black Angus short rib was the “to die for” dish of the evening.  Unfortunately my photos didn’t turn out as well as I would have liked them to due to the beef sitting at the top of the three levelled tier.  Not being a very tall person I really struggled to steady my camera.  Of course my lack of hand stability that had nothing to do with the three glasses of Billecart I had drunk previously.  Not at all.

"Sticky Black Angus short rib" "beef" "beef rib" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Gone!

The meat didn’t just fall off the bone it slivered off and dissolved in the mouth like cotton candy.  The marinade was thick, sticky and subtly sweet and neither of us could help ourselves as we scraped the remaining sauce off the board with our forks, trying to savour its flavour for as long as possible.

"Linley Valley Pork belly" "vanilla pear" "pomegranate" "pork" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Linley Valley Pork belly, vanilla pear, pomegranate

In my excitement of this final night of excess I had not bothered to go through the nitty gritty of my fructose malabsorption with our waitress.  I had purely just requested no gluten or no onion.  Thus I did have to sift through our pork dish to avoid the little cubes of pear.  The pork belly had just the right balance of fat, meat and crackling and didn’t leave any unpleasant porkiness taste in my mouth. The crackling gave a satisfyingly loud crunch as I bit into it.

"Shaved fennel" "salad" "vegetarian" "pear" "candied walnut" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Shaved fennel, pear, candied walnut

The salad to accompany our mains dishes contained shaved fennel, pear and candied walnut.  Again I had to dodge the pear (my own fault) which was easy enough to do. The salad was light and refreshing on the palate after the two heavier meat dishes.

"Trio of ice creams" "dessert" "ice cream" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Trio of ice creams

For dessert the Boy ordered his ice cream as per usual; as you may already know it is fairly uncommon for him to ever order anything else for dessert.  I settled for the only gluten free dessert option which was the polenta cake with butterscotch ice cream.  It was moist and didn’t crumble apart but the butterscotch ice cream was a little sickly sweet for my liking.

"Polenta cake" "butterscotch ice cream" "Desserts" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "tapas" "piccolo" "InContro" "South Perth" "South Perth Restaurants" "Esplanade" "Mediterranean" "Italian" "French" "InContro, South Perth"

Polenta cake with butterscotch ice cream

InContro is a great local option if we feel like a night out with a bit more class than casual.  We have dined here on several occasions over the years and have never been disappointed with either the food or service and they take good diligence in catering to those with allergies. Of course we will be back.

InContro
79 South Perth Esplanade, South Perth 6151 | (08) 9474 5566 | www.incontro.com.au
 
Price:                     $$$$ (Piccolo $9-16/dish, Entrees $22-28, Mains $35-48)
Food:                    4.5/5 (sticky beef ribs were out of this world)
Service:                4/5 (attentive, efficient despite a full house)
Ambience:          5/5 (views of Perth city skyline, how can it get better?)
Drinks:                  4/5 (great wine list but I confess I stuck to my Billecart all night!)
Total:                     17.5/20

 InContro on Urbanspoon

The Partisan, East Perth

Posted by  | Categories: Breakfast/Brunch, Perth, Restaurants

We decided to break our usual Sunday tradition again and stop in at The Partisan as opposed to our regular favourite pit stop at Toast. We had plans later that afternoon to meet up with the in-laws so we had to trim our standard epic hike down to a more time manageable ten kilometre power walk.  In order to burn more calories and save some time I tried to encourage the Boy to run with me. After several failed attempts at this I eventually resorted to jogging alongside him like a crazed loon.  How else am I going to get a bride’s body while maintaining fulfilling my constant craving for delicious food?

"5 senses coffee" "short macchiato" "fruit smoothie" "fruit drink" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "East Perth" "The Partisan, East Perth" "The Partisan" "Claisebrook Cove" "Swan River" "Running" "Breakfast" "brunch" "lunch"

Despite us seeing that Toast was packed full of customers and yet The Partisan only had a few, we resisted the strong urge to gravitate over to our favourite in order to try somewhere new.  We were told by their waitress that the kitchen closes for a short time between breakfast and lunch and that we weren’t allowed to look at the menus while we waited.  I asked could we at least order some drinks while we waited to which she agreed.  I found this all to be a bit strange given that this place is the perfect venue to eat at this time of day. I ordered my usual short mac (they serve 5 Senses coffee) and the Boy ordered himself a fruit juice.

"fruit smoothie" "fruit drink" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "East Perth" "The Partisan, East Perth" "The Partisan" "Claisebrook Cove" "Swan River" "Running" "Breakfast" "brunch" "lunch"

For those who do not know the Boy; he is a tall, broad-shouldered man and is by no means effeminate.  However to fly in the face of this hunky masculinity that is soon to be my husband is his ongoing passion for ordering himself pink coloured drinks.  It never fails to amuse me even after all these wonderful years together, and what I love him even more for is that he doesn’t care what anyone thinks!

Eventually we were allowed to order our meals.  At this point we had finished our drinks and the Boy was keen to order another pink drink.  Unfortunately there was a bit of a mix up and they initially brought out the wrong one.  After alerting them of this error we were later brought out the correct drink. The service was a little on the slow side considering how quiet the restaurant was and it felt a bit disjointed and disorganised.

"Croque Madame" "fried egg" "roma tomato" "Swiss cheese" "Karri Valley ham" "basil pesto" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "East Perth" "The Partisan, East Perth" "The Partisan" "Claisebrook Cove" "Swan River" "Running" "Breakfast" "brunch" "lunch"

Croque Madame – fried egg, roma tomato, Swiss cheese, Karri Valley ham, basil pesto

During our journey on foot to East Perth, I had prepared myself for missing out on gluten free bread as I couldn’t remember seeing any on the menu when I checked online. As a result I was so happy to hear that they actually have some available.  I decided to order something a bit different from my usual brunchy choices and got back to my French roots ordering the Croque Madame.  Unfortunately the gluten free bread was way too crumbly and dry.  It didn’t hold together very well for such a choice although the contents inside were so yummy that they nearly made up for having such average bread.  The Swiss cheese was melted beautifully, the ham was sweet and soft and the egg was still just a little gooey in the centre.

"Roast beef sandwich" "scotch fillet" "Swiss cheese" "seeded mustard" "tomato" "mixed greens" "horseradish aioli" "hand cut chips" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "East Perth" "The Partisan, East Perth" "The Partisan" "Claisebrook Cove" "Swan River" "Running" "Breakfast" "brunch" "lunch"

Roast beef sandwich – scotch fillet, Swiss cheese, seeded mustard, tomato, mixed greens, horseradish aioli, hand cut chips

The Boy ordered the roast beef sandwich which he really enjoyed.  It contained a generous serve of big juicy chunks of meat, Swiss cheese and greens and was served with cornichons and mustard, chunky chips and some horseradish aioli.  The aioli could have had a bit more horseradish added – it didn’t have much kick in it.  The chips looked amazing but didn’t follow through with flavour.  They tasted a little bland and I ate one that had a slight mouldy aftertaste.

"Market salad" "candied walnuts" "feta cheese" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "East Perth" "The Partisan, East Perth" "The Partisan" "Claisebrook Cove" "Swan River" "Running" "Breakfast" "brunch" "lunch"

Market salad – candied walnuts, feta cheese, (minus croutons)

We also ordered a side salad which had so much potential but didn’t quite hit the spot.  The candied walnuts were very moreish but the salad itself wasn’t dressed meaning there was a lot of bland lettuce and radish left in the bowl that neither of us could be bothered eating.

Overall I cannot deny that it is unlikely that we will return to The Partisan for brunch when I know I can get quicker, friendlier service next door with fresher, tastier food.  Perhaps their dinner service is better? I may considering returning to try this theory.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "East Perth" "The Partisan, East Perth" "The Partisan" "Claisebrook Cove" "Swan River" "Running" "Breakfast" "brunch" "lunch"

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The Partisan
Shop 22, 60 Royal St East Perth 6004 | (08) 9221 7404 | thepartisan.com.au
 
Price:                     $$ ($11-25 breakfast/lunch meals, $26-39 dinner meals)
Food:                    2.5/5 (has potential, needs better GF bread)
Service:                2/5 (slow, inattentive and makes mistakes
Ambience:          3.5/5 (lovely setting along the inlet)
Drinks:                  2.5/5 (fruit juices & smoothies were flavourless)
Total:                     10.5/20
 

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