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: A Classic Indonesian Favourite @ Manise Cafe, Northbridge.

This reputable Indonesian eatery has been crafting up delicious home-cooked Indonesian food for as long as I can remember.  From its Chicken Menado specials to the daily staple the Ayam Rica Rica, this place is as good as a classic Indonesian restaurant gets.  While I come here often, I have only brought my camera here once in 2010 so it was time for a re-visit.

Soup Kondro

This beef soup is absolutely amazing.  From the moment it hits the table you get the smell of the aromatic fried scallions slowly settling into the beef broth.  The thick chunks of tender beef is another stellar attribute of this dish.  Pair it with a bowl of rice and some burning hot sambal (free on the table) for a great time.

Kangkung Belachan.

Stir fried morning glory with shrimp paste is a classic Malaysian/Indonesian/Singaporean favourite. What is there not to like when fresh crunchy vegetables are cooked with a lip smacking sauce made from sauteed chilli and prawn paste.

Ayam Manise

This well fried chicken is topped with Kecap Manis, an Indonesian Sticky Sweet Soy.  Like how the Americans have Sticky Ribs, the Indonesians have Ayam Kecap Manis.  I reckon the sauce its a little too sweet for my liking, but there is nothing a little sambal cannot fix!  Not to be forgotten is the fried chicken that was already tasty by itself!

Ati Rica Rica

People's first impressions of animal innards are "eww".  But with nose to tail, no waste advocates and other hipsters alike, these dishes are getting most respected.  And as always. well-prepared innards are simply amazing.  Its odourless, taste like meat and the remaining merits are based on the chefs capabilities.  This deep fried liver dish is a on and off special from Manise.  The giblets were super flavourful and lovely even by itself.  Almost tasted like fried chicken!  The sauce on top of it is none other than Manise's famous Rica Rica sauce.  This spice mix is simply irresistible.  Sweet, salty, fragrant and slightly sour, this sauce be used for anything.  Chicken, beef, or seafood.  Even tofu!  Also note that everyone makes Rica Rica sauce slightly different but I like the one Manise Cafe does the best in Perth!

Manise Cafe has not disappointed me before and it continues to impress.  Its food is consistent, truly affordable and most importantly good!  The menu is pretty dynamic too with its staples available throughout the weekdays and several interesting specials brought to life over the weekend.  If you are craving for some Indonesian, definitely give Manise Cafe a try.

WenY

Bites: Sensational Hummus @ The Hummus Club, Northbridge.

If you are not yet attracted by the neon lights from the Hummus Club on William Street, then perhaps some smooth and creamy hummus might change that.  Judging from the social sentiment, this crowd-funded eatery has more substance than hype.  And I love hummus and middle eastern cuisine, so I was super keen to see what it was all about.  Coming in at 6pm on a Thursday the Hummus Club was packed out, but it did not take more than 20 minutes to get seated. The venue's combination of alfresco and covered dining allowed to restaurant be really nice, cool and airy.  More importantly, it is a much welcomed addition to the William St. strip!

To kick of the meal, the obligatory hummus with the addition of mushrooms.

If you do not yet know what hummus is, or like me think that Hummus originated from Lebanon/Turkey, then this is a Wiki-fact for you!  Hummus is a chickpea dish that originated from Levantine and Egypt.  While most perceive Hummus to be "easy", I can tell you it is not.  The balance between the acidity and creaminess is key to making a hummus that keeps people wanting more!   I reckon the Hummus club did exceptionally well.  The addition of mushrooms was a random decision by me and I personally think it was a bad one because it did not give any added satisfaction.  It was just "there"  if you get what I mean.  There is nothing wrong with a good, minimalistic hummus.  In fact, the hummus in its most basic form would have been enjoyable enough!

To get the protein going, we called a serve of the Zaatar Fried Chicken and Lamb Kofta.

The chicken wings came out looking like herbed crusted nuggets and boy, I really enjoyed them.   In fact, I think the herb crust was an absolutely genius idea because not only goes it give you a crunchy flavour bomb on the outside, but it also serves to preserve the juicy chicken flesh during frying.  The chicken was served with some garlic tasting paste called a Toum that is super tasty.  I reckon this was a winner although my sister was not the biggest fan.

Lamb Kofta.

Meatballs made from lean lamb mince with good amount of spice in it.  When I think meatballs I do not usually think healthy.  But when the Hummus Club puts Lamb Kofta with yoghurt, some refreshing sumac/red onion salad, it tasted pretty damn healthy!  The combination of the spices, pungent onions and a cool yoghurt really complemented each other well.  If not for an ice cream binge during the 15 minute wait for a seat, I would have finished everything.  There was also a honey like dressing that was used to top the meatballs and boy were they good!

We also ordered the Batata to go with the meat.  These crunchy potato gems came topped with spiced salted and a Toum.  I cannot described how delicious these were, so definitely order them! If only I had not eaten all that ice cream earlier haha.  The Hummus Club was an amazing venue that night.  I left the venue feeling not quite as excited as I arrived probably due to the guilt of coming here will a belly filled with ice cream ha  ha.  But if anything, the Hummus Club definitely exceeded my expectations for a newcomer.  The price was what I would expect from a Perth diner.  The basic hummus though felt a little pricey at $14 and some might even argue that the Zaatar Fried Chicken could have had at least 6 on the plate but hey, Perth is not the cheapest for eating out!

WenY