Bites: A better brunch @ Petition Kitchen, Perth.

Breakfast for champions? Head to Petition Kitchen. With 0 surcharge on ANZAC day, this was my place of choice. The cool interior paired with impeccable service was two of the many reasons for my presence that morning. To start I ordered a Matcha Latte, but Petition Kitchen did not have Matcha.  The good folks attempted to use green tea and though it did not taste the part, it was amazing effort.  They even gave me another hot chocolate to make up for it. Simply wow!! 

There are plenty on the brunch menu and it was quite exciting to see the variety on offer. The three breakfast that morning were:

Butter roasted mushrooms, tater tots, baby kale, Onsen egg.

Baked slow eggs, bean, ham hock, Kransky sausage

Everything that morning were typical classics. But the plating was impeccable. I do not think that Petition Kitchen went above and beyond themselves in flavours but as always, classics done are simply amazing. How did they go? Starting with the roasted mushrooms, it was a textural wonder with the crispy tater tots and bouncy shrooms giving the dish a nice bite. Then comes the runny egg which brought everything together. The baked eggs were pretty standard though I do applaud the generosity of the Kransky sausage that gave the whole dish a meaty smokiness!

Grilled chorizo, black pudding hash, slab bacon, fried-egg.

Presentation? Spot on. My breakfast of choice was a meaty feast with so much to love. Slabs of tasty bacon, smoky chorizo and fried egg. Man. There was so much meat and its no secret that I love my meat. This must be Petition Kitchen’s brunch equivalent of a peanut butter milkshake. It was a protein feast that has not lost its appeal of taste. I reckon a little balance would have had this dish on a home run. But that is like adding kale to a peanut butter milkshake right? Who the hell does that? lol.

Did I enjoy Petition Kitchen? Definitely. The food was superb and I enjoyed every moment I was there. From entrance to service it was enjoyable. They swapped my pseudo Matcha Latte for a hot chocolate? Customer service to die for! Food generous, and hearty.  Venue sensational.  Would I return to Petition Kitchen? Yes.

WenY

Bites: Artsy Brunch @ Arthouse Dine, Perth

Art Dinehouse is for me one of those eateries where looks matched with a cool hip venue should mathematically equal to an amazing dining experience.  Did it deliver?  Last week I walked in to Art Dinehouse with a cool 50% off lunch deal thanks to Dimmi.  Needless to say we ordered pretty much the whole menu.

The food at Art Dinehouse is a mix of all cultures.  Whether its a Sambo or Pasta or even Salad, its got a chance on the menu.  Plating here is pretty sensational with the prosciutto slices ever so beautiful.  Amazingly tender and pink, it benefited from the many other elements on the plate.  From the acidic pearl lemons to the salty capers, a lot of effort went into making the dish picture perfect.  Around the table we also ordered the chicken sandwich which featured a deep fried chicken sandwiched between two very buttered up bun for a kick.  Art Dinehouse’s Prawn Pasta is another worthy mentioned due to its generosity with the prawns.

My experience at Art Dinehouse was overall worthy of an OK.  Food was a bit of a hit and a miss with a 50-50 hit rate.  The saving grace for us was that several hiccups like a piece of plastic in the leek waffle and bones in the croquettes were dealt with in an apologetic and sincere manner.  Waitperson was every bit courteous, so what else could I ask for?  Definitely no hate on the plate with future opportunities for a re-visit :)!

WenY

Bites: Brunch by the Sea @ the Shorehouse, Cottesloe

Another weekend, another brunch.  Amongst the many things W.A has to offer, its pristine beaches easily comes close to topping the list.  So why not do brunch by the beach right?  That’s exactly what Shorehouse had in mind.  This popular restaurant takes in the sweeping views of the Scarborough coastline with both indoor and outdoor sitting benefitting from the million dollar view.  Its brunch menu was nice and tasteful with accents of seafood written between the lines.  After enjoying a hot Chocolate, I ordered an omelette to get my daily protein. This was not just any Omelette though! This was Shorehouse’s Crab Omelette.

But can they top the famous Chilli Crab Omelette by Frisch and Barc? For starters the omelette at Shorehouse sticks true to the creamy butter finish of a traditional Omelette. Silky smooth with a strong hit of butter, this was joy.  Topping the protein was some crab meat cooked in miso butter. Umami bomb at its finest with the nutty and slightly sweet Miso flavour serenading the dish.  Moving to the inside of the Shorehouse Omelette, there was a slow cooked leek.  Unfortunately, this was where the joys of the buttery egg and tender crab flesh ended.  The leek was still fibrous and undercooked.  To a certain extent it was hilarious seeing how everyone was busy picking the fibres from their mouth haha.  There was a mound of dental floss on some plates :P  Then again we only had two choices.  One was to take it out, or two we could have swallow it whole lol.

Shorehouse is a promising venue with my sister previously giving them credit for their amazing desserts.  An omelette for $23.50 is pretty pricey even when comparing it to Frisch and Barc who had more crab meat in its omelette.  But look beyond the food, factor in the sweeping shoreline and price soon becomes irrelevant.  The combination of food and views make for a winning meal.  Would I come back?  It will be a definite yes but I would not be in a hurry.

WenY

Bites: Happy Brunching @ Cherry & Grapes, West Perth.

Cherry and Grapes recently joined the brunch scene in Perth played host to my first morning brunch after finishing onsite I was pumped and the easy parking made it better! After a quick scan through the menu,I was thoroughly pleased to know that non-coffee drinkers are well-taken care off. 

I started off with a Matcha Latte. Green must be good for healthy right? lol.

The Matcha latte was pretty good with a generous layer of froth! Would have liked a stronger hit of matcha but I realised that the Matcha amount was probably right but it needed a little more whisking to make sure all the Match powder was dissolved! And did I mention how good the latte art was?  It is top notch at Cherry and Grapes! 

With over 15 people there were way too many dishes for me to go around snapping photos! So I stuck to getting a few popular choices!

Queen Z’s Truffle Burger.

Featuring a house made patty, tangy relish, and truffle aioli, this burger looked ready for a model shoot alright! Sandwiched between two nicely browned buns, this burger looked the real deal and tasted good too.  Who is to forget the hand cut chips made in house!  Best thing about these chips are the crunchy edges and fluffy insides! Filled with potato flavours unlike the powdery packed ones!  Note: pure beef aficionados with a stronger preference for bovine heaven in its original state (basic salt and pepper), you might find the addition of herbs be a little overpowering!

Cake by the Ocean.

This was another interesting dish by the folks at Cherry and Grapes with a cod filled croquette taking the centre stage. Topped with hollandaise a sprinkle of what appears to be Paprika my friends thought it was good and flavoursome!  I liked how there was more acidity in the dish beyond the hollandaise with the addition of the gherkin and caper salsa! That was a nice touch.

Lamb Shank with crushed potatoes and grilled peppers.

Every week, the restaurant puts a special out for their diners and this week its the slow braised lamb shank.  I got the last one for the week and it was a damn good feed.  Tender braised shrank meat was fall-off the bone good.  Then comes the sauce that is herby, rich and full of flavour with a whiff of wine! It was the perfect sauce for the carbs on the plate.

Easy weekend parking and great drinks are only part of the enjoyment at Cherry and Grapes bring.  With lots to offer in their menu along with weekly specials keep things interesting, I have to say it was a memorable brunch with good company! Sure there were hits and misses like the over seasoned burger patty but for a place that has opened just a few weeks ago, I expect a lot more to come from the good folks at Cherry and Grapes! 

WenY

Bites: Picturesque Vineyard Dining @ Millbrook Winery, Jarrahdale.

WA is filled with quality vineyards but little did I know that hidden amongst the plains South East of Perth is a boutique winery called Millbrook Winery.  If the wineries in Swan Valley have become a weekend norm, then a trip to Millbrook Winery might just do the trick!  Only problem? It located in Jarrahdale which is a lot further if you live near the city. So was the 1 hour drive worth it?

The drive to Jarrahdale was a little far but the views were pleasant once I got off the freeway.  Just mile and miles of pleasant greenery and rolls of hay!

The vineyard?  Even better.  The vineyard was simply spectacular with its restaurant positioned by the lake surrounded by the rolling hills!  But enough about how nice this place was, time to get on to the food!  That afternoon we had the set menu as we had a large group of 10.   For $79, it was quite a lot that we got. 

To get us started, we were served some crusty bread, and liver pate.

Bread felt really ordinary, but honest and humbly good.  Not spectacular but still pleasant to taste.

The luxury of having Pate is not something that site serves.  While my friends were apprehensive about the richness of the dish, I enjoyed every bit of it.  Smeared on the little crostini and topped with the perfectly caramelised onions, it was heaven on taste! Delicious!!

Following that, we were served a trio of appetisers to share:

They were pretty decent! We had the fish wrapped in grape leaf, chickpea hash and duck rillettes! 

Over all, the appetisers were nice! But I struggled with the fish a little as it was a little fishy for my liking.  On the other hand, the rillettes were pretty yums but I found it a waste of the duck flesh because they were not moist and juicy but a little dry! So, the surprising favourite on the table that day was the chickpea hash!  One friend even commented jokingly that it was like “Vegetarian luncheon meat!”.  True enough I reckon.  Put some of the cheese on top and oh my! Yummy!

We could choose our mains and enough said we ordered pretty much everything on the menu!  This was Jim's Fish of the day from Exmouth with smashed peas.

Sauerkraut, pork, apple, rejected potatoes.  

A cheesy Risotto!

Lamb chop with white anchovies and bean salad.

Honestly?  I did not get to taste everything.  In fact, I was so busy talking that afternoon that I did not even get a photo of my dish haha.  In saying that, the general feel about the dishes that afternoon ranged anywhere from average to good.  Mine was the Vegan Gnocchi (not pictured) and it was decent.  But I reckon Mason & Bird does it better :P.  I tried some of the pork and hey it was pretty good!  A very simple and humble dish that was not extravagant but simple and enjoyable. With tender pork, crispy crackling and perfectly cooked potatoes what more could you ask for right?

Moving on to the desserts, we had a choice of three dessert of which two I had pictures for:

The nut strudel with white chocolate & ginger ice cream:

This was surprisingly good! I found the strudel a little sweet on its own but when paired with the ginger ice cream, there was a surprising chemistry between the nutty strudel, lightly pungent ginger and the cool ice cream!

Mascarpone parfait, berries, crostoli.

Berries and ice cream.  What could go wrong right?  Generally, the chances of going wrong is pretty rare so it was safe to say that I was not disappointed in anyway.  My complements was how the Mascarpone had this slight cheesiness but it did not overpower the purpose of the dish as a dessert.  Instead, it was this lingering cheesiness that balances nicely with the acidity of the berries and sugar content on the plate.  But could it have been better? I reckon it could.  First things first, serving temperature.  Something as delicate as the mascarpone parfait could have been served a little more elegantly at a better temperature where it was on the brink of melting rather than frozen cold.   Who do I reckon did it better?  Well, Relae of Copenhagen!  Maybe its time for me to get bags packed and start travelling hey?!

Millbrook Vineyard played host to an enjoyable afternoon with some good friends.  The could not be a cooler spot to have lunch than Millbrook Vineyard.  The vineyards food is over all, above average compared tot he usual fare. But if you come here looking for molecular degustation, this might not be the right place.  Instead, look for good, humble, and honest cooking with wines and views to match.  Would I do another 1 hour drive?  Perhaps I would!

WenY

Bites: Gorgeous Pastas @ Mason & Bird, Kalamunda.

Mason & Bird, Kalamunda opened its doors to the public a month or two ago and word has been going around that the venue is nothing less than impressive.  I was super keen to try it out and it was safe to say that Mason & Bird did not disappoint.  The large group of us ordered pretty much the whole menu and I got to visually feast on everything (only because the table was too long and my short limbs could not stretch that far!)

To get the morning started were a round of hot drinks:

I am the biggest fan of Matcha Latte ever since I was in Seoul many years back.  That first taste of this milky-sweet-grassy drink has kept me coming back.  Unfortunately this was my biggest dislike at Mason & Bird.  The matcha just did not hit my palate with the grassy-sweet scent I was expecting.  If anything it was a little sedentary and gritty.  The milk also felt too thin and not creamy at all. Hmmm…?

Pan Roasted Gnocchi

Fortunately, the dry spell ended with the drinks.  This gnocchi dish was simply perfect.  Fluffy, light, delicate pillows of pasta were cooked sensationally.  The crust on from the pan frying worked wonders and the gnocchi was just so tasty on its own.  The cauliflower, cheese and almonds were such a treat.  I’m surprised that this whole dish was vegetarian really!  

Braised lamb Pappardelle

My order of braised lamb Pappardelle was the right dish for this gloomy-with-a-chance-of-rain kind of weather.  After all, that is what a heart braise is for no?  The lamb here was super tender and required 0 effort to bite into. Mushrooms were super plum after having soak up all the juices of the braise.  While I really enjoyed the whole dish, both my friend and I felt like they could have rolled the Pappardelle another layer thinner.  Despite saying that, perhaps the chef just liked his pasta sheets to carry an extra bite!

The hidden crowd pleaser:

Hand cut, kitchen chippies right from the kitchen.  I love them so much.  One can immediately tell the difference between chips right out of the bag and one that is made in-house.  You get so much more potato flavours from the ones made in-house at Mason & Bird.  The down side for some though is that the chips when made at home are rarely crispy across the tuber.  But its the joy of having crispy edges that makes the moment worth while.  Enjoyable!

We had many more dishes hit the table that day but I did not get to try everything.  I believe most of us were pretty damn satisfied with the food at Mason & Bird.  The main stars were none other than their pastas! (Their home-cooked chips get a special mention too!)  Do note that the pasta sizes are a little small or just right.  So if you are a big eater, definitely get the side of chips.  Lastly, the bit which I felt most let down by were the Matcha Latte and Apple Pie Shake.  It was really cool sounding on paper but in the mouth just OK.

WenY

Bites: A New Brunch Opening @ Nic and Kolo, Applecross

Nic & Kolo is a new establishment in the Applecross Cafe strip.  It opened its door to the public 2 weeks ago and a quick tag from fellow foodie Nini @ Ninifoodielicious means my next brunch venue was sorted.  Coming in, the service was a tad slow as they were clearly understaffed.  But hey, all new cafes have this issue right?  We eventually sat ourselves down and instantly, the interior was admirable.  The layout was very clean and at the entrance was a very blingy counter.

Mocha for Bel & Tea for me:

My tea was right from the shopping aisles so no dramas on my side.  Bel enjoyed her coffee which dispel any concerns for the curious diners.  

The menu came a little later and had the usual suspects.  A few savoury choices and sweet one to seal the meal.  Bel ordered the Shrooms, with Horseradish Créme, and Eggs on Toast.

A simple people-pleaser kind of dish.  The thing about simple is that every element has to be executed spot on which leaves it very exposed to errors.  But no dramas here.  Bel was pleased with the tender shrooms!  Her only comment?  It is very hard to eat when everything is stacked on the toast. Definitely a first world problem haha.

As I had something savoury earlier on at home, I decided to go for Nic & Kolo’s buttermilk pancake.  The Buttermilk Pancake with Slab Bacon, and Caramel Créme.  

For me, the dish looked damn good.  The thick slabs of bacon were smokey and meaty in each bite without an overbearing saltiness.  The caramel had a beautiful nuttiness to it which help bring the pancake breakfast together.   But where the pancake was meant to be a pancake, was where I felt let down the most.  When someone offers me pancakes it immediately springs to mind; light, fluffy, evenly browned and with the use of buttermilk a lovely aroma when it hits the table.  While I definitely did get a whiff of buttery fragrant, it fell short on the rest of my preferences.  My pancake was cooked unevenly so one side was cooked well while the thicker half was undercooked, wet.  One the outside, the pancake had more browning that I would have liked.  More crisp than a nice fluffy top.  Then again, all the Instagram post are showing the same!?  Intentional? I wonder.

The thing about new openings are that they can be bit of a curved ball.  You can never quite predict the outcome of a meal.   But with new cafes, it was something I expected anyways.  Over all, the food here had a clear and concise concept with the qualities to reach the level it wants to be at.  Perhaps a few more weeks of fine tuning at site before Nic & Kolo reaches that mark but it is looking very promising.  I guess Cioccolato Espresso has finally got a challenger on the Applecross Cafe strip.

WenY

Bites: Re-evaluating my favourite degustation @ Petite Mort, Shenton Park.

When I last visited Petite Mort, I loved it. The food was good and course after course I was consistently vowed by their presentation and composition.  Last week, I returned with my tongue a little keener, fussier, and meaner after my escapades in Singapore and Cambodia.  Was I still impressed by Petite Mort’s offering?

To understand where Petite Mort has evolved over the last couple of months, I decided to re-visit their degustation menu.

To start, was Petite Mort’s ever so buttery Brioche and another Sun dried tomato pastry.

Onion Thyme Veloute, Ham Hock w/ Manjimup Truffles

I pondered on whether the truffles were worth adding to this course.  But when the waitress said that these were the best in W.A., I decided to go with it.  It came out so fragrant that I was impressed by the smell itself.  But when the smooth Veloute was poured in, it felt as though the impact of the truffles were no longer as apparent.  Was it the right combination?

Cured Salmon, Cuttlefish & Ponzu, Wasabi Sorbet, Yuzu Jelly.

This was a reminiscence of my last visit.  But this time around, the cured salmon provided a more buttery finish to the course.

Pork Belly, Pig Head, Slaw, Apple

A pork belly slow-cooked for 37 hours before being seared, a cheek meat shaped as a cube and minute fried to crisp and condiments as you know it.   Topped with a crisp crackling, this dish is everything you thought you knew, but you did not know.   There are hidden inspirations from a British classic as well as a German one in this course.  The slaw was a sauerkraut to pair with the very tender, fatty and crisp cheek.  A good re-interpretation of the Pork Knuckle and Sauerkraut.  Meanwhile, the apple jelly paired perfectly with the meaty pork belly to reveal a meal of Pork Chops and Apples.

Chicken, Rocket, Porcini, Cassoulet

Sous vide chicken roulade with a sensational plating.

My main consisted of a beef flank, crisp shallots and the tastiest potato gratin.  Sensational.  So good that I forgot the picture! Lol.

Death By Chocolate 

My choice of dessert was similar to the one I had before.  The satisfaction was no less than when I first had it.  Petite Mort’s Death by Chocolate is every bit as delicious as it needed to be.  With all the textures, it was something that triumph Jaan’s Chocolate dessert with no questions asked.  It was that good.

Soufflè, Yuzu, Custard, Yoghurt

XL’s choice of dessert.  A show of amazing alchemy and precision cooking.  I still re-call the moment the waitress poured that vial of yuzu custard and the whole Soufflé rose.  Sensational.

The degustation ended on a sweet note with the Petite Fours

The meal at Petite Mort was exactly as I remembered it to be with each course satisfying all my senses.  To be impressed twice shows that  Petite Mort made several strong refinements which were especially impactful.  The buttery salmon was one of them.  But it was the intricate thought of the Pork which impressed me the most.  After my dinner at Petite Mort, I was happy yet I could not help but wonder whether Petite Mort has played it a little too safe.  Was Petite Mort on the same level to complete with International Chefs from Jaan, Le Atelier de Joel Robuchon or Sepia?

First Visit to Petite Mort

WenY

Bites: The best Salmon and Mandarin Pudding @ Harvest Espresso, Victoria Park

Harvest Espresso has changed its menu to respect the produce in season and the winter style of dining.  Their approach is the perfect way of dining where everything is ripe, and full of flavour. New on its menu was a hearty braised beef, a crispy skin salmon and a decadent orange dessert. 

Last winter, they served a beef dish that was slightly underwhelming i.e. the beef pie that did not really tickle my fancy.  But how about this Winter's slow braised cheeks with celeriac puree, PX and remoulade salad?  To start, it was a very hearty combination on the plate complimented by a sensational plating which gave it a hint of sophistication.  Love the contrast of the shiny dark-ish brisket and the remoulade salad at the top!

In essence, the braised beef could have easily be the best winter dish but there were a few slip ups starting with the tougher than expected beef cheek indicating that more braising time was required.  I liked the sauce but found it needing more inspiration beyond the rich PX flavour.  I wanted a sauce combining perfectly caramelised root vegetables and some other element of sweetness to drive the dish home as the PX sauce had a noticeably bitter note to it.  The beef cheeks were nice but it was no heaven.

The next dish was the Crispy Salmon Fillet with braised leeks, butter lettuce jus, toasted buckwheat, and Hon Shimeji mushrooms.

Another dish which reaped the benefits of the slow cooking process.  This was the best fish dish Harvest Espresso has ever served to me.  It was the perfect fish dish with the salmon skin perfectly crispy.  Add the plump and juicy mushrooms along with the buttery melt-in-your-mouth leeks and I was in heaven.  A dish like this is a dish that does not want to make you put your fork and knife down.  Just eat eat eat and eat!!  How can one forget the finer details of leak ash which was a nice touch which gave a hint of smokiness.  It was very mild though!  Probably due to subdued sensations attributed to the winter chill!

The classic mushroom omelette is a dish that never grows old with the season.

Its creamy centre, and generous ingredients make it an all time staple.  Noms!

The sweet ending of the meal is none other than Harvest Espresso’s steamed Mandarin Pudding. Harvest Espresso's Mandarin Pudding has made its way across the whole Instagram for the period I was away at work.

Thankfully, it lived up to the hype with the bright orange sponge coming out super light and fragrant.  Its accompaniment of toasted muesli, jelly, subtle coconut cream and earl grey crumble was a combination where you get all these little flavours working together to give texture, flavour and fragrance.  This was an absolute stunner of a dish.  This Mandarin Pudding from Harvest Espresso was loved by all.  Smashing!!

No conclusion needed here.  All you need to do is visit Harvest Espresso this weekend!

WenY

Bites: French Toast Decadence @ Sixteen Ounces , Victoria Park.

Home is where the heart belongs they say.  I have been living in Rivervale for over 4 years now and my affection for Victoria Park is never ending.  From the impromptu pop ups on Leonard street to the innovative Harvest Espresso and the ever so precious dinner places like the Prophet and A Spicy Affair, this suburb has got to be one of the finest in Perth.  During my short brake, I finally took the effort to bring my camera and my parents to my newest muse, Sixteen Ounces.

I have been to Sixteen Ounces several times now and their signature Brioche French Toast with Caramelised Bananas and Smoke Bacon with a generous drizzle of salted caramel is a must to share around the table.

The smell of butter is unmistakable once this beauty comes out from the kitchen.  This mini tower of three Brioche was just super sexy and hits all the right notes in my mouth.  Fluffy Brioche French toast, super sweet bananas and salty bacon.  To finish was a fine balancing act in a close to perfect salted caramel.  I was sold.  For some reason though, it felt as though it was missing a notch of nuttiness in it preparation.  Maybe its just my slow winter taste buds!  Be warned, its a little too heavy for one so it’s better shared as a dessert for all!

My other breakfast was the pulled beef, pan fried potatoes and corn kernels served with poached eggs.

This dish felt like a humble farm styled breakfast that packs great flavours.  Pan fried tuber slices, buttered kernels and a sensational pulled beef that felt more like a classic Italian Ragu. Cutting the poached eggs, its gooey yolk brought everything together.  In essence, it was a beautiful mess.  I sure wished they gave more pulled beef! This dish was yummy!

My breakfast with my parents that morning had some interesting elements on the plate.  Each were equally impressive and nothing felt too “try-hard”.  The elements in each dish were simple but they complement each other well.  It was great meal in all honesty.  Do note that the prices at Sixteen Ounces are relatively cheaper than its counter parts but its serve is not the largest too! Very similar to Hylin on Railway Parade.

WenY