Bites: Chicho Gelato @ Roe St., Northbridge.

Located beside the state theatre, Chicho Gelato is putting up some finger licking goodness for the sweet tooth in you.  The products from these globe trotting Gelato duo are no less impressive than you would expect from a person who’ve graduated from the school of Gelato.

The staples like hazelnut, chocolate and fruit sorbets are on the Gelateria’s menu but there are also unique collaborations which change every month or week.

This evening I ordered the Chef Kenny Collaboration which was Smoked honey, rosemary & walnut gelato.

The first thing I notice was that even before the first bite, I could already smell the free flowing aroma of the scoop.  Rosemary, and Honey were the most prominent ones.  Then a hint of smokiness.  In my mouth the smooth silkiness of the gelato becomes apparent.   Last but not least, the interesting addition of the rosemary ensured that this gelato was never too sweet.

For one more week only, Chicho Gelato is also serving Gelato in a Brioche bun so be sure to come down and get it quick.

Note that this is not just any Gelato Sandwich! Chicho Gelato toasts the Brioche ensuring it comes out warm and slightly crusty.

I left Chicho’s on a positive note.  A strong flavour combination and silk smooth goodness made my night.  Chicho’s charge around $5 a scoop which is slightly cheaper than Jersey Jacks but on par with Whisk Creamery and Gusto Gelato.  While I struggle to make a comparison on what is better where and sort, I know that I have my favourites at different location.  Depending on mood and cravings, I would go to a different one!

WenY

Bites: Fried Chicken Goodness @ 7Grams Chicken, North Perth.

Winner winner chicken dinner.  The KFC craze has not slowed in Perth.  Starting as an appetiser on the KBBQ table, it is now worthy of being the centrepiece of any meal.  7Grams Chicken in North Perth started appearing on my Instagram feed a couple of months ago.  The pictures you would expect looked superb.  Crunchy chicken coated in a sticky sweet marinade.  How can one say no?! To put in to the test, I decided to go there for a meal.

My mate’s coffee to get him started.  If you are looking for value, look no further as nothing gets bigger than this.

A whole mug of frothy goodness.

The first batch of chicken we ordered was a combination of the honey soy and sweet chilli chicken.

These were super tasty with the marinate coating the chicken well.  Even better was the fact that the chicken batter underneath stayed crispy!! So every time I bite into the kitchen, there was more than flavour.  There was a layer of promising crunch each time.  My dislike?  The level of sweetness.  I reckon both the honey soy and sweet chilli chicken had a sweetness beyond the norm.  But that was fine because they were meant to be sweet.  

The Spicy Chilli and Cheese at 7Grams Chicken.

Its every bit what you would expect from the combination of chilli and cheese.  Spicy, salty, slightly sweet and rich with the melted cheese!  Its nowhere near as sweet as the honey soy or sweet chilli but instead, has a hint of sweetness that keeps you going despite the heat.  It was exciting!  Chopped up raw onions added to the kick and over all, the 7Grams's Spicy Chilli and Cheese Fried Chicken was what I wanted!  

We also ordered some sides such as the onion rings, fries, and salad.  No real big favourite amongst the lot as they were all OK only.  But no way in the world would I say no the chips or onion rings when eating fried chicken.  After all, what could be a more perfect combination than fried chicken and chips!?  7Grams Chicken in North Perth is a pretty decent feed.  The menu was a combination of hit and misses but that is if you were as fussy as me!  Flavours for most parts were a pleasant experience and I enjoyed it.  The Spicy Chilli and Cheese Fried Chicken gets a special mention for its crispy chicken coated in a sticky spicy chilli sauce topped with oozy cheese and tangy onions! Booms!!

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