Quick Treat: A few hours in Freo

Posted on May 22, 2013 | 1 Comment

This treat won’t be packed with South of the river jokes. Scout’s honour. Except I was never in the scouts and I can’t help myself. Talking to my friend Fran, who had never stepped foot into tourist favourite Little Creatures, Fremantle is very much still a day trip. You don’t pop over there just for lunch. Well that’s just lies. Because you can and I am living proof that the drive to Freo is worth the couple hours you spend there. You don’t have to spend all day there. Just lunch. So that’s we did at Ootong Lincoln. We missed the breakfast menu by half hour (I underestimated the time it would take me to get to Freo…sorry I told you I couldn’t help it). I was impressed that the breakky menu lasts till 1.00pm. I like Freo’s laid back style where breakfast and lunch menus co-exist together. I ordered the ‘Asian salad’ as the waiter described it when he gave it to me. In his defence I couldn’t pronounce it either. Crispy bean sprouts, fresh capscicum and a small portion of chicken was combined with a refreshing Thai fish sauce dressing. Sweet, sour and delicious. My sister’s frittata was gluten free and vegetable packed. Did she like it? Well she finished it. But I couldn’t tell from her poker face if she was in love with it. Now the salted caramel macaron or coloured biscuit as she likes to call it was a hit. We demolished them in no time. My friend Kirsty had the salads and wasn’t overly impressed. The couscous salad was bland with the large corn pearls absorbing any form of dressing. The rocket and pomegranate salad was enjoyable but it didn’t hit the ball out of the park. I talk baseball because my friend Erin at work is heading on an amazing six week trip that includes a baseball game in New York. We spent many a minute on wikepedia figuring out how long the game goes for. So the salads weren’t amazing but it just proves my point. You don’t make friends with salad. I’m definately more brunch than lunch so I’ll be back at Ootong Lincoln before 1pm for their breakfast menu. P.S. Love the vintage bikes and jar lighting. Makes bric and brac from the verge look cool. Screams Freo. Actually I should say screams South Freo. Yes I admit I got lost finding south Freo. I can’t wait to spend a few more hours (no day trip necessary) there.

THE FOOD JOURNEY

Pumpkin arancini with the peski couscous salad.

Pumpkin arancini with the peski couscous salad.

Vegetable packed frittata

Vegetable packed frittata

Asian salad....I loved the dressing.

Asian salad….I loved the dressing.

THE DESTINATION
Ootong & Lincoln on Urbanspoon

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Treat 64: Screams Melbourne but with Perth service

Posted on May 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

I’m a tragic when it comes to new places in Perth. I try to be the first one there. If I like the place I keep going back. So that’s the situation I have found myself at Gordon’s Street Garage. Don’t get me wrong, it has let me down at times. The coffee that never came, receiving a white wine when I ordered a very red Sangiovese, getting charged for three bottles of wine when we only ordered three glasses….sadly the list of service mishaps goes on. Can we put it down to teething problems? I do have to criticise how each mishap was handled. Apologies were never received. In fact the coffee that never came was blamed on us even though we had paid for it and had an itemised bill to prove it. When you order two take away coffees and only receive one take away cup – there is no other way to explain it but a miscommunication between the barista and wait-staff. This should be rectified immediately rather than questioning the customer. That was my second breakfast visit at Gordon’s and compared to my other visits was the one with the worst service. Considering it was quite empty for a Wednesday morning, it was very slow to have our orders taken and even slower to get coffees to four dedicated females who don’t work in West Perth but wanted to experience Gordon’s breakfast delights. Sorry for the negative start to this treat. I will now write with a more positive tone. The first breakky experience showcased how busy a new place in Perth gets. Though we didn’t have to wait long to get a table for our big group of seven. Service was polished despite mounting pressure from the heaving crowds. The food that came out was delicious. The bruschetta, avocado, heirloom tomato, labneh and rocket combination was spot on. The labneh was deliciously tart as I expected it to be. The gluten free banana bread toast with cinnamon butter was a hit with my coeliac sister Suzy. I think I ate most of it (poor Suzy). All my dining companions were impressed with their breaky dishes. The vegetarian breakfast was very filling and I admit food envy as I saw my friend Louise plough through it. The only negative point was they ran out of the savoury muffins, which sounded amazing. It was an artichoke number. At this stage, Gordon’s had been opened for less than two weeks. So far I was impressed. The second breakky visit as discussed above let me down. The pumpkin and feta muffin was slightly dry. The real let down was in the service. Now to dinner. You will be happy to know that Gordon’s is open late Monday to Sunday. About time there is a late night dining venue where you can have a nice red wine and graze over a pizza with your mates. The first dinner experience had hits and misses. My friend Krystle has severe gluten intolerance so we had to be careful with what we ordered. That rules out the pizzas and half the salads. Unfortunately the menu isn’t very flexible so asking to have the buckwheat replaced with quinoa in the tabouleh was a fail. The highlight was the beetroot salad. So elegant. Delicately shaved beetroot perfectly matched the walnuts and blue cheese. The fish was delicious but we needed more of it. As it was on the share menu, there wasn’t much of it to go around. The tabouleh was a disappointment. It was a modern take on this Middle Eastern classic and lacked dressing. What I do love about the menu is that it works well for sharing. The next dinner experience was all about the pizza. I was a big fan of the 4 seasons with prosciutto, artichoke and mushrooms. I just love artichokes full stop. It didn’t take much for this to be a winner. The Hunters pizza was like a fancy meat eaters with house made salami picante and prosciutto. Yes I googled what picante meant and it refers to the salami being prepared in such a way as to be spicy. I didn’t feel the heat from the salami but I have increased my spicy tolerance thanks to a trip to Thailand. The pizzas weren’t amazing like Dough (see Treat 26) but they do have a delicious flavour profile. Plus add a glass of Tempranillo, good company and you have yourself a lovely night. So there is room for improvement at Gordon’s. However, I can’t believe I left it this long to describe the interior. The space screams Melbourne. From funky booths, to an upstairs area with an old-fashioned record player, it is quirky, cool and industrial. It is loud. The universal music playing in the background will make you think you’re in Spain one minute, the Middle East the next and then off to France you go. I’ll also make a note about the bathrooms. Thanks to the low basins I felt very tall. Maybe not practical but hey it was nice to feel tall for a moment. Overall I would go back to Gordon’s Street Garage. I am not ready to give up on it. Though it’s had woeful service in a couple of my visits, in my last visit service was spot on. We even had a few laughs with the wait-staff as they patiently waited for us to make up our mind. This place makes you feel like you are in another place (Melbourne or Barcelona come to mind because of the arty décor) but a couple of the service mishaps bring you back to earth that you are in Perth.

THE DESTINATION
Gordon St Garage on Urbanspoon

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Treat 63: The one with Unagi

Posted on May 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

One of my favourite episodes of Friends is the one with Unagi. In this episode Rachel and Phoebe want to learn self-defence and Ross pipes in about his karate past. He goes on and on and on about Unagi, which he describes meaning a state of awareness. This is a lie. Unagi is a Japanese eel dish. However, this is apt for me because I had none of Ross’ unagi in my last two visits to Nobu. Both times every single dish was explained to me. I even tried writing them down but only got to three dishes before I got swept away by food and forgot. So I have beautiful photos thanks to my friend Theresa but no awareness of what they are. One of my struggles at Nobu is knowing what to order from the menu. Now I just rock up and let the chefs and waiters do the work for me. It’s worked out really well both times. If I listed every single dish I have eaten at Nobu this treat would become a novel. So instead this is my highlights reel.

1. Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno
This is one of my favourites. The yellowtail is so fresh and melts in your mouth. The jalapeno elevates this dish to another level. For sashimi haters, this will convert you.

2. Black miso cod
I can’t believe it’s not butter. That’s what I think of when I eat this Nobu signature dish. The cod is so soft, flakey and moist with delicious buttery goodness. This is a heavenly dish. Even for cod-haters like my friend Fran, you will still have a go and try it. Warning – don’t eat the ginger root as this is for after you eat the cod to help with digestion and possibly to prevent a coronary.

3. Mushroom Salad with Yuzu Dressing
If mushrooms are the meat for vegetarians, this dish will convert me to the herbivore world. It’s all in the dressing. Yuzu is a citrus fruit with a flavour cross between mandarin orange and lime. The frequency of yuzu in Japanese cooking is equvalient to that of limes in Mexican. The mushrooms are sautéd in this gorgeous dressing and definately takes this dish from boring to party animal (without killing any animals). Don’t just let the vegetarians enjoy this dish. Get over your caveman pride and give the mushroom salad a go.

4. Yakimono – Rib eye in Teriyaki sauce
If you are a carnivore like myself, then I will admit that the mushrooms go perfectly with the rib eye in teriyaki sauce. Cooked to your liking (medium rare for me) this dish reminds you that you are in no ordinary restaurant. You are in fine dining heaven. Reap the rewards and empty the wallet for this succulent quality piece of meat. It truly is a pleasure to eat. No chewiness. A word I will say often for Nobu….it melts in your mouth.

5. Chocolate bento box
I would come to Nobu just for this dessert. Yes you heard me correctly, I would go to a Japanese fusion fine dining restaurant for dessert. To be honest there’s not much Japanese about this dessert then the bento box it comes in and the green tea ice cream. The chocolate fondant is amazing. As soon as you dive your spoon into this pyramid of pleasure, the chocolate oozes out. I’ve had this dish over six times now and it never fails me. I can officially say this is my favourite Nobu dessert because I have tried all the desserts on the menu thanks to my friend Theresa. See below a photo of the dessert platter that says it all. It was a feast for the eyes and the stomach. I’ve done the hard work and tried them all for you. At the end of the day I’d always go back to the Bento Box.

THE FOOD JOURNEY

Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno

Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno

The Nobu signature - black miso cod

The Nobu signature – black miso cod

Wagyu rib-eye with the delicious mushrooms

Rib-eye with the delicious mushrooms

Green tea ice cream - give it a go.

Green tea ice cream – give it a go.

The Nobu dessert spread.

The Nobu dessert spread.

THE DESTINATION
Nobu Perth on Urbanspoon

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Treat 62: My favourite Canadian is Celine Dion

Posted on May 3, 2013 | 3 Comments

I thought I’d dedicate this treat to my favourite Canuck, Celine Dion. Though she has ignored me both times I tried to visit her in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace, I choose to forgive her. Why? Have you not heard her Falling into You album? ‘Because of you’ remains one of my favourite songs. ‘The Power of Love’ is a classic. Who could forget Titanic’s ‘My Heart will go on’? Now before this treat becomes an ode to Celine I will move on to a new restaurant to grace the suburb of Inglewood. There is a connection as Miss Kitty’s Saloon has strong Canadian and North American western influences. Think cowboy and Indians. The first time I discovered this place I was actually visiting it’s across the road neighbour, Il Pasto. As I stumbled in I quickly realised this was not an Italian restaurant. I said to myself that I’d come back to check this place out. So one day I said to my friend Patrick ‘what do you say to takin’ chances’ and giving this new place a go? He was initially quickly impressed. I love to impress my friends with new places, especially the hard to please Fran (See Treat 32: Lola you’ve got me on my knees Lola). The awesome décor with the beer barrel at the entrance; quirky chairs and tables; and eclectic bibs and bobs live up to the saloon name. There was a great selection of music from the glory days. Unfortunately to Patrick’s chagrin, I didn’t know many of them until he spelled it out for me. The hostess was very helpful and when we asked if we could be moved to a more comfortable table she happily obliged. Now to the food, which we really hoped would live up to everything else. This is where it came unstuck. Did we choose the wrong food? Did we over order? I will answer these questions shortly. The beef chilli on corn waffle with avocado butter was lacklustre. There was no heat. I asked the waitress for Tabasco sauce that never came. There was no chilli in this beef chilli. In fact there was no flavour. I wanted to like it I really did but the waffle it came with made it worse. It was not off to a good start. The grilled local octopus with smoky eggplant, roasted cauliflower and jalapeno salt for $18.80 was overpriced for the portion size. Give me the octopus salad at Inglewood-favourite Estia’s Greek restaurant any day (see Treat 58: Anything you can do…I can do better). The octopus itself was flavoursome and grilled to perfection. There was just not enough of it. The fried pickles with house cured ham and spiced mayo was a highlight. However, I am embarrassed to admit but the fried pickles at Hooters are better. Fun fact there is a Hooters in Parramatta (New South Wales). The only reason why I know this is my friend from the USA who now lives in Sydney goes there when she’s homesick. I think it was because Miss Kitty’s used good quality pickles compared to the cheaper ones normally found in cheeseburgers fried at Hooters. What can I say, the USA do junk food better. It’s hard to make fried food fancy. However, I do think Merrywell (see Treat 27: Born in the USA ) has done a great job and is better proportionated in price. Again Perth portion sizes disappoint with Miss Kitty only providing a few pickles to share. If you were in a group of four you might need two serves. I’m assuming with Crown Perth’s backing, the economies of scale allow the Merrywell to have a lower price point. Quality in Perth does not come cheap so I understand why the prices and portion sizes at Miss Kitty’s are the way they are. Any of the Northern American themed restaurants in Perth don’t replicate the low prices and big portions that you find in this region. Instead you have Perth’s higher prices for smaller portions. That’s just a reality we have become used to. From here the meal took a turn for the better. The poutine, which is the Canadian way of saying chips and gravy, was delicious. Add curds (just like the ones Miss Muffet ate with her whey), it was simple and delicious. Chips and gravy take me back to my childhood swimming lessons at Beatty Park. Till this day the best chips and gravy of my life. Unfortunately the café is being renovated so on the rare occasion I’m down at Beatty Park doing laps (at least once a year I go on a health kick) I really miss them (even though they defeat the purpose of what I’m there for). The final dish that was placed down was the roast suckling pig with a tomato relish that wasn’t really needed. It was at this point we realised we over-ordered. If only the food came all at once then we would have eaten more of the delectable pork. It really was melt-in-your mouth pig meat. The crackling did exactly what it was meant to do. Crunch! There were hits and misses but like Celine Dion once said, this place will go on. I definitely will give Miss Kitty’s brunch a go. Otherwise I’d be happy to pretend I was in Canada, drinking my Brooklyn brewski and quoting How I Met your Mother Canadian jokes or singing my praises about Celine Dion (warning I might actually sing her tunes because those lyrics I know). Maybe I got them on a wrong day as Miss Kitty’s Saloon is still relatively new. I’ll wait till a new day has come and give this Canadian/USA inspired restaurant/bar another chance.

THE FOOD JOURNEY
The dark interior does not allow for quality iPhone 3 photos so unfortunately there are no food shots. So here is a photo of my favourite Canadian instead.

celine-dion-300[1]

THE DESTINATION
Miss Kitty's Saloon on Urbanspoon

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Treat 61: That’s amore

Posted on April 28, 2013 | Leave a comment

Finally, I have found my affordable go to Italian restaurant in Perth. The only problem is that it has become everyone’s go to Italian restaurant. I am talking about Jamie’s Italian. Since it opened end of March I have forced my way in there 3 times. From a girl that does not wait in lines (see Treat 44: I just can’t wait) this is out of character for me. The food and experience is worth it. Jamie Oliver has the midas touch except instead of everything turning to gold it turns to amazing food. I love everything about Jamie’s Italian (except the waiting). If you think arriving there straight after work on a Monday will get you straight in…you would be wrong. Like all new things in Perth, we all flood there. Add Jamie Oliver’s name to it and it’s a tsunami effect. So two months in and the lines have not died down and good luck getting a dinner booking before August. So it might not be the easiest restaurant to get into but once you get a table, the juice is worth the squeeze. Each time I have been there I have not paid more than $50 for a drink, starters, mains and dessert. Imagine being able to order a pasta main for under $20. It’s almost Siena prices (see Quick Treat: It is what it is) but it’s fresh pasta made in the restaurant. Before I get ahead of myself I can’t forget to mention you get complimentary bread. It’s not just a basic Italian loaf. You get variety! Did I mention it’s FREE! The menu is quite overwhelming. To help my followers I have made sure to try new things every time I go. What can I say I am a dedicated blogger. Below is my recommendation list of what you should order at Jamie’s Italian:

Drink
For an easy drinking red get the Umani Ronchi Motepulciano D’Abruzzo 2011. For $43 the bottle this Abruzzo wine is great value and matches most dishes

Antipasti – Planks
The planks are a novelty starter at Jamie’s. It is literally a plank of antipasto on top of two canned tomatoes. Hot tip here – don’t order per person. If six people are on your table you don’t need to order six serves. For a table of six, three serves will suffice. There are three varieties of planks to choose from: vegetarian, meat and fish. I have tried all three and the favourite had to be the fish. The highlight for me was the beetroot-cured salmon in its cold bowl. I don’t know how they did it but it was mighty delicious. I was surprised to see yuzu mayo at an Italian restaurant. As I continue to develop my Japanese knowledge I have learnt that yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit similar to a sour mandarin or small grapefruit. The yuzu mayo is like a fancy take on tartar sauce for the mini fritto misto (the fancy Italian way of saying battered seafood). All the planks have cheese including Jamie Oliver’s favourite, an aged pecorino with crispy “music bread” & chilli jam. There is also a crispy beetroot and carrot slaw to refresh your palate for the mains.

Antipasti – Plates
So you can’t stop your starters at the planks. There is just too much to choose from. The fried squid is a favourite, perfectly crispy and deliciously accompanied with a garlic mayo. Another recommendation is the baked mushrooms. As Jamie Oliver says, mushrooms have great flavour and he doesn’t stick to the boring buttercup mushrooms. I would get this starter to come with your main to add some vegetables to it otherwise you might find your table overflowing thanks to the planks.

Pasta and risotto
Now you can get overwhelmed with the pasta options. I know I have. To remedy this, my table and I usually decide on a pasta or risotto to accompany the entrees. Yes I know pasta for entrees and mains might seem like a carbo overload but it will help overcome the indecisiveness. Here are a few options that I recommend:
• Wild rabbit tagliolini: slow-cooked McLeay Valley rabbit ragu with garlic & herbs, mascarpone and amalfi lemon. This pasta is a citrus delight for the senses. The lemon makes what could be a heavy creamy pasta into a very deceptively easy to eat meal. Get the main size and you will feel a siesta effect. To prevent this stick to an entrée size and leave room for dessert.
• Prawn linguini: Now the first time I saw this dish my friend Kirsty ordered it and I got food envy. Not that anything was wrong with the dish I ordered but nothing beats the simple chilli and garlic combination. So far this is my favourite pasta on the menu. The seafood bucatini has similar flavours and is cutely presented in bag with mussels, clams and prawns. However, out of the two go for the prawn linguini instead.
• Honeycomb cannelloni 3 ways: Unlike what the title suggests there is no honeycomb in this dish to my initial disappointment. It refers to what the dish looks like, with the cut pieces of cannelloni representing a honeycomb. This inventive take on the cannelloni goes beyond the basic flavour combination of spinach and ricotta. Aubergine and pumpkin is also added to the mix to give you three ways.
• Wild truffle risotto: In an earlier blog I looked at why there was a fuss over truffles especially because they are so expensive (see Treat 16: What’s the kerfuffle about truffle?). This dish was recommended by the guy front of house (I don’t know what his name was but his service was amazing). He recommended this as an entrée to share because of its richness. Each spoonful was a pleasure to eat. I’m not sure if it’s the truffle that takes the credit or the parmesan and butter combination or a combination of all three. This is a MUST try.

Mains
As the hero of Jamie’s Italian is the pasta I usually keep to this option. I will however recommend one of the mains, the fish baked in the bag. This is another signature dish of Jamie’s Italian with local fish (we had barramundi) baked in the bag with clams, mussels, fennel, chilli, anchovies and cracked wheat. This is a popular item as you will find out with many plates coming out of the kitchen with alfoil. My friend Alisa found this dish spicy so get excited if you like heat in your meals. This also is quite filling so keep that in mind if you want to fit in dessert. If you have tried other mains that you recommend please leave a comment below.

Dessert
Now there is always room for dessert even if you get over excited with starters. Don’t waste your time staring at the menu. Get the brownie. It’s ooey gooey chocolate goodness. Another recommendation is the ice cream with random flavours like peanut disaster (my personal favourite) and death by chocolate. Flavours change daily so ask your waiter. It’s made by Australian ice cream maker Serendipity and is another example of Jamie using local producers to feed the restaurant. They even use Fiori coffee, which is my favourite coffee supplier in WA. I go out of my way to find Fiori coffee in Perth and sometimes pay the price for it ($4.80 for a take away coffee at a café near my work).

As you can tell I’m absolutely in love with Jamie’s Italian. The attention to detail is evident in the décor and service. No wonder there is over 35 restaurants all over the world. The service is polished and unique to Perth. The knowledge shows the emphasis that Jamie’s Italian puts on training their staff. Though it’s not always perfect, two times I have been there they forgot a salad. This is easy to forgive because we are full without it. Despite the chaos of people, the staff are cool under pressure and provide excellent and warm service. They are also very happy to ask questions and it’s impressive to see them answer the questions from the top of their heads. I know this should be a standard at restaurants but Perth is not known for good service. I wish there was something wrong with this place so I good complain about it to help the lines die down. I’m just so happy that Jamie Oliver chose Perth over Melbourne to open this establishment. Jamie’s Italian is a welcome addition to Perth. Thank you Jamie Oliver for bringing delicious pasta at friendly prices and amazing service.

THE FOOD JOURNEY
Sorry no photos – I was too busy eating. I always forget when I get overwhelmed. My brother did buy this awesome SLR camera that I’m going to figure how to use. Coming soon…professional photos instead of blurry iPhone 3 photos.

THE DESTINATION
Jamie's Italian on Urbanspoon

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Treat 60: Pinch me…is this restaurant in Perth?

Posted on April 26, 2013 | 1 Comment

This hidden gem was first brought to my attention by my friend Theresa. It is literally an old fish and chip that is tucked away in a local shopping complex. It is not even physically transformed as the fittings remain. This tiny 16-seater does not have a glamorous fit out. The beauty is in the food. Chef Moe Oo rules supreme with a monthly Omakase (Chef’s selection) seven-course degustation menu using local and Japanese seasonal produce. Now people complain about the prices in Perth. Well someone forgot to tell Marumo that you are meant to overcharge not undercharge patrons. For $39 you get such good value for amazing food. This month’s menu included:
- Tempura of oyster, caviar & shichimi Mayo
- Poached Mt Barker chicken ginger & nori Oil
- Hokkaido scallop, egg tofu & edamame Puree
- Chef’s selection of assorted sashimi
- Lightly torched Tasmanian salmon belly sushi, tiger prawn & tobiko.
- Soy braised Margaret River beef, croquette & pan jus
- Green Tea mascarpone ice cream

The tempura oyster showed no sign of the establishment’s former life. It had the right amount of outer crunch without the oiliness. The shichimi mayo was a taste sensation. This is where Google comes in handy as I am still learning the complexity of Japanese cooking and flavours. Schichimi is also known as Japanese 7 Spice consisting of sesame seeds, orange peel, poppy seeds, paprika, Chinese chillies, Szechwan pepper, ginger and nori. There is nothing in this flavour combination that I don’t like. I am looking forward to finding this spice mix and attempting to use it in my cooking. The chicken was poached to perfection and I loved the generous ginger slices. I love my ginger. It takes me back to my days working behind the cosmetics counter at Myer. I worked for Origins, this natural company from the USA which had a huge ginger range. Name the product and there was ginger in it. After two years working there I was over lathering my body in ginger scented product. However, it has not dampened my love affair with eating ginger. The next course was one of the highlights of the night. It had to be the largest scallop I have seen. It looked bigger because it was sandwiched in an egg tofu. This was a winning combination. The scallop was actually from Japanese waters, which may explain its generous size. I haven’t seen scallops of that size in Perth. Though chefs rabbit on about the Rottnest scallops, you hardly see them at restaurants in Perth or if you do you pay a pretty fortune for it. To say Marumo servings are generous is an understatement. The assorted sashimi portion would probably cost $39 at most Japanese restaurants. Not here. The produce was exceptional. Each course was full of thought and technique. This was abundantly clear in the sushi course. The lightly torched Tasmanian belly sushi was another favourite of the night. The smokiness from the salmon’s oil was absorbed into the rice. Each bite was a delight for the senses. Then surprise…a palate cleanser. The orange sorbet cleansed the palate from the seafood as we moved onto the hearty beef course. The soy braised Margaret River beef shoulder showed the Chef’s clever technique to transform a cheaper cut of meat into a melt in your mouth moment. I was beyond full by the dessert course. Luckily the green tea ice cream was a refreshing touch to an amazing feast. I was mighty impressed. Behind the lacklustre shopfront is a hub of passion for Japanese cookery at a rare price in Perth. Good luck getting a booking (last time I checked it was booked out till November 2013).

THE FOOD JOURNEY

Tempura oyster - showed no signs we were in a Fish and Chip shop.

Tempura oyster – showed no signs we were in a Fish and Chip shop.

The scallop was huge! The best scallop dish I've had in Perth.

The scallop was huge! The best scallop dish I’ve had in Perth.

Generous serve of sashimi.

Generous serve of sashimi.

The meat melted in your mouth.

The meat melted in your mouth.

The green tea ice cream hit the spot. A refreshing way to end the feast.

The green tea ice cream hit the spot. A refreshing way to end the feast.

THE DESTINATION
Marumo on Urbanspoon

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Quick Treat: You give me fever

Posted on April 2, 2013 | Leave a comment

One Saturday I was struggling to find a place for coffee and a chat in the CBD. With all these cafes throughout the CBD only opening during the working week I resorted to the food courts. I will give two big thumbs up for the sushi at the David Jones Food Hall. Fantastic variety including brown rice options which have been all the rage in the unofficial diet capital of the world, Hollywood. Whenever I read a celebrity food article it’s all about brown rice sushi. My local sushi at Innaloo shops does brown rice sushi but this sells out fast. The David Jones ones look and taste spectacular. Do yourself a favour. Now like my teacher friends explain to me when they are telling of a child they use this technique – positive, negative, positive. So I started this treat off with a positive. Now to the negative, back to cafes in Perth being closed on a weekend. I stumbled across the closed Cabin Fever and vowed to try it one day when it was open. Today was the day. It was an long overdue catch up with my uni buddy Rachel and Cabin Fever was the destination. The décor was cute with knick knacks, op shop furniture and books filling the small space. Off to a good start. This is where things turned. The coffee failed us miserably. Both of us were up early and we desperately needed the caffeine hit. It was burnt, bitter and disappointing. So disappointing that I had to complain. The second try was better but still not amazing coffee. My theory is that because the café was relocating the next day we were given the scrappy coffee beans. Rachel had been before and said the coffee was ok. This was sadly not the case this time. Food wise – I have heard great things. My friend Kirsty loves the vegemite and avocado from here. This is what Rachel ordered today and my food envy raged. I love this combination. I decided to branch out and increase my iron levels (after a fainting spell from donating blood I was in short iron supply) by ordering the beef mustard sandwich. I definitely tasted the mustard. My watering eyes could taste the mustard. My nose could taste the mustard. If you couldn’t gather by now there was a lot of mustard in my sandwich. It wasn’t an enjoyable dish for me. I wouldn’t get it again. I don’t eat mustard often so maybe I have a low tolerance. Either way my nasal passages were cleared out thanks to Cornel Mustard. This was my first and only time at Cabin Fever and I left disappointed and teary. However, I think it’s all about timing. I think I need to return to the relocated Cabin Fever and hopefully I’ll have a more positive experience. See what I did there. Turn a negative treat into a positive. So next time I ketch up with friends in the city (see what I did there ketch up instead of catch up) I relish the opportunity of giving Cabin Fever another go.

THE FOOD JOURNEY

I must admit there was a lot of mustard.

I must admit there was a lot of mustard.

THE DESTINATION
David Jones Foodhall Cafe on Urbanspoon

Cabin Fever on Urbanspoon

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