A collection of dining reviews of restaurants in Perth

The Reveley, Perth CDB

2016-08-06T23:59:00.002+08:00

As you approach this place, it feels a bit like a nightclub as you need to climb upstairs to get to the restaurant. The view is amazing with the revamp to the CBD. A good place to take those not from Perth.

Of course, I just couldn't resist the fillet steak $40 with I had with peppercorn sauce $5 and truffle shavings $7. The steak was pretty good, I really like the sauce even though I had to pay extra for this. The truffle shavings was a disappointment, it was dry, as since this wasn't infused during the cooking process, the food didn't taste of truffle. Also, it only was on my mashed potato. I would not recommend having the truffle option. If you want to try truffle mash potatoes, go to Coco's, but that's the only exceptional thing that that have there. The salad was what you would expect.

300G 100 DAY GRAIN FED MARGARET RIVER FILLET with

KAMPOT PEPPERCORN SAUCE

For dessert I had the tasting plate, it was way too much, I did manage to finish it though, it probably can be shared between two. It consisted of the desserts from the menu but smaller:
BAHEN ORGANIC CHOCOLATE DÉLICE;
SOUR CREAM ICE CREAM;
SALTED CARAMEL PEANUTS VANILLA BEAN CREME BRÛLÉE;
TOASTED ALMONDS, RHUBARB FRIAND SPICED POACHED PEAR;
CALVADOS, CARDAMOM CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM.

The only thing that stood out was the creme brulee, everything else was average. I would recommend this as a full portion dish.

Dessert tasting plate

Here's a few other friends dishes:

Gnocci

Lamb

Seafood Paella

Nearby view

Overall, I had a good experience here and would like to come back again but not regularly since its a bit pricey but on par with other restaurants around the vicinity. Things I would try next time are the Goose Pie and High Tea.

The Heritage Brasserie, Bar & Boardroom, Perth CBD

2016-08-06T23:30:00.000+08:00

Located among Brookfield Place, you would expect high quality dining. As you enter the two large doors the place definitely looks the part. A reasonably spacious setting and an expensive feel to it. The wines and dishes were on the more expensive side.

For starters we had the: Smoked pork cheek, squid, celeriac & red onion broth 20. There was no crackling on it as I had hoped, just a soggy mess. There was a bit of a wait so we forgot to take photos and we were pretty hungry by then. The dish came out cold, as well as our friends dishes. Our friends had the scallops and it came out with four smallest scallops you would ever find. All the dishes seemed less than average, not what you would expect as this type of place.

For mains we had the: Lamb short loin & belly, pickled cabbage, saltbush, lamb caramel 38 and Duck breast, wild fruits, beetroot & fermented plum 39. I was pretty surprised at my dish actually, I had to re-confirm that it was lamb as it did not look or taste like lamb at all. It tasted a bit like pork. My husbands duck was also average, it was on the drier side and not so tender or succulent as we had hoped. It needed more sauce.

Lamb

Duck

For sides we ordered Confit potatoes, sage, mint, brown butter, saltbush 10. Firstly, we received the charred cos as they gave us the wrong dish. We all just looked at it and thought it was complimentary since no one had ordered this. I then confirmed with the waitress it was in fact an incorrect dish but they still gave it to us complimentary. The potatoes were what you would expect, only large enough for two people to share.

For dessert we had: Chocolate fondant, hazelnut & coffee 16 and Almond parfait, pear, oats, fermented honey 14 . We saw the parfait and it did not resemble parfait at all. It was a big letdown, It was like tiny scoops that didn't resemble anything. The chocolate fondant however, was pretty good, the only dish that I would recommend here. The ice-cream came out a bit melted.

Almond Parfait

Chocolate Fondant

Overall, I would not recommend this place, unless you had no choice. For the price that you pay you can get better food elsewhere.

The Kauphy Place, Willetton

2016-08-06T22:50:00.000+08:00

I am appalled at the service of this place. It is a disgrace to even call it a place for eating. I ordered a meal and I waited for over half an hour whilst everyone else finished their meal at my table. During this time I approached the waitress twice and asked what the delay was, she told me that it was a busy time during the lunch period. I then approached a waiter and he told me that I had in fact not ordered the dishes and accused me of not paying the full amount for my meal even though I had a receipt. He then said I had ordered other dishes which had already been delivered to the table even though I hadn't eaten. After that he said he will go and check again with the kitchen and he didn't appear for 10 minutes. I approached the waitress and she apologised and said she'd make sure that my meal came as she's the one who took my order, even though she said she would check before, obviously she hadn't. Later the waiter told me that the docket had been missed. I will never step foot at this place again and I advise others not to come to this place as there are so many other places around here that are better, unless you want to be accused of lying and bad service. The food that came out was cold and I had to ask for my food to be heated. Biriyani was too dry. All the condiments for Wada and Dosa's are the same. I saw another table return their Dosa due to it being a wrong order. The place is chaotic and unorganised.

Lepak Kopitiam, Bateman

2015-08-29T12:54:00.000+08:00

As soon as you arrive at this place you see a large yellow sign located at the front of the cafe with the restaurants name. It is described as Malaysian hawker food opened every day 8am to 8pm except Tuesday's.

It was pretty crowded for a Sunday night but we were greeted straight away and allocated a seat, just in front of the self service area, where the cutlery and condiments were located. It felt very crammed and it was inevitable that you could hear all the conversations of those surrounding us.

We ordered the Nasi Lamak as I figured it was a safe dish that could not go wrong. All the dishes were priced between $10 to $15. The sambal is authentic! Three pieces of chicken with the dish. We were told that roti canai was only available from 8am to 11am but we could order the sweet roti's, big mistake! Don't be fooled roti means flat bread, I understand that but it was definitely an overstatement. All the roti's were literally just white bread that had been toasted and accompanied with the addition as stated on the menu. i.e. roti with condensed milk or butter and sugar etc. The only roti which I thought would be soft and fluffy flat bread was what they referred to paratha.

The kuih (desert) is pretty good and gets sold out fast! Got to get in there really quick!

Trinco Star, Willetton

2014-03-18T23:22:00.003+08:00

This is a local restaurant hidden away in Willetton just off High Road which sells Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine. Don't make a judgement on the vicinity as the food is one of the most authentic Sri Lankan places that you will find in Perth other than meals that you can order from private home businesses. The prices are reasonable as well.

Depending on your threshold for spicy food you should ask for the level that you require. Some meals may be more spicy than others in which I found the Kothu Rotti (Sri Lankan dish made from a Sri Lankan roti called Godhamba roti and vegetables, egg, and/or meat, and spices) extremely spicy and I almost couldn't eat it! I'm not sure whether this has changed now but if you like it very spicy then order this dish as you wont be disappointed.

Sri Lankan Rolls & Medu Vada

The above were light and crispy and made fresh. They were all sold out by the time we finished our meal around lunch time so if you want want one you need to get in quick. The rolls were spicy and contained mutton and some potatoes. The Medu Vada which is made mainly from Urad Dal (split black lentils) had the right level of ingredients and was a great snack for later on.

We ordered 20 String Hoppers with the Coconut Sambol, Chicken Curry and Kiri Hodi between the two of us and it was too much which they sell between 10am to 1.30pm. I suggest about perhaps 6-8 String Hoppers per person depending on your appetite. You have to pre-order these about a day or a few hours before as they make them from scratch which is time consuming. Apparently, you can have these for breakfast but we had it for brunch and it was so tasty and filling. I would definitely recommend this if you're not sure what to order. Otherwise, there is a vast range of curries you can order with rice or naan bread which is what I would normally order for lunch or dinner.

The noodles were so light and fluffy which you mix with the curry and sauces. The Coconut Sambol worked well with the flavours and the chicken curry had the right mix of spices. I used the Kiri Hodi (meaning milk gravy which is made from milk and spices) to reduce the spiciness and it actually worked!

String Hoppers (made with red rice flour)

Coconut Sambol

Chicken Curry

Kiri Hodi

The meal put together

Falooda

For dessert I had Falooda which contains rose syrup, basil seeds and vanilla ice-cream. It's my favourite drink and the best I've had in Perth so far. At any age I'm sure you will appreciate this drink and it was a great way to end a fulfilling meal. I wanted to sleep after this meal but it was worth it.

http://www.trincostar.com.au/

http://www.trincostar.com.au/images/files/SriLankanMenu.pdf

http://www.trincostar.com.au/images/files/TrincoStarMenu.pdf

Duende, Leederville

2014-03-04T23:10:00.001+08:00

I have been here on two occasions in the morning and afternoon and I have really enjoyed it both times. Its a really nice casual place to catch up with friends but the decor could probably be updated and it can be a bit cramped if you have a large group. They don't take bookings and open from 7.30am. Its a tapas restaurant and ranges from $14 to $28, or $4 for nibbles.

The menu contained some ingredients that I needed further clarification on but the waitress wasn't too friendly during her explanations, almost talking down upon us which I thought was rude.

Firstly, I started out with strawberry juice and I initially thought that they used fresh pressed juice as stated on the website, but then I later saw it was just purchased in bulk without any labels just like an ordinary drink from the grocery stores. It was still pleasant, but a bit sweet.

For starters we had the Prawn and Chorizo Paella Balls. This came with a creamy dipping sauce on the bottom which complimented the fried texture well. It was tasty and not too salty. I would try this one again.

For my main I had the eggs Benedict and the Hollandaise sauce was light and not too overpowering which was nice with the sprinkle of chives. The prosciutto was generous and worked well with the whole dish. The poached eggs on the other hand was overcooked! So was everyone else's and this included my friend's dish containing one sole poached egg, which I thought was strange that they couldn't get right. The sour dough bread on the bottom was rock hard and I couldn't bite through the crust, so I didn't eat most of the bread. Overall, the flavours were nice. I also tried a bit of my friends vegetarian mushrooms and spinach on sour dough bread. The mushrooms had a char grilled flavour and were excellent. However, the bread was hard in this instance as well.

For dessert we had the Doughnut Balls with Condensed Milk Ice-cream, the restaurants speciality dessert. The ice-cream scoop was so tiny and was enough only for one mouthful. It was creamy not too sweet which I really enjoyed, but I wanted more and I'm not a huge eater. The doughnut balls were light and fluffy on the inside and coated in sugar on the outside approximately 10cm in diameter. This is a must try if you come here and like dessert.

On my previous occasion when I came here in the afternoon I tried the Rabbit Tagine. The meat fell away from the bone and was very filling. Its was also the largest meal on the menu and came with rice. However, the meat contained a lot of fat and I couldn't consume all of it. It came to the table piping hot from the oven.

The chips and chorizo was also very nice and are good for a small starter dish if you are planning on ordering more later on.

You can order wine and cocktails from here too that aren't too bad. Its a great place to relax and socialise with friends.

Tak Chee House, Northbridge

2014-01-11T21:44:00.002+08:00

After looking for an authentic Malaysian restaurant in Perth to try out we stumbled across Tak Chee House and decided to give it a go. It is located among other Asian restaurants in Perth and can be easy to miss but boy was it busy for a Sunday night. It looked like a simple cafe but it was clean, the waitresses were friendly and it was affordable. However, this place is cash only.

We ordered Teh Tarik for our drinks, one hot and the other cold. The cold one was much better than the hot one. The hot one wasn't frothy and it also was a bit lumpy as it wasn't mixed well. The cold one didn't seem to have this problem.

Chicken Satay

The satay was cooked well. It was a bit thicker than normal but then again it makes up for the quantity as you get four per serve. You also get two slices of cucumber which I thought was a bit scarce but better than none I suppose. It was came with a peanut sauce which was light and smooth and you could taste the peanuts.

Beef Curry with Roti Canai

The beef curry gravy was much thicker than the chicken curry below as the bases were different. Both contained potatoes and one piece of Roti Canai, but we ordered an extra one each. The beef curry had a nice mix of spices and it was a little bit spicy but not too much. The Roti was light and crispy and had a touch of sweetness to it. The Roti was much nicer than the other ones that I have tried compared to Indian restaurants based in Perth but the technique used to make them is different.

Chicken Curry with Roti Canai

The chicken curry was lighter than the beef curry and I found both servings to be substantial. The chicken curry had a stronger coconut flavour to it and it was authentic.

Ais Kacang

For dessert we shared the Ais Kacang and we were pretty full by then so it was more than enough. They give you seperate serving bowls and spoons for each person as well. It is flavoured with rose syrup and contained grass jelly, red bean, raisins and some corn. It was really refreshing and a good way to end the night.

Mamak (Goulburn St) Chinatown, Haymarket, Sydney

2014-01-11T20:48:00.001+08:00

Food glorious food - is how I would describe this place. Located towards the back of China Town in Sydney this little gem is a must try for all locals and tourists.

You need to get there on time as there will be a queue to get it. The wait is worth it, with affordable prices you can select many different dishes to try. The quality and quantity is great too. I did not find any of the dishes spicy at all thus, allowing for the natural flavours of the dish to shine through. However, some others may think otherwise!

Kari Ayam

The chicken curry was nice and just enough for a few to share. It was cooked well and also came with potatoes.

Roti Canai

I can't remember ever trying a Roti made this well. It was light and fluffy and simply melted in your mouth. The Dhal complimented the Roti well. I recommend having this as a starter or even with the curries but then you would need one per preson. The puffiness is created after it's cooked where they hit the two sides together with the palms of their hands twice on each side, which aerates it.

Kari Ikan

Most of us thought that the fish curry was nicer than the chicken, but that view opposed by my partner who is a meat lover. It had a creamier texture due to the coconut cream and contained Okra, eggplant and tomatoes which complimented the dish well.

Chicken Satay

I really liked the satay but they didn't have the rice cubes that traditionally come with it. The sauce was nice but much lighter than what I am used to and it contained less peanuts to what I prefer. There was a good serve for the four of us getting 2.5 satay's each.

Teh Tarik

I don't believe that you can go to a Malaysian restaurant without trying the Teh Tarik. It was light and you could tell it was made the traditional way, stretched or pulled which creates the froth and helps to cool it down. I really liked the glass as well, its was like using a stein glass.

Mee Goreng

On the other-hand, Mee Goreng was just average. It wasn't spicy at all for me and after trying the Roti and curries, it became the least favourite dish of the day because the others were just too good! But it was still a great dish. The lime was a nice touch to compliment the flavours.

Roti Tisu

Just as I was craving for more Roti, dessert arrived and it made a spectacular entrance standing proud and tall on the plate. It was with a small scoop of vanilla ice-cream with wasn't enough for the four of us to share. However, the Roti was enough after ordering so many dishes so we could fit it in just nicely but I reckon I could have devoured the whole thing. We broke each triangle almost 90 degrees to the base and we were able to have one side each as it is wrapped around into a cone shape. It contained a nice buttery flavour from ghee and and sugar crystals glistening from the surface area. It as light, crispy and sweet. What more could you have asked for to end a perfect night out at an authentic Malaysian restaurant?

Ace Pizza, Highgate

2013-11-16T19:00:00.002+08:00

Ace pizza has a retro feel with neon green lights inside the restaurant and brightly coloured decor to match. The waiters and waitresses try to act funky and had shirts with letters of the name of the restaurant. The restaurant contained mainly couples and families. It's open seven days per week 5:30PM till late. It is crucial for you to make a prior booking before dining in this restaurant. The owner of this restaurant Alex Cucciova also is a co-owner of Cantina 663 and El Publico.

We called up and had not made a booking earlier however, the waiter said that they could accommodate for us. When we arrived however, we were told by the same waiter that we could sit on the couch situated near the front door on a cold winters night as the bar was fully occupied and had limited seating. It was late and we were hungry so we decided to dine in. Despite this, there were empty tables which had already been reserved earlier that were vacant for the entire time that we were placed on the couch which were never offered to us until we had finished our main meal.

As we waited for our meal, other customers who had not made a booking were offered the same option as us, to either sit on the couch or at the bar. Some declined and left the restaurant, it appeared to be a regular occurrence.

It was dark and uncomfortable to sit on the couch to have dinner. It was also cold with the door having to be closed manually every time a new customer came and didn't shut the door after them. This was annoying as there was a regular flow of customers.

There was a limited range of pizza's available and they only make one change as stipulated on the menu, no anchovies. So I guess it's too bad if you have certain allergies or intolerance's if you come here. The two pizza's that we ordered were the Lincon Lady and Godfather. I felt that these wood fired pizza's were a bit plain and that the toppings were minimal. The pizza's were very salty probably due to certain ingredients i.e. anchovies and olives, I could only consume it with drinks. The pizza's were edible though and were okay if you wanted to have a ordinary night out with some pricey pizza's.

The base of the pizza was thin and somewhat unsupported by the base, so we had to use cutlery to eat the pizza. As we didn't have proper tables to sit at, the toppings were falling off the pizza as we held them with our hands.

A jar of chili was offered to us as an addition to the pizza which we could help ourselves to but we decided against this.

Lincon Lady $20 (Front) - Hot salami, black olive, anchovy, mozzarella & san marzano tomato

Godfather $22 (Back) - San daniele proscuitto, san marzano tomoto & mozzarella

Tiramisu Donut $5

When we finally were offered a table we had finished out pizza's so I ordered dessert, a Tiramisu Donut. I felt very bloated by then but I couldn't resist not ordering dessert. The donut was very sweet and contained a liquid interior which didn't contain a strong Tiramisu flavours. I was only able to eat half of it.

This was an average night out and I was somewhat displeased overall as I know that the majority of restaurants would treat patrons as though they were important to the business. This experience made us feel like the restaurant treated us like they were doing us a favour by allowing us to to dine in and suffer the consequences of not making a prior booking. I just hope that improvements will be made to the service in the future. I would however, give it another go.

Menu: http://www.acepizza.com.au/menu/ACE_FOODMENU_WEB.jpg

Echye's Restaurant, Victoria Park

2013-03-07T23:11:00.003+08:00

Echye Restaurant is a family run restaurant in Victoria Park that provides Eritrean cuisine with the help of African spices. The service was welcoming and as we entered the restaurant we could feel the tribal atmosphere through the decor which was simple yet sufficient. There was also small tables and arm chairs which assisted the sharing of meals which is known in this type of cuisine however, we opted for the normal setting.

The waiter was very cheerful when taking our orders and when we had asked for further explanation of the dishes.

We ordered the Zhigni (top left)- $20: Most popular meat dish - tender lamb with berbere, onion, garlic & Tesmi

Tibsi (Keyh) (bottom left) - $22: Succulent lamb strips pan-fried fresh with berbere, spices, onion &
Tomato comes with Enjera – a yeast-risen flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture made of sorghum, wheat flour & rice (on the right) and salad in the centre ($5 as a side dish).

The Zhigni was much more tender than the Tibsi although both were delicious. The Zhigni was more spicy than the other and contained a thicker gravy compared to the Tibsi. I really liked how the Zhigni was served in a clay pot which retained the heat well.

The Enjera was light and fluffy and was very filling. It complimented the meat dishes well and we only got through half per person and could not finish the rest. It has a slightly sour taste and spongy texture. If you have not tried this before then you should give it a go as it is not comparable to any other type of bread I have tried.

We received a complimentary salad as a side dish containing lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, chilies served with dressing. This was due to the delay in another dish we had ordered; the Azifa - (side dish $5) black lentils served with fresh tomato, onion, green chillies with dressing. Although we said not to worry about it due to the delay the gave it to us free of charge as they wanted us to try it. It was quite tasty but the onion was prominent.

Last but not least we tried the Habesha coffee which is black coffee. The preparation was most unusual but pleasant, there was an lady roasting the coffee beans near the front entrance of the restaurant and the aroma of the coffee beans filled the room during our meal. It was a little smokey but bearable and the door was open which was necessary. She did this for about an hour. When it was time to serve the coffee it was freshly poured and given to us in a small cup. It was concentrated and was nice after a substantial meal.

http://www.echyerestaurant.com.au/#Menu

Mundaring Truffle Festival 2012

2012-08-02T02:55:00.001+08:00

Truffles galore is one way to describe my day at the 6th annual Mundaring Truffle Festival with the truffles supplied by Oak Valley Truffles. It was unlike any other truffle tasting that I've had before during degustations. If you're a fan of truffles or you want the true truffle experience then this is for you! I would recommend you attend the long table lunch to maximise your experience to the fullest potential. It's $175 per head but I can say it is definitely worth it as you also receive the matching wine as well.

What is a truffle?
Okay so you might be thinking what exactly is a truffle? Well, I would describe as having a slightly wooded flavour with a dry texture similar to a mushroom but less porous. It has a hard texture and is usually grated in food. There is a large variety of truffle products that you can buy such as truffle butter, oil, cheese, pasta, caviar and of course you can buy the real deal which is probably the best option, then secondly, the truffle caviar. I would recommend the Perlage Di Tartufo made in Italy for $32. Before you think negative thoughts about this caviar, it's not made from roe but from "black winter truffle juice, obtained directly from the fresh truffle during the cooking. The tasty juice is then reduced in small pearls through a very sophisticated technique called "sferification". the end result? Popping pearls have the taste of the truffle but the same colour and texture as black caviar" (http://chefshop.com). The only thing with this is that it has a strong smell possibly through the squid ink used.

According to Wikipedia "A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean mushroom; spore dispersal is accomplished through fungivores, animals that eat fungi. Almost all truffles are ectomycorrhizal and are therefore usually found in close association with trees. There are hundreds of species of truffles, but the fruiting body of some (mostly in the genus Tuber) are highly prized as a food: Brillat-Savarin called them "the diamond of the kitchen". Edible truffles are held in high esteem in French, Spanish, northern Italian and Greek cooking, as well as in international haute cuisine."

1st Course - Arroz caldo con Bonbon de pollo

Philippine style rice broth with truffled chicken bonbon mousseline, truffled tofu and smoked duck - Sunny de Ocampo - EatGoodLife
2011 Unoaked Chardonnay - Watershed Wineries

This dish was a great starter as it was almost like having a soup for an entree. To describe it in laymans terms it was a congee or rice porridge. I actually really like congee and have tried it many times but never with truffles. It had a nice balance of flavours with no overpowering ingredients. It was smooth in texture and came with a crispy truffled chicken bonbon mousseline that added extra depth to the dish. The truffled tofu was on the other end of the scale as a softer compliment to the meal. The wine was very sharp and complimented the meal well.

2nd Course - Truffle pork croquette

Truffle pork croquette with cauliflower skordalia, Cambinata yabby, turmeric and truffle syrup - Iain Lawless and Liam Atkinson - Lawless Cooking
2011 Shades Rose - Watershed Wineries

This is one of those dishes that you don't taste very often because it had the most amazing flavours. The pork croquette had strong flavours of truffle had a smoky taste. The yabbies were cooked to perfection and tender. You also could actually see the truffles as there was a generous proportion. The rosé was a good compliment and eased us into the the dishes to come.

3rd Course - Pappardelle con ragu di vitello e maggiorana

Pappardelle with White Rocks Veal and marjoram ragù - Nino Zoccali - Pendolino Restaurant in Sydney
2010 Senses Sangiovese - Watershed Wineries

I really liked the combination of the Pappardelle which encased the other ingredients of the dish. The White Rocks Veal just melted in your mouth and blended nicely with the shavings of truffle. The ragù and nice and light and worked in harmony with the rest of the flavours which was slightly smokey. I particularly enjoyed the Sangiovese which had depth and was very smooth. I would try this wine again.

4th Course - Truffled White Chocolate Parfait

Truffled White Chocolate Parfait, Truffled Honeycomb, Toffee 'cage' and Quince 3 ways - Marianne Kempf - The Gala Restaurant
2011 Late Harvest Viognier - Watershed Wineries

This was a nice and light dessert to finish off the lunch. The Truffled White Chocolate Parfait had strong elements of truffle and smoothness of a parfait making it the perfect combination. The toffee cage was interesting and showed technique and skill as they all looked perfect. The toffee honeycomb was very hard but I could taste the truffle. The quince added a refreshing touch to the dish. The Viognier allowed for a sweet finish to the meal.

A selection of Cheeses from European Foods

A cheese platter was supplied and shared between four people on sough dough bread from Jean Pierre Sancho. The Brie cheese with truffle was divine and made the perfect compliment to enhance the flavours of the truffle. Olive Oil by York Olive Oil was also supplied.

For all the truffle fans (or aspiring) this is a great event to check out and I am slightly disappointed for missing out on the previous five but glad to have finally had the opportunity to finally attend this event. Will definitely be back next year.

The Waterfront Cafe and Restaurant, Mindarie

2012-07-18T14:00:00.001+08:00

This cafe has great views overlooking the Mindarie Marina. We had lunch here and the food and service was good. It seemed very relaxing and it had a family atmosphere. I had the grilled barramundi which was fresh, crispy on the outside and it was cooked well. It came with a creamy sauce, spinach and asparagus.

Grilled Barramundi $32

My partner had the steak sandwich which contained a sirloin steak and the aioli complimented the steak well. It was substantial and filling.

Steak sandwich $24 (150gm Harvey MSA sirloin, bacon, cheese, caramelised onions, tomato, lettuce and aioli, in toasted bread with fries)

I would come here again and would like to try out the breakfasts here. It is the type of place where you can read the paper and have a cuppa.

Munch Terrace, East Perth

2012-07-18T13:24:00.000+08:00

This place has been one of my favorite places to regular for lunches during work days. Available as both take-away and dine-in, this place is a great place for Malaysian food.

The place is cash-only. I am known for turning back at restaurants which do not offer payment via credit card; however, this place is one exception. I would always have take-away and the waiting time is not disappointing at all. You are guaranteed to have your meal within 5 minutes of waiting.

Nasi Goreng with Sambal Sauce is one of the best I have had. If you can't handle spicy food, I would not recommend you ordering Nasi Goreng (Spicy); just ask for Nasi Goreng.

Ararat Kebabs, Nedlands

2012-07-18T13:22:00.000+08:00

Family owned Ararat Kebas is undoubtedly one of the best take-away and dine-in places in the Broadway Shopping Complex. They are open almost daily until 22:00 hrs.

The most popular take-away food is kebabs. Doner kebabs with garlic sauce are the best that I have tried. It has always been the best place for Kebabs during university days. You can have steak or chicken; and also double the meat amount if you want.

Pide (pronounced 'peeday') are also one of my favorites. I believe the most sold and the best flavored pide is Kusbasi. The Turkish word translates to meat cut into morsel sized pieces. You have the option to ask for spicy or non-spicy. I would recommend getting the spicy version. They also have Turkish salami pide.

Kusbasi Pide

Turkish Sausage and Egg Pide

The next type of food that I cannot ignore is the ever popular Turkish bread that best goes with a meat tray. You should also get the usual dips to eat with it.

They also have burgers just like in any other take-away place but I have't tried them because I always thrive to try out different food.

Talking about desserts, there is Turkish delight. Never forget Baklava which, in my opinion, the best baklava in town.

Mojo's Restaurant, Bunbury

2012-07-18T03:06:00.001+08:00

This restaurant looked like the classiest place in Bunbury with modern decor and a wide selection of wine. The menu is European but also contained some Japanese dishes and Sake. We came here for lunch and ordered the Mojo's Steak Burger which came with French fries. It was tasty and the bearnaise sauce and onion jam complimented the burger well. The bun was lightly toasted and crisp.

Mojo’s Steak Burger $26.50 (Béarnaise sauce, tomato, salad, onion jam, fries)

My partner had the Pasta of the Day which he claimed was the best pasta he had tried. I think it contained linguine with chorizo sausage, rocket salad and parmesan cheese shavings topped with olive oil.

Pasta of the Day $29.50

The service was good and the waiter was friendly and able to explain all the dishes. I would definitely come here again.

Utopia, Cannington

2012-07-18T02:07:00.002+08:00

Located within Westfield Carousel Shopping Centre near the Fast Eddies entrance (parallel to Albany Highway). This is a new Utopia chain that has just recently opened which is quite small in size however, provides the same bubble teas and food which is normally on the menu but less snacks on display compared to Utopia in Myaree. Quick service and ideal for a quick fix for bubble tea on the go. Although, I did not hear any karaoke music that they normally play in the other stores.

Nanutarra Roadhouse, Nanutarra

2012-07-18T01:48:00.001+08:00

We stopped here to refuel on our way from Karratha to Coral Bay after a 3 hour drive. The dining in and take away menu were the same. We tried the steak sandwich with gravy which was good for a road house and was a much needed pit stop with four hours remaining for the rest of the trip. They also sell coffee, snacks and some souvenirs. The service was friendly. It's probably a good idea to bring soap on long drives as it was only available on the trip back to Karratha.

Coral Resort Bakery, Coral Bay

2012-07-18T01:03:00.000+08:00

Located in the Coral Bay Arcade this bakery contained baked goods and fresh bread. They also serve a quick lunch with a selection of pies and focaccias. I tried the chicken and avocado focaccia which was light and the bread was crispy and not stale like others that I have tried which are pre-made. The beef and mushroom pie was good.

As for the sweets we had sherbet cones, doughnuts and cookies. The sherbet cone was nice and brought me back to my childhood days. The doughnut was baked so it was more bread-like which seemed healthier but more doughy. We had the choc-chip cookies which had a nice crisp to it and were very tasty.

I would recommend this place if your out for a quick snack and cheap lunch.

Fins Cafe, Coral Bay

2012-07-18T00:49:00.002+08:00

We came here three times and had breakfast and lunch. The Big Breakfast came with two fried eggs, bacon, half a tomato, toast and a sausage. On day two there was additional tomato sauce. It was cooked well and I would recommend this for a decent breakfast. They are open quite early in the morning as we were there around 8.30am.

Big Breakfast (Day 1)

Big Breakfast (Day 2)

For lunch we had the Works Dog which had a frankfurt, onions, bacon, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and mustard on a bread roll. This was not as good but it was edible, I felt that it needed a cheese sauce or more mozzarella It reminded me of a typical american hot-dog. The hot chips were good and we chose tomato and aioli sauce to go with it.

Lunch - Works Dog

Great little place that always seemed to be open whether it was early in the morning, lunch time or late at night. Overlooking the ocean, it was very convenient and affordable.

The Ningaloo Reef Cafe, Coral Bay

2012-07-18T00:25:00.000+08:00

This restaurant is centrally located and have a wide variety to choose from including pasta to pizza and seafood of course, with snapper arising twice on the specials menu. For entrees I would recommend the squid which came deep fried in a crispy batter and garden salad. It was perfect to share between two people (three pieces each) and it was tasty and fresh.

For the mains the locally caught snapper was fresh and came with a side salad. The snapper was battered and had elements of lemon and pepper accentuating the natural flavours of the fish. The Wynns Coonawarra Estate Riesling complimented this dish well. The crocodile looked similar to the squid which was battered and came with a side salad. Although it looked the same, it tasted completely different to the squid where the batter had different spices and tasted like chicken nuggets with a similar texture. The mains only contained one type of salad which was a Greek salad.

Entree - Squid

Mains - Locally caught snapper

Mains - Crocodile

As for the pasta we tried the spaghetti with chicken, mushroom and pepperoni with a white wine sauce which was not overly large but was substantial. I really like the white wine sauce which complimented the other ingredients well and the pasta was cooked al dente with a bit of a crunch. I was suggested a glass of Chardonnay which was okay. I felt that the Sauvignon Blanc was a better choice.

Mains - Spaghetti with chicken, mushrooms and pepperoni with a white wine sauce

For dessert we tried the Baci Bomb Cake with vanilla ice cream which was the restaurant's recommendation. It was very rich and filling encased with thick chocolate icing and filling. It also contained hazelnuts.

Desert - Baci Bomb Cake

The service was good and the place normally dies down around 9pm but they will wait for you to finish till around 10pm. The pizzas run out if you come later and they seemed popular but we did not have a chance to try it. They only open for dinner at 6pm, not breakfast or lunch. This restaurant was on the higher end of the scale which was pricey for Coral Bay but it had good food.

Jamaica Blue, Karratha

2012-07-17T23:33:00.002+08:00

Located within Centro Karratha Shopping Centre. We had breakfast here which was of a high standard similar to the Perth chain stores. I had the Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon which I really enjoyed considering that I don't normally like seafood mixed with other ingredients. The salmon was fresh and the eggs were perfectly poached. It was covered in a creamy Hollandiase sauce and the muffin complimented the flavours well without being too overpowering. It was light yet filling. My partner had the French Toast with Bacon. The bread was thick and the meal was substantial. However, he felt that the bacon didn't compliment the French Toast and that another topping selection would have been better due to the sweetness of the maple syrup on the French toast.

The coffee was great and you have the option for soy milk as an alternative. The service was very fast and they are open before 9am. We went there whilst waiting for the other shops to open.

For the health conscience you can review the nutritional value of each meal through their website http://www.jamaicablue.com.au

Seizan Restaurant & Karaoke Bar, Perth 2012-05-29

2012-05-29T02:05:00.003+08:00

The Teppan-Yaki BBQ is a 'special' type of meal offered at this restaurant where the chef dices and slices raw ingredients then cooks it on the hotplate and serves each element to you freshly cooked in front of you. The table comfortably accommodates for about six to eight people where bookings must be made about about a week in advance. They start around 5.30pm (for a 6pm start) for the first group and 8pm for the second group. There are three options offered at Seizan including:

Kiku $45: Salad, Tempura, Prawn, Scallop, Chicken or Beef, Mixed Vegetables, Miso soup, Rice, Dessert (Optional $4.20 extra for Teppan-Yaki fried rice)
Hana $49: Salad, Tempura, Prawn, Scallop, Salmon, Beef or Chicken, Mixed Vegetables, Miso soup, Rice, Dessert (Optional $4.20 extra for Teppan-Yaki fried rice)
Seizan $65: Salad, Tempura, Sashimi, Prawn, Scallop, 1/2 Crayfish, Salmon, Oyster, Mixed Vegetables, Miso soup, Rice, Dessert (Optional $4.20 extra for Teppan-Yaki fried rice)

We tried the 'Hana' option where you arrive and are given a drinks menu that is not included in the price of the Teppan-Yaki. We opted for our usual green tea and saké.

We received our first course of salad consisting of lettuce which was plain but the dressing was tasty. The Tempura came with one prawn, sweet potato and normal potato slice. We also received our miso soup during this time which had a good balance of seasonings. The standard dipping sauces were vegetable and soya sauce however, I got an extra dipping sauce for the beef main meal. This was given to us during the preparation period of the chef.

The chef came out of the kitchen and went straight to business with cooking the meal. Firstly, the Teppan-Yaki fried rice was made. We didn't order this but I think we should have as it looked better than I expected and was made on the hotplate. First the egg is poured then folded carefully into a long strip. The chef asks us to clap our hands and he chopped the egg slices faster as we clapped in sync. He then asked us to catch the egg slices with our mouths and I actually thought this was going to be difficult but 5/6 of us were able to do this as the chef was accurate with his aim, I was impressed. I caught it with my eyes shut! He then added the mince beef, plain rice and soya sauce then served up the bowls. As we ordered the plain rice, we didn't receive ours and had to ask as they had forgotten about us!

Secondly, the chef cooked the salmon and used a technique of covering the meat over with a metal cloche lid cover to steam the meat and cooked the scallops on the hotplate where we received two each. It was cooked perfectly and was very fresh and delicious.

The mixed vegetables consisted of the pumpkin, zucchini, mushroom, sweet potato and corn all cooked together. this was nice for a light amount of vegetables where we got one slice each.

Next we got two prawns each and it was amusing to watch how fast the prawn was prepared which showed a lot of precision and skill on the chef's part. The head was chopped off then de-veined all with one knife in about two seconds. I didn't like the prawns as much as they had a bit of a rubbery texture.

Next the fun part began with the large flames during the cooking of the main meal with the option of chicken or beef. Make sure you don't get too close to this! Both of these meals were tasty and the beef was equivalent of one steak which was then cut into smaller pieces. You also get a preference of how you want the beef to be cooked. The chicken was steamed under a metal cloche lid cover to aid in the cooking process.

Mains Option 1: Chicken (Three serves)

Mains Option 2: Beef (Three serves)

Mains Option 2: Beef (One serve)

The chef then left us to finish off our meals. After that we got our dessert of vanilla ice-cream which was creamy and you could taste the vanilla bean flavours. It also came with cream on the side and a slice of kiwi fruit and orange. We were asked to move to the booths whilst we finished off our dessert so that the next group of people could be seated around 8pm.

Dessert: Ice-cream, cream, orange and kiwi fruit

I would definitely recommend trying out the Teppan-Yaki here as it was entertaining and the food was freshly cooked in front of you. The chef demonstrated his unique skills through the preparation of food which is worthwhile having a look for an authentic Japanese experience. Otherwise, if you want to cook at the table yourself then there is an option for that as well but you need to book in advance.

http://www.seizan.com.au/?cmode=8&pmode=0&pageID=1&index=4

http://www.seizan.com.au/?cmode=6&pmode=0&pageID=9&index=2

Swan Valley Cafe, Millendon

2012-05-14T16:52:00.002+08:00

The café looks a bit like a shed or small house from the front but it opens up to a wonderful hidden garden at the back. They have a large selection of tea, vegan, vegetarian and gluten free meals. Breakfast is served up until 11am on weekends.

We came here for breakfast and ordered an omelette with mushrooms which is vegetarian and gluten free as stated on the menu. It came with fresh parsley sprinkled on the top and was sufficient for a quick and light breakfast. There was also a choice to have tomatoes or basil instead of the mushrooms but I thought it would have been better if they incorporated all the ingredients as it was a bit plain as it was missing cheese being a vegetarian dish. The seasoning was balanced as it wasn't too salty.

Omelette with mushrooms $12

We also ordered buckwheat pancakes where you can select the option of vegan, vegetarian or gluten free. This had flavours of wholemeal due to the buckwheat and the texture was slightly thicker, dryer and dense compared to a buttermilk pancake. There was a decent amount of blueberries and the maple syrup worked nicely to increase the sweetness of the meal.

We tried the English Breakfast tea for 2-3 people and it was smooth and drinkable. However, it was a long wait before we received the tea as we got our meals first. There is a wide selection of speciality teas which you can buy compared to the limited range on the menu whilst dining in. The teas are sourced from a variety of locations including China, India and South Africa and grown locally at Calingiri in Western Australia.

Buckwheat pancakes with blueberries, maple syrup and a dollop of Greek yoghurt $12

Items for sale - Tea $10

Items for sale - Beetroot chips

The beetroot chips were not good. They tasted burnt and but were crispy. I have seen this item sold at some supermarkets.

http://www.swanvalleycafe.com.au/Swan_Valley_Cafe_Main_Menu.pdf

Ramon's at Willow Pond, Canning Vale

2012-05-14T02:57:00.000+08:00

This restaurant is located at the back of Willow Pond with the carpark at the front. Therefore, you need to walk down a corridor to get to the reception area. The restaurant was nicely decorated with a Japanese theme with a small bar outside the kitchen and outdoor seating area. It had a nice atmosphere for a suburban restaurant and was not rowdy. The owner is also a martial arts instructor http://www.budokan.com.au/ who teaches within the same vicinity hence, the Japanese theme throughout the building and restaurant.

I came here for a function for dinner and a set menu was presented.

The entrée of roast capsicum soup was nice and light. The capsicum was not overpowering and had a good balance of herbs. The baguette crutes were crisp.

Braised beef cheek with sweet potato mash, peas and jus

For the mains I had the beef cheeks which was nicely presented. The meat was tender and succulent. The jus complimented the meat well and had the right balance of seasonings. The sweet potato mash was nice but a bit plain and the peas tasted as they should have.

Chocolate and hazelnut brownie

For dessert, the chocolate and hazelnut brownie was better than expected. It contained a cake layer on the bottom of the brownie and was covered in chocolate sauce accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice-cream which was very rich and filling.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience here and it felt more secluded compared to other restaurants as it was located at the back of the building. The food was pleasant and I would definitely come here again as the service was good. They also have high tea which I am interested in trying out.

http://www.willowpond.com.au/restaurant/restaurant_menus.htm

Shikara, Mindarie

2012-05-14T02:43:00.000+08:00

This restaurant has beautiful views of Mindarie Keys Marina. The décor is slightly better than other Indian restaurants around Perth. When we initially arrived it was very warm inside on a cold night.

The menu contained various sections based on the meat type and extras to accompany the dishes. There was a large variety of meat types with detailed descriptions of each dish. Each category had an average of five different types of curries under each meat type and hotness ranging from mild, medium and hot.

For entrées we had the tasting plate for two which contained beef samosas, vegetable pakoras, prawn pakoras, chicken tikka and seekh kebab served with a yoghurt and mint dipping sauce. The samosa pastry was very hard and it was difficult to cut through. It had been cooked for too long. The rest of the elements were tasty and had the right amount of spices without being too overpowering. The yoghurt sauce was really tasty and went well with everything on the plate.

Tasting plate for two

For the mains we had the butter chicken and the lamb and spinach curry. On the side we ordered basmati rice, parathas and papadums.

The butter chicken had strong flavours of cardamom and contained authentic flavours; the most authentic that I have tried in a fine dining restaurant. I could not really taste the butter which I tend to prefer for butter chicken and had a more standard base flavour. It was creamy and had a generous proportion of chicken. The gravy had low levels of spiciness.

I did not like the lamb and spinach curry as much as the meat was tougher than usual which was disappointing. The meat was lean but dry and the gravy was moderately spicy. Both these dishes lacked vegetables and I felt that they needed to add some to balance the flavours. I would recommend a vegetable dish to be ordered in addition to the meat dishes when dining at this restaurant.

The basmati rice was cooked well and were balanced out with the right amount of spices. I expected the parathas to be soft and flaky but instead it was tough like bread. The papadums were really tasty and are recommended.

By the time we received our mains we were already very full from the entrée. The mains are very substantial therefore, only bread or the paratha alone would be enough but we always get both bread and rice. Towards the end of the night the restaurant workers turned in the air-con and it was freezing cold. I even heard comments from other customers who felt the drastic change in temperature. Therefore, you should take along a jacket just in case. I felt they did this when they were near closing hours to make the customers leave. However, overall I really liked it here and believe it is worth visiting.

Lamb and spinach and butter chicken curry

Basmati rice

Paratha

Papadums