Bites: The Perfect Schnitzel breakfast @ Mary Street Bakery, Highgate

When Mary Street Bakery first opened, and if you had ask me whether it was one of my top breakfast destinations, it would have been an outright no.  Trying their bakery goods, I was barely impressed by Mary Street Bakery’s cold-dense doughnuts, and mediocre tarts.  But this time around, Mary Street Bakery has found their grounding.

To start was the salted caramel doughnut and a pistachio-rose water doughnut.

Of the two, it was the Pistachio-Rose Water doughnut that came out tops.  It was the waitress’s favourite and ours too.  It appealed in all the right spots thanks to its fluffy texture, unique flavour and fragrance.  Meanwhile, we decided to try another salted caramel doughnut as we really like our salted caramel.  Unfortunately it did not satisfy our palate as much as the other.  Felt like another case of substance abuse and a “just because” everyone else is making salted caramel doughnuts case.

YH’s choice of breakfast was the Old English bacon sandwich with fried egg and HP Sauce served with a side of extra mushrooms.

The simplicity of such a dish is astounding yet the satisfaction from it can be significant if executed right.  Thick cut bacon, smoked HP sauce and the perfect fried egg.  Just when everything has clicked in place, the most unexpected disappointment kicked in.  The bread.  YH commented how he had to bite so hard it was impossible to eat.  Instead of taking a bite, he was tearing the sandwich to half and his teeth would soon start to ache.  To a certain extent he must have felt as though the sandwich came with free dental service when the crust started flossing his teeth. On the bright side, once the crust was peeled off, it was really enjoyable!  You get the runny yolk, crispy bacon and sweet shrooms all working together. 

My choice for breakfast that morning was the Pork Schnitzel on a base of creamed corn served with Kimchee and Egg.

I simply loved it.  Over the past few brunches, I have had a few dishes that sported creamed corn such as the one in Hylin but Mary Street Bakery pulled it off the best.  Its pairing was sensational and the chemistry was just right.  Crispy pork Schnitzel, earthy yet ripe corn puree and the fermented Kimchee.  All in all, simply immaculate.  It worked, it really did.  I had no criticism whatsoever.  The size was right, the flavours where there and damn it was lovely.  For $20?  Take my money!

The brunch at Mary Street Bakery certaintly had its hits and misses.  Like all experiences, you only remember the peaks and troughs but rarely the “OKs”.  Today, I will be walking away with the peaks.  From my perfect Pistachio-Rose water doughnut to the sensational Schnitzel, I was a happy kid by the time the meal ended.  So for this visit to Mary Street Bakery, a definite thumbs up.

WenY

Bites: Brunch-ing @ Hylin, Leederville

Hylin is a suburban cafe situated on the corner of Rail Way Parade and Abbotsford Street in West Leederville.  Hylin caught my attention with its unconventional take on the daily breakfast, all of it documented on TakeMeToFoodieHeaven's blog.  In my week off, I visited Hylin and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of their offerings.  

Obligatory drinks to start was a pot of green tea for myself and for my sister, a skinny latte.  Whilst the latte was good, the same cannot be said for the green tea.  It tasted weird as.  Neither was it grassy, or sweet, just painfully bitter for some odd reason!

But that did not dampen my spirits because once I saw my breakfast of chorizo, asparagus and creamed corn ($16.50) hit the table, I was sold.

Despite looking a little withered, the asparagus were cooked well with the fibrous layers removed and it was cooked to the middle just right.  The salty and moderately spicy chorizo paired with the creamed corn sensationally.  Putting a bit of everything in your mouth, you get that bitey chorizo giving you a salty-spiced hit that is complemented by the super smooth sweetcorn puree!  It was yums!

My sister’s choice of breakfasts was the field mushrooms on thick cut bacon served with guacamole and crumbled ricotta on toast ($16.50). Another yummy meal that was high in protein and low on carbs.  Its as thought we were doing some sort of paleo morning diet that morning haha.

The smoky bacon felt as though it were thinner slices of salted minute steak cooked on a grill.  Add cuts of it to the juicy mushrooms and slightly tangy ricotta, damn it was a joy to eat.  The bacon by itself though, is a little salty as one would expect.

Hylin is a good breakfast spot close not far from where I leave and it did not disappoint me in anyway(besides that terrible pot of tea of course!).  The venue is airy so the ever present morning crowd was not a bother thanks to it large open windows.  Add that Hylin's decent prices and you will find yourself very satisfied with a trip here.  However, the bread serve of one which bucks the trend of the usual two slices might leave some walking away hungry.  But as I was only keen for the good stuff rather than stacking up on the boring bread, it was just right!

WenY

Bites: Autumn's Harvest @ Harvest Espresso, Victoria Park

The temperature is cool, and the weather has been slightly gloomy as of late.  But thankfully with the passing of Summer and the coming of Autumn, the trusty crew of Harvest Espresso has changed their menu once again to suit the season.  At 8am on a long weekend morning, their dedication to serve is unwavering with the cafe already half-crowded.  And by 9 a massive line had already formed as Harvest Espresso was one of the few places in town to open.

But queues are the least of my concerns, as I was already seated and enjoying small sips of Harvest Espresso's grassy sweet Macha latte. A first love in Seoul that took 3 years to hit town.   Just minutes later, my breakfast was served.  Grilled squid, grilled morcila, and bruschetta salad served on toast smeared with chicken liver pate.  I know most people would cringe at the idea of having chicken liver, blood sausages and grilled squid for breakfast. 

Putting the norm of having boring Hollandaise and eggs for breakfast aside, one begins to appreciate food beyond the norms. At Harvest Espresso, this dish is about the ripe colours of the season paired with a whiff of incredible chargrilled flavours.  My first bite of the chicken liver pate on toast was absolutely spectacular. Imagine buttery goodness, and spot on seasoning with a subtle brandy flavour.  Then comes the perfectly cooked black pudding pairing with the sweet & acidic bruschetta tossed with plenty of seasoned shallots. Sensational.   I liked every element on the plate and everything worked really really well together.  

Next one up was my sister’s dish of crisp potato rosti topped with shredded snow peas, smoked cod, Onsen egg, and anchovy infused cream sauce served with a drizzle of herbed oil.

The potato rosti at Harvest has always been a highlight thanks to its generous seasoning, and great cooking which ensures a crisp finish.   Each mouthful of the 2015 Autumn “fish” course  was filled with freshness thanks to the shredded snow peas which sat generously between the cod and the potato rosti providing each mouthful with a taste that mellowed in with the salty anchovy cream.  It was yummy although I never quite bought the idea of having fish for breakfast :P!

Harvest Espresso is a place for seeking refuge in the chilly Autumn mornings.  The food is comforting, rich and over all just really interesting.  Its new creations are more than just cosmetic upgrades and goes significantly beyond the marginal improvement act played by most.  Its like a new generation of thought every season.  Kudos.

WenY

Bites: Knee Deep Winery and Restaurant @ Johnson Road, Margaret River.

On the outskirts of Margaret River is another winery that sets the mood for the perfect afternoon.  Knee Deep is a boutique winery that does amazing lunches from its restaurant that benefits from its picturesque vineyard.  Coming in at 2pm, the service was prompt and we were seated in the restaurant which was heavily accented with wood and glass, a classic combinations!  Its a shame that some of the folding doors were closed!  It would have been really nice otherwise with the gentle summer breeze blowing.

To start, I decided to call a round of bite sized titbits for the table.

The tapioca cracker, sweetcorn curd and leek ash was a simple start that felt sophisticated yet simple enough to appreciate.  The crisp cracker paired with the sweet creamy corn curd was nice because the sweetness has some texture to mellow into.  The leek ash had some impact by means of a smokey fragrance but it was marginal at best.

The Knee Deep winery restaurant has strong dishes when it came to their appetisers.  My choice was the slow-cooked omelette, sweetcorn, manchego, and smoked capsicum relish.  It was a special dish that came out looking amazing.  The omelette was topped with tasty manchego cheese and it sat on a smooth corn puree.  On the outside, it was soft and fluffy whilst the insides were kept runny.  Taste wise, everything really matched and it was an enjoyable experience.

Dad’s appetizer to share with mom was the crispy lamb breast, peas, local plums and garlic nougatine.  Cooked to perfection, the meat was not gamey in anyway.  More impressive was how the lamb was really crispy on the outside!

My sister ordered the cured ocean trout with nori puree, edamame, oyster cream and rice crisp.  If you are a big fan of seafood, this is definitely for you.  However, if you are like me who only like odourless fish you might find the composition a little too fishy!  My sister loved every bit of it nonetheless!

The mains were another round of exemplary cooking.  Out of the 4 mains ordered, 3 were the the grilled Barramundi.  Knee Deep’s presentation was again the highlight of the afternoon.  The slice of fish looked great sitting on well-seasoned fennel salad (almost like the one at Tetsuyas).  Its seasoning was very minimal but complemented the fresh fish perfectly with its slightly citrusy notes.  It also had nice sauce but I reckon it could do with a little more salt.  My low point on the dish though, was the skin that could have been cooked more crisp!  But perhaps the disappointment of not having a crispy skin was relieved by the fact that the flesh was still superbly moist and juicy.  I am not a fish snob but one can definitely tells juicy-sweet fish meat from solid and powdery ones!

On the side, was a bowl of potato fritters tossed with kimchi and spicy mayonnaise.  To finish it, the potatoes were topped with some fried shallots.  The top pieces were the best bit due to the generosity of the fragrant shallots.  Potatoes as side are usually very one dimensional i.e. salty.  The potatoes at Knee Deep were special in the sense that it had the sour kimchi bits that made the potatoes mildy spicy and sour.  As a whole, it added a sense of appetite to the entire meal.  At the end though, it got a little sickening! Probably because I was eating the whole thing by myself lol.

Dad has a tendency to go Asian is very likely wherever we go but this time around, he picked the pork because everyone else around the table had the fish.

I reckon dad’s dish stole the show that afternoon.  He called the roasted Berkshire pork belly, with a hot & sour prawn salad, that tasted somewhat like a Som Tam.  The crispy pork belly was simply astounding.  Skin crisp just right, the meat still tender and the fatty layers in between were just nice.  It was not overly thick or sickening but just nice.  The salad on the side was also hard to fault because the salad dressing had a good balance between salty, sweet and acidity.  Not to mention some juicy prawns too. Just yums and it was definitely a good alternative to usual the pork & scallop pairing!

As a whole, the Knee Deep vineyard is an experience in Margaret River worth mentioning.  The food is honest, the produce fresh from the region and creativity on the plate was effective.  Knee Deep's attention to detail was sensational and the artistic plating is clear proof to this statement.  Also, to the money conscious, Knee Deep is not a vineyard that leaves your finances crying.  Without the happy endings of dessert, the bill came to a modest $220 including drinks for the table for 4 people.  Factor in the entertainment card and we only paid $170 for the meal.  Recommended?  Definitely so.  In fact, next time I will be returning for their degustation!

WenY

Bites: Leeuwin Estate Restaurant @ Stevens Road, Margaret River

South West Australia you awesome thing! It has been awhile since I took a trip to the region.  4 years or so I believe.  The tree-lined drive has always won my fancy and this time around it did not disappoint either.  My 4day trip down South over the long weekend was plenty enough to enjoy some of the region’s finest beaches and dining venues.  Leaving home at 9am, I reached just in time to enjoy lunch at the Leeuwin Estate Winery.

Mom and dad cringed at the thought of another big dollar bill after our unfortunate visit to Lamont’s last year.  Needless to say, I took pleasure in reassuring them not all establishments are built equal.  Seasons change, palates grow and menus evolve.  

To start, we ordered a loaf of bread $7 and a Charcuterie plank $38 with  cured wild boar meat, one with black truffle truffles and the other plain, pork Rillette, tomato chutney, liver parfait, gherkins, pickled peppers and bread.

Everyone had a bite into this decadent plank.  The offerings were vast and each element was surprisingly tasty.  But not as surprising as my dad wrapping the everything up in the slices of cured meats as though eating an inside out Peking duck haha.  Needless to say, it was a good starter.  Perfect for sharing across the table!

Our curious little appetiser, the scallops sashimi $26.

Consisting of three thinly slices of scallop, an avocado mousse and some salsa in a clear consommé, this was a refreshing bite for the afternoon.  Now, if only we could super size this!  I have to say, it was really small even for one person.

Finishing our appetiser, the service was prompt and courteous with the waitstaff asking us whether we were good to start the next course.  Receiving our positive nods, she cleared the table and came out with our mains just moments later.

Dad’s dish of grilled Tiger Prawns ($40~) served on a bed of Cous Cous with little dollops of Harissa.

Bright, presentable and every bit attractive, there was more substance to this than what meets the eye.  Well-cooked prawns, fruity Cous Cous and a sublime sauce to pair.  Whilst it sounded really simple, it was faultless.  

Mom’s fish of the day consisted of a grilled Snapper, Figs, and Prosciutto ($40~).

Mom was happy to be served what she ordered.  She was happy.  Very indeed!  On her behalf, a bite into this help me understood why. It was simply cooked to perfection.  A decent slab of fresh market fish crisp on top, juicy on the inside which condiments that actually make your tongue wag.  

My sis and I shared the 900 gram Rib Eye ($110) that came with a side of fries and salad.

Damn the steak came out looking grand.  As we were one of the first ones to have our mains served, I could tell that other tables decided on their mains based on what we had when they saw the steak come out.  The steak was a clear winner from that perspective. But was it really all that great?  For starters, our request for medium-rare came out closer to medium bordering well-done.  Whilst it was hardly praiseworthy, what surprised me was that the meat was still really tender despite not being perfectly pink in the middle?  Was it trickery to the eye? I wonder.  The condiments of mustards did not look as rich as the Harissa and Béarnaise served at Rockpool but the horseradish and English mustard played a big part in bringing out the flavours of the steak.  I really enjoyed it for some reason.  Holiday mood? :P

The chips were great.  Thinly cut, fried crisp and came served with a yummy aioli dip.  But as good as it was, I was more impressed with the chef’s accompanying salad for the steak. 

The mixture of hand picked garden herbs like mint, basil and coriander mixed with tiny bits of lettuce and rockets in a generous acid dressing was delicious.  Biting into herbs you get layers of fragrance and freshness pouring out.  Pair it with the steak and somehow the combination really worked!  In this instance it tasted so much better than Rockpool's chopped salad!

To end, we had some desserts to share around the plate

Flour-less orange and almond cake ($12)

Dark chocolate mousse with berry foam, sour cherry preserve and spiced grains.

Pineapple panna cotta, pineapple sorbet and a slice of pineapple.

The desserts on the table were all very decadent.  Our palate did not take liking to several elements like the fresh pineapple in the Panna Cotta because it was cut too deep into the core leaving a fibrous taste in each bite.  I also was not too impressed by the spices grain in the chocolate mousse as the ratio did not feel quite right.  But arguably my biggest displeasure was the lack of depth in the chocolate mousse.  It did not feel quite right.  Something was lacking for sure. In saying that, there were still very good desserts like the orange and almond cake. That was yums! 

Including a round of drinks before and after meal, the bill totalled to around $300 which was pretty decent for all the food we had.  To sum the service, ambience and quality of food, Leeuwin Estate really lived up to my expectations.  My booking here was rather unplanned as it turned out to be one of the restaurants with available tables and luckily enough, the food was up to standard.  Also, its elevated restaurant also ensured that the diners are blessed with views of its open field below

WenY

Bites: Modern French Dining @ Petite Mort, Shenton Park

Petit Mort is a Modern French restaurant in the heart of the leafy Shenton Park suburb.  With an impressive degustation menu documented among my peers, I was the last to visit but was ready to be impressed.

The start of the meal begun with the staple bread course.  Coming into a French restaurant, the pastries are always expected to be stellar.  The brioche at Petit Mort made a good first impression with its buttery notes carried through its pastry’s fluffy consistency.

Brioche

A dish served to whet the palate.  I loved the hint of coriander through the sweet-earthy Veloute that was consistently creamy and finished by the crispy chicken skin. 

Sweet Corn Veloute, Coriander, Chicken Crisp

Raw produce of the sea paired with wasabi is synonymous with the Japanese culture, but with a different approach things can be rather interesting.  Ponzu jelly and wasabi sorbet were not the most inventive condiments in town but I have to say, it served as a tasty summer treat when paired with the slices of fresh snapper and cuttlefish!

Snapper, Cuttlefish & Ponzu, Wasabi Sorbet

Scallops and Pork with Apples is another classic combination.  Hard to fault but often abused.  Quality pork is a must and technique is vital.  While the technique here was flawless, the table was not too convinced with the pork belly and its crispy skin.  It smelt somewhat, porky.

Scallop, Pork Belly, Pig Head, Apple

Have you ever eaten sweetbreads so delicious?  I have not.  The textures across the plate is interesting and the flavours felt some what chic provincial. Its interesting summer plating is worth noting too.

Lamb, Sweetbread, Caperberry, Asparagus

My main is quite a common one.  Steak and chipped topped with fried egg.  The steak was not a life changing bite but the quirkiness in plating was made for art.  From a top, it look somewhat liked a Lego artwork.  Petit sized chipped injected with ketchup, a small fried quail egg and little dollops of béarnaise.  Swag.

Steak, Egg & Chips

My other companions around the table did not quite enjoy their final course with the same level of satisfaction I had with my steak.  The presentation, faultless.  But what is the point of something that looks good but tastes blend.  The preparation on the plate was minimalistic but could do with a good amount of seasoning.  A basic seasoning of salt would have been much appreciated.

Salmon, Ash, Root Vegetables, Horseradish.

Pre-dessert

Death by Chocolate.  Death literally felt instant on this plate. Whether it was the rough edges truffles to the quenelle shaped mousse, there was simply too much to like on this plate.  I am not a big fan of chocolate but this is a rarity that I have learned to enjoy at Petit Mort.  After all, any dish if done well is delicious.  Fantastic dessert to end!

Death by Chocolate

Petit Fours -Pistachio macarons with a cherry filling.

Petit Fours - Bourbon filled chocolate 

The approach Petit Mort had to celebrate good modern French did not quite reach the proportions of the legendary Joel Robuchon but it did not disappoint in anyway.  From the new approach to the Japanese staple, to the Steak and Chips art piece and even the finale of decadent Death by Chocolate, it was an impressive feat one after the other.  Each course carried the essence of satisfying the senses of sight, touch and taste.  It was probably a better meal than the one I had at Amusé the day before.

Regards

WenY

Bites: Summer Degustation @ Amusé, Bronte Street

As I spend my summer days catching up with all the good folks in town, Amuse on Bronte Street in East Perth played host to one of those instances. Its presence as one of West Australia’s finest degustation restaurants stems from Amusè's inventive and slightly scientific approach to cooking.  The outcome like experiments can lead to some pretty amazing outcomes which always keep things interesting.  Does this elite institution still has what it takes to wow the crowd?

The Summer Degustation $135

Anticipation....

Flour and watermelon

Linseed and rice & Cheese and onion

Tapioca and crab

The starting courses at Amusé had always been a bit of a delicacy.  A mix of refined techniques plus a hint of mystery creates a social environment where diners are left intrigued.  Whether it was the sneaky puffs loaded with a bursty cheese filling or the bread stick wrapped with watermelon which emulates a trout, the courses felt queer yet extremely pleasant to the palate.  The comes the crab and tapioca jar which felt a little bland.  Sure it was subtle and to a certain provided that much needed summer freshness but it definitely did not hit the mark like the rest did.

Bread and butter

One thing I took away from the General Manager before leaving my old company was that Amusé serves really good bread.  He was right.  The bread was good, but the butter was even better.  Sure, Testsuya’s really serve me kick ass bread and butter but the one served at Amusé is probably two folds better than its nearest competitor. 

Parmesan, almonds, tomatoes, and nectarine

The infamous jar emitting a mysterious cloud of smoke before diners dig into crispy bacon, mushrooms and egg has now been replaced.  Fermented nectarine might not sound appetising but the clever combination was nice.  Unfortunately, diners like myself are still mesmerised by the past and not the present.  Bring back the egg in a jar! :P

Marron, red cabbage, cucumber and plum

Barramundi and beets

Both these produce of the sea displayed colours of summer.  One raw, the other cooked. Its approach was special, but taste felt rather normal.  

Duck, sweet corn, caraway and mushroom

While the duck was not overcooked, I strongly suspect it was a tad undercooked.  My companions around the table agreed too.  But flavour wise, it was superb.  Everything in the duck course agreed with one another, the smoky mushroom paste, the earthy-sweet corn and gamey duck. Kudos!

Beef, black garlic, daikon and shiso

Beef was very well-cooked but the whole dish did not have enough seasoning and felt a little bland.  There was not any strongly flavoured element in there.  At best, the daikon provided acidity to the dish and that was about it.  There was no fancy play with the black garlic or shiso.

Buttermilk, blueberries and passionfruit

Fig leaf, pumpkin seeds and ginger

After all my visits to Amusé, I have yet to be extremely satisfied with their dessert courses.  These two dessert courses to me is like a turning point in this modern institution.  Both desserts worked.  Refreshing, and decadent with a matching complexity.  Take the course of fig leaf, pumpkin  seeds and ginger.  Who would have thought of such a composition?  Amazingly, Amusé perfected the balance whilst leaving diner with a pleasant gingery note.  Buttermilk, blueberries and passionfruit, give it to me any day and I will be a happy man.

Petite fours; Mint, pepper-berry, dessert limes and lychee.

Re-visiting this degustation icon in Perth is still every bit enjoyable as it was before.  The food has changed with some courses surpassing its predecessors whilst some courses fared better in the past.  But as I have reinforced before, Amusé is not that boring restaurant where you eat something you expect to eat.  No, its not that predictable.  Here, everything is a little bit of an experiment.  As of such, hits and misses are apparent.  More importantly, when it hits a sweet spot Amusé does it really well!

See my previous posts:

Amusé 1st

Amusé re-visited

WenY