NYC Trip: Modern Dining @ Perry St., Soho

If you are like me.  A little keen, a tad random and hungry for some of the best food in town, you would most probably not score any seats in any 3 Michelin starred restaurants in Manhattan.  Restaurants like Daniel, Per Se, Jean Georges and co.  will require at least 1-2 months booking in advance.  But will you really miss out on much?  Probably not.  Whilst chefs like Daniel Boulud and Jean Georges still helm their 3 starred kitchens in the city, spinoffs like Perry St.by Jean Georges and dB Bistro Moderne by Daniel Boulud are usually less popular but equally rewarding. 

Perry St. was my choice for a quick lunch and believe it or not, the restaurant offers a $28 for 3-course lunch all year round.  I was really wow-ed by the generosity and pondered on whether the food was really up to scratch.  Was it?

My choice of drink was the Cherry soda.  Smashing.  For a soda drink, it exceeded every expectation I had.  It made me wonder why everyone around me insisted on sipping on something like alcohol.  So mainstream :P

The usual formalities; Bread and butter.  Decent for sure but nothing beats the truffled butter and bread at Tetsuya’s in Sydney.

The appetiser was a celebration of summer.  Fresh mangoes, micro herbs, yuzu and La Tur cheese.  A vibrant salad with great flavours.  

Think ripe mangoes, strands of herbs, creamy cheese and a zing from the yuzu!  It was quite nice.  However, the thin slices of chilli did not really tickle my fancy and to a certain extent felt like an outsider rather than part of a family.  The spiciness was minimal and it added a really raw flavour to the over all dish.  Not the most pleasant taste!  Maybe pickled chill next time?

My main course was the sole reason why I chose Perry St which was 4 miles from my place over dB Bistro Moderne opposite my hotel.  The Perry St Fried Chicken.  I have always thought of fried chicken as a comfort food served in a bucket and with the eater in shorts with sandals.  I was wrong.

Tell, me that did not look spectacular!  I loved every bit of the chicken that Perry St produced.  It was not the most moist but the combination was flawless from start to end.  The crispiest chicken ever made served with a lovely creamed corn, grilled okra and a spicy sauce.  Exceptional.  Nothing I disliked on the plate as everything worked really well on their own or together.  Great stuff.

Dessert was a deconstructed lemon meringue tart.  It was pretty nice but I found the presentation a little sloppy.  But I think back and thought to myself, hmm $28 for a 3-course…. what am I even complaining about? Taste wise it worked but it did not quite have the complexity or thought like the appetiser or the main.  Decent but nothing to shout about would be my final verdict on the dessert.

Perry St. was a great host to me that afternoon.  A small price to pay for the attentive service and food I had.  The food despite a the ups and downs was enjoyable least to say.  Whilst some of my comments are a little harsh, I can tell that the majority would absolutely fall head over heels when presented with such food.   The meals I wanted to have at 3-star restaurant for lunch would set me back at least $150 without tax and tips!  So there you go, Perry St.  where one gets luxury for a steal :)!

WenY

NYC Bites: Pancakes @ Pershing Square, Midtown

Some say breakfast is the most important meal.  You know what?  I cannot debate that.  With me covering 15 odd miles a day on foot, I take every opportunity to fill the tank.  Situated opposite Grand Central Station underneath an overpass, the Pershing Square serves good old diner style meals to hungry travellers and to its fellow New Yorkers.

Breakfast was going to be simple that day.  Pancakes.  A simple dusting of icing sugar, a bowl of blueberries and a side of maple syrup gave the pancake. This gave the dish an impeccable yet stunning presentation.  I try not to be too easily contented but with these pancakes, I was very pleased because it was cooked to perfection. Imagine biting into a pancake and to be greeted by a crisp crust with a fluffy centre. How can one say no to that?!

Also, you will realise that there is no butter along with these.  In fact, there was no need for butter as each bite was filled with a buttery note (presumably it was mixed into batter).  Comparing the pancakes at Pershing Square to another pancake I had later during the trip at Johnny’s diner, this always cut through very cleanly.  It was not stodgy unlike the one at Johnny’s or my extremely bad experience at Sayer’s Sister a year or so ago in Perth.  I hate stodgy pancakes that sticks like uncooked batter to the knife.  The pancakes here were all class.  100%.

Whilst there is no blogger/promotional hype on this little eatery it was definitely worth the visit. So if you ever get a chance and are on the lookout for an early bite, the  Pershing Square at Grand Central starts serving at 7am on weekdays and 8am on weekends.  

WenY

NYC Bites: Hide Chan Ramen & Totto Ramen @ Midtown Manhattan

The Japanese culture is big in the States and ramen has a huge following in this part of town. Whilst chain stores like Ippudo are hugely popular amongst New Yorkers, I wanted to try something a little bit more independent.  During my trip I visited two places which very fitted very well into the category. That was Hide-Chan and Totto Ramen.  Coincidentally though, they were both owned by the same owner (see this article).   In terms of location, whether you live on the East side or the West side, consider yourself covered as Hide-Chan sits comfortably on the East side whilst Totto Ramen covers the West.

Hide-chan was the venue of my first ramen meal with its specialty Hakata Style Ramen!  If you have no intentions to be part of a queue, this was the place to be.  Coming in at 6pm, I was politely offered a choice at the table or at the bar counter.  Needless to say, I took a seat at the counter.  Unfortunately, the counter did not quite offer the view of men working hard to produce piping hot noodles.  Instead it was a normal bar counter. Naturally, my camera went back into the bag until the food came out =/.

It did not take long before a couple of perfectly cooked Gyoza came.  It looked great but in terms of taste, it was rather typical.  Decently marinated mince with all the essential herbs.  Nothing you cannot get elsewhere for sure. 

Then comes my main course, Hide-Chan’s Hakata Style Ramen with Black Garlic Oil.  The broth itself was good, thick and rich.  Just what a good ramen is meant to be.  But with the flavoured oil, it was heavenly.  The garlicky punch in the porky soup elevated this basic Fukuoka-styled Japanese noodle dish to a whole new level.  It made me reminisce my first meal at Menya Musashi.  Absolutely moreish.  

Slurping strands of noodles mouthful after mouthful were all part of the ever rewarding Ramen meal.  What made me a little confused though, was the noodle used.  It felt a lot thinner than what I was used too.  I later found out that the ultra thin and white noodles were common in the region of the Hakata style ramen.  Thankfully, I requested it to be prepared “ a little firm”.  This ensured that I did not end up with sloppy noodles. 

Hide-Chan Ramen closes really late at around 3-4am, so if supper is your sort of thing, definitely drop by then!

Totto Ramen was my next noodle haunt during my trip.  An establishment with queues out of the door which snakes down the street, this was definitely not the place for groups more than 4.  But if you are curious with patience to match, you are in for a treat.

I like chicken noodles but never quite the way the most people do it.  That was until I came here and tried what they call the “Chicken Paiten Ramen”.  To me, it sounded nothing more than a cross between Street Fighter and a Ramen Master creation.  In my mouth though, the soup was so potent in chicken flavour that it had me wonder how was this even possible.  The next closest thing to this was my very own mom’s special chicken essence which she makes 2 bowls from an entire chicken. 

Its condiments were a standard of blow-torched chashu, finely chopped scallions and chicken shreds.  To add my own touch, I chose to top my bowl of noodles with a soy egg and seasoned shoots.  Damn it was good. Springy noodles, fresh scallions, and man I was happy. My only discontent?  The yolk was not brilliantly orange and runny!  Big problem?  Definitely not.  Also, to big fans of melt-in-your-mouth chashu, this did not melt but had a very mellow smokiness that is equally pleasant!

Hide-Chan vs Totto Ramen verdict?  Different but equally good.  A pork broth vs a chicken base should never be a cause for an argument.  This is proven true here as both broth were equally rich, and tasty with its own bragging rights.   Looking for a sub-$20 meal in the Big Apple?  Sorted.

Check out my other Ramen posts:

Dosukoi Ramen @ Allendale Square, Perth

Kai Ramen @ Bull Creek, Perth

Oceans Ramen @ Northbridge, Perth

Nao Ramen @ Murray Street, Perth

Ramen Lab @ Mount Lawley, Perth

Genki SET Japanese @ Den Haag, Netherlands

The Little Ramen Bar @ Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Ippudo Ramen @ Hong Kong

Hide Chan Ramen @Midtown East, New York City

Totto Ramen @ Hell's Kitchen, New York City

WenY

NYC Bites: Shake Shack @ Grand Central Station

Day one in NYC and I decided to start with a lunch at famous Shake Shack.  This branch was situated in the iconic Grand Central station.  Shake Shack to me is a cross between a boutique burger place and a chain store with a established reputation for its fluffy half open bun packed with a yummy patty.  This makes it sort of fall in the middle.  Meaning was it legendarily unique? or just you know, just plain old good.

Whilst their menu was a page long I decided to go with the fan favourite, the Shack Stack.  True enough, it was stacked the American way with a generous crumbled portobello stuffed with mozzarella, a slice of cheese burger patty, lettuce and tomato.  It was pretty damn big!

Taste wise, I felt a little hesitant to say that I was entirely bowled over by the combination.  The patty was tasty and the shiny bun was really a class over most but I did not quite like the stuffed portobello.  The mushroom by itself was quite bland and with a cheese like Mozzarella, the taste of the mushroom became less apparent.  To taste a real Shake Shack is to start with the basic cheese burger I believe :)!

Then came to the fries, and Shake Shack really shine in this department.  The fries were clearly less processed and tastes more original will little meddling with the potato.  It came out crisp and very yummy!

On a later occasion, I also managed to have a go at their famous milkshakes.  This time, at their very first location in Madison Square Park.  I have to say, their peanut butter shake is the best I have tasted.  The chemistry between the salty nuttiness of the peanut butter and sweet vanilla really won me over.  That was one bad ass shake which was super rich. I died halfway and will insist on sharing where possible.  

Legendary eat?  Perhaps not so, but definitely a good NYC essential.  Something that keeps your appetite as happy as your wallet :).  Also, never forget the milk shake! Its super yummy!

WenY

Bites: Winter Brunch @ Harvest Espresso, Victoria Park

Wet, cold mornings are a hard thing to enjoy but with the company of a hearty meal and friends, comfort is never too far away.  Before I flew off to Houston, my sister and I decided to have breakfast together at Harvest Espresso. As expected another season of creativity began to welcome winter.  The newly introduced Macha Latte started my morning.  Talk frothy milk layer paired with freshly whisked Macha, and I am sold.

At Harvest Espresso, interesting meals are seen aside a long list of sandwich staples.  However, I never go with the staples and always crave for the little experiments Harvest presents.  Today, we had the; 

Lamb Meatballs, cumin yoghurt, preserved lemon, apricots, couscous salad, toasted Turkish bread 

A large serve of meatballs for winter?  You bet.  With a side of couscous and bread, you could enjoy the meatballs whichever way you prefer.  I was a bigger fan of the Turkish bread and dipping it into the meatball sauce was absolutely delicious.  The hint of cumin brought back memories of the delicious summer Shakshouka and made me crave for a thicker, more acidic base for the meatballs.  

Salmon Gravlax, two poached eggs, watercress, potato hash, yuzu kosho hollandaise, togarashi croutons.

Sister’s choice was the salmon.  A pretty combination with nice colours to fend off the wintery gloom. In terms of taste, the salmon was salty on its own, but when you had a bit of everything together, it worked. But enough of me, this was not my dish.  So how did my sister find it?  She said “Ok, quite nice”. =.=!!  

Harvest Espresso still sets the bar for creativity on a plate.  But has inflation caught up too quickly in this Victoria Park institution?  I remember prices starting very early at around $17, and the prices have now crept to $22.50 in 2+ years.  If you solely look at the prices, it would be a clear yes.  But when you consider the creativity, effort and portions, it was every bit worth the money.  In fact, the meal my sister and I had could feed 3.  Yay or Nay? 100% a Yay.

WenY

Bites: Tapas Brunch @ Duende, Leederville

Breakfast is all about enterprising takes on the usual suspects (bacon, sausage, and eggs).  Whilst some people love sticking to the usuals, I am totally the opposite.  Last week I met up with Jordo, Bel and David for breakfast in Duende. This place known for its Tapas during dinner serves breakfast in a similar way which starts as early as 8am.

The drinks were the standard fare.  You name it, they have it.  Juices, hot chocolates, pots of teas and different concoctions of coffee.

Big time coffee drinker/critique Bel dissess the coffee here. She calls it very “typical” and not very good.  Drinkable nonetheless.  But that was ok as it did not concern me in any way.  The word coffee never quite made it to my dictionary - something most or all of you would know :P!

The interesting part for me will always the food.  

First up were the Jamon & Leak Croquettas with Manchego.  Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside? Checked.  Flavour? Checked.  I am not quite sure how Duende does it, but our first course not only looked sensational but tasted very good.

The potato in the croquettes had great texture with the Manchego giving the dish a lovely fragrant.  After that I tasted the little pieces of Jamon giving me a slight sensation of saltiness.  You could say that that we all agreed that this dish was brilliant as we kept going back to the plate to scoop the Manchego sauce on the croquettes.  Simply stunning.  

My concern about the pairing of a strong cheese sauce with deep fried croquettes so early in the morning was put to rest. 

Simple pleasures at its best would be the best way to describe the next dish.  Sautéed mushrooms, rocket salad and toast.  To describe, buttery sweet mushrooms with a hint of parsley.  Each mouth full is usually greeted by the variety of textures coming from all the different mushrooms.  Some mushrooms were smooth, and some a little more spongy/chewy. Sounds like the perfect dish to have when you are all holed up on your couch in a cold winter’s day!

“Today’s Special”  - Pulled Pork Potato Cake was one of our other orders.  This felt to me like a reinterpretation of a bubble and squeak.  It was OK but felt a little flat because the pulled pork was not very flavoursome .  In fact, the sauce unlike the Machengo just did not feel impactful.  I was hoping for something a bit more flavoursome =/.

We also had an order of corn cakes which was yummy.  Another simple yet hearty dish.  Last but not least were the salted cod tortillas.  Not my personal favourite but it was ok.  I think it felt a little dry.

The food as Duende was a little bit of a mixed bag.  We had the good, the ok and the bad.  Fortunately, none was really bad.  A little fixing of sauce would have easily made all the difference.  But more importantly for me is to come away from a breakfast not consisting of the usual suspects.  With respect to that requirement, Duende excels.


WenY

Bites: El Publico @ Highgate

El Publico has long established itself as a social dining scene where Mexican meets modern Australian.  Its food is colourful from good Australian produce and flavours are Mexican-ly robust.   But is it really all that good?

Before jumping into the cliche of tacos, we ordered a couple of shared plates.  From the ceviche to the marinated corn, beef mogo mogo and the classic corn chips & dips, each came with their own merits though special is a word reserved for the beef mogo mogo and chipotle creme.

In essence, the beef mogo mogo was a pulled beef morsel coated with green banana batter and deep fried.  Crunchy on the outside and filled with tender beef on the inside, this was just superb to eat and taste.  Looking in retrospect, the banana was always there to leave a fruity after taste that was not too overpowering to deviate this savoury dish in becoming a sweet one.

Our starter the corn chips & dips were typical and tasted OK, so it was hard to complain about but definitely not praise worthy.   Felt like the order was more of a norm rather than a must.

Looking at the menu earlier, my eyes were fixed onto the marinated grilled corn.  Unfortunately for me, it did not quite come out the way I would have liked it to.  I wanted something a little more charred on the outside and extremely juicy on the inside.  I agree with my sis that it was perhaps better served on the cob.  Pretty decent flavours nonetheless.

Tacos were pretty good here.  That night we had a round of cuttlefish tacos for the table.  The tender flesh was a highlight but its $7 price tag did not quite tickle our fancy.  Instead, I recommend the grilled chicken plate.  Large pieces of chicken with a sides of rice, beans and tortilla, this was DYI at its finest.  None of the elements really stood out on its own but put them all together, and it was burrito party!  So for you people who like to get your hands dirty, this one is for you!

Whilst we were all very full from the meal, we could not help but end the night with a delicious peanut butter parfait. Jim’s take on this was that it had to be the best dish that night!  It had texture, flavour and a general all rounder appeal.  Sweet peanut crumble with a salty and rich peanut butter was easily the highlight.  However, the textures of melting parfait, and crunchy peanuts were all too hard to ignore.  Yums.

So with a $181 damage for 4 people including drinks, El Publico is no standard fare for an everyday’s meal.  It is a little inflated part due to its location but more to its reputation.  Its food was not outstanding, but neither did it disappoint.  For the money we paid, it was a pretty decent eat.  But not life changing.

WenY

Bites: A Porky Breakfast @ Smuggled Seeds Espresso, Leederville

Smuggled Seeds Espresso in Leederville is my latest food haunt. Its interior was tiny yet extremely neat and clean.  Its presence in the other end of Leederville is certainly bringing excitement to the suburb beyond the boundaries of the norm like Kailis, Little Caesars, Jus, and Sayers. Though popular for their perfectly brewed coffee, I am unable to comment as I do not like coffee. Instead I sought refuge in the very hearty green tea latte. Creamy, and rich with a mild sweetness from the macha, this was lovely. Do note that it does not come with sugar. So add to your hearts content at the table ;)! 

For my brunch, I ordered the Double roasted Char Siu with Onsen Eggs on toast ($13). The Char Siu was beautifully caramelised and each bite was still amazingly tender. In many ways it felt braised due to its tender meat. I really quite liked this one. The flavours were right, and the egg perfect. Really hard to complain about anything. 

 However, if I had one dislike it would be how the Char Siu was put on one toast and the eggs on the other. I wanted something a little sexier and not so disjointed in approach. Maybe two toast leaning on each other with the Char Siu on it with the eggs sitting at the very top with a sprinkling of finely chopped scallions. (Hint: My picture would look nicer if the subject was centred :)! ) 

 For two guys that rarely drink coffee, an 8 am brunch on Saturday at one of the best coffee places in town was a rather unlikely scenario. Nevertheless, that was where I had my brunch with Jordo. Smuggled Seed Espresso was an amazing host for an early Winter breakfast. Lovely warm drinks with good food to match, it was easily a hidden gem. This venue is also one that does not let you queue in the cold like an idiot. At least for now. Also, while I am not the biggest spender and neither am I a stingy pot, it does not take a genius to figure out that for $13, breakfast at Smuggled Seeds Espresso in Leederville was an absolute steal! So what are you waiting for?

 

Bites: A Foodie Affair @ Lamont's Bishop, Perth CBD

Understanding my parents’ preference for good food without the fuss of modern gastronomy techniques, I brought them to Lamont’s Bishops for dinner.  Known as one of the most established restaurants in fine dining and wine scene, I have heard many good things about this place.  Such that the food is consistently good, the service courteous and setting impeccable.  Needless to say, a walk through the lush gardens to the building entrance all felt very grand.  Housed in a heritage building, its fittings were suited to a gentleman from the 70s.  But for foodies like my family and I, it was all about the food.

Walking in, the waitress was very accommodating.  XL was offered a spirit mix sample prior to ordering one for herself.  The waitress’s favourite the Hendriks Gin and Tonic suited XL well and she immediately ordered one of that.  My sister ordered an in-house sweet wine, the Rosé.  But for me who dislike the taste of alcohol, nature’s gift i.e. water was all I needed.

For tonight, our pick was the degustation.   The description of the dishes promised a fancy yet traditional fare.  First up was a typical bread course.  But unlike typical bread, this was a lobster roll.  Did I not say it was fancy? :)!  The flavours of the lobster were quite subtle and meat succulent, however I did not quite get the natural sweetness of a lobster.  Potato wafers were the thinnest in the business and crisp.  Kimchi though were not typical Korean.  The one at Lamont’s felt more like a toned down coleslaw. 

Rock lobster and prawn roll with potato wafers, kimchi

The next dish looked a little clumsy but luckily it was big in flavour .  Generous sized meatballs covered in a mushroom cream topped with a crisp pancetta.  This dish was every bit tasty but small eaters like my mom and sis found it a little too rich.

White rocks veal and leek polpetti with porcini cream, crisp pancetta

The next dish of game bird was rather special.  Whilst it looked spectacular, it did not meet my expectations.  The quail was decently cooked but still felt a little tough.  That though was not my complain.  The low point would be the black pudding.  Something with so much body felt very under seasoned.  I was expecting more flavour and spices to shine through the black pudding.  Instead it felt a little raw.  Mom did not even touch hers.  Luckily, the little roasted juniper pear was a nice touch.  

Grilled quail with juniper roasted pears with fried black pudding, sherry vinegar

The next dish was one from the sea and it was probably one of my most preferred courses of the night.  My fish was well-cooked and I just love the combination of the crushed pea-broad bean that came with it.  The colours had good contrast and the presentation was no less spectacular.  It was very minimalistic this dish with nothing to disrupt its true flavours.  Simple fish, greens and a well toned sauce.  But dad found that his fish was not cooked well.  His skin for example was slimy as the fish was only browned flesh side.  Not a good impression I must say.

Snapper, crushed pea and broad bean with squid ink beurre blanc

The last main course to come was a carbohydrate dish.  From the menu, I was expecting a spectacular end to the night. The pasta was called Caramelle pasta with duck confit ragu, orange and rocket salad. Whilst I could let you google up the word “Caramella pasta”, it simply is to me, a ravioli shaped as a candy.  

For me, this was where the excitement ended.  This dish was for me, one of the worst pasta dishes I have ever eaten.  I found the approach very similar to the fish.  A purist dish.  In a dish like this, execution is key.  Looking back, I lamented the elements of the dish.  For example, the pasta was not rolled thin enough.  I had doughy bits in mine.  As for the duck confit ragu, hmmmm perhaps I did not see the word “confit”.  I was expecting tender duck mince but obviously this one was going to be shredded.  Its flavours were rather boring to end the night.  This dish itself could be a palate cleanser.  Because it was that boring.  The only thing that tasted right was the rocket salad.  So sorry for the harsh words but no one around the table was amused =/.

But that was ok.  It was not the end yet.  For the night, Lamont’s served us a dessert of chocolate and caramel tart.  I was happy with what this dish had to offer.  Texture, visually, flavour balance and technique.  So many things so different yet able to work harmoniously together.  Crust was short and the caramel had just the right amount of salt to trigger the happy feeling.  Raspberry sorbet was sour but because of the sweetness of the caramel, it worked well for me.  All in all, this was rather commendable.

Textures of Valrhona chocolate, caramel tart, raspberry sorbet and bark

The dinner tonight was pretty decent tonight when it comes to flavours.  There were hits and misses but some definitely left more of an impression than the rest.  While I liked the veal, fish and dessert, the damage left by the pasta was pretty bad.  At this level and price of dining, it was ok to be average but not bad.  Service here was decently nice with the way the waitress was always there to ensure our cups were full and the plates cleared.  One big thing missing though was that professional touch when a dish arrives and every element on the dish is explained in a quick, logical manner.  Here, there was none.   It was plates on the table and off she goes. I only realised that when I got home.  Dad and mom are not really used to things such as black pudding.  Imagine their face when I had to explain what it was later on. LOL.  Oh well, all is a good and it was a good night out with the family.

WenY

Bites: MillPoint Book Cafe @ South Perth

My Monday morning started off damp and wet with the clouds steadily threatening another pour. With time to spare, I had a few more lazy rolls in bed before getting up. After grabbing a quick bite, I brought my parents to MillPoint Caffe Bookshop for a drink and some food. The environment is beautiful with a choice of indoor sitting amongst the neatly arranged books or an outdoor seat in the yard. Although the expansive Jarrah floor boards and soaring ceilings were rather tempting, my preference for the outdoors ultimately decided where I sat.

The cafe’s breakfast menu had all the usual suspects from the Benedicts to Full Breakfast. For us, we decided to share a Spanish Pot with Chorizo and another serve of French Toast. The Spanish Pot looked sensational.  Beautifully caramelised Chorizos set atop perfectly cooked eggs and a sprinkling of chives. But where it come to taste hmmm.  I was hoping for a tad more acidity in the tomato base. In many ways had I expect the merits of the Turkish Shak Shouka, but this definitely was not it. Over all an OK dish but nothing beyond mediocrity.  Also, do not be fulled by the size as the beans were very filling especially if only one person was going to have it. 

Next was the French Toast. A lot more playful this one. Vanilla Mascaporne, Persian Floss and a Berry Compote, the description of this dish promised a great composition of flavours. But executing them is something else quite different.

   

The vanilla flavour was nice in the Mascaporne and gave the French Toast a luscious bite when smeared over. But my main concern was the berry compote. It was way too sour to complement lot. It needed more sweetness for sure. Maybe a generous dash of maple syrup to bind it all together? Additionally, I was not exactly the happiest person with the French toast itself. I wanted a thicker slice of bread soaked to through and perfectly caramelised on the outside but moist on the inside. The one here was dry. Nonetheless, it was not a big problem. Every bite edible. I was more impressed with the French Toast at Perth City Farm. You can see the post here.

How would I rate a place like this? Definitely in the OK - Zone but not something life changing. On the other hand, I enjoyed the calm tempo from the start to the end. The drive was easy. parking was a bliss and, the quiet Monday morning was just filled with tranquility. But the food? MEH. If I had actually travelled far for this, I would not be the happiest person. But this is, definitely a fuss free simple suburban cafe for the locals.

WenY

Bites: Nao Ramen @ Perth CBD.

Quality ramen is my once a month treat when I am back home in Perth. A distinctive broth filled with springy noodles and topped with melt in your mouth Chashu slices, this is simply carbohydrate heaven. Along side Perth favourite Dosukoi Ramen, Nao is a ramen shop to be reckoned with. Its reputation has long been instilled into the taste buds of Perth residents. Any single day Nao is open, expect to see a long queue at peak hours. But with their speedy service and the typically quick ramen eating culture, the wait is often fairly bearable (approx 30 minutes).

 

My choice for today was the delicious Spicy Miso Ramen with Extra Chasu ($14.50). Melt in your mouth Chashu? Checked. Perfectly cooked noodles? Checked. Superb broth? Not so check. Unfortunately a lardy soup is sometimes not up to scratch. In this instance, I felt that the ramen at Nao was a fair bit oilier than usual. Its flavours though, was still every bit tasty and the taste of the miso stood out despite the presence of the chilli.  I was a little bumped about the oily base but this was not enough to displace my trust in this little establishment.  Additionally prices here can be  a little steep compared to other ramen places but considering its easy to reach location, most will find it very well worth it.

Is Nao one of my favourite ramen places in town?  Definitely so.  But to blog about this is like stating the obvious.  Nao Ramen is no hidden secret by any means.  It is clearly a Perth favourite. 

Check out my other Ramen posts:

Dosukoi Ramen @ Allendale Square, Perth

Kai Ramen @ Bull Creek, Perth

Oceans Ramen @ Northbridge, Perth

Nao Ramen @ Murray Street, Perth

Ramen Lab @ Mount Lawley, Perth

Genki SET Japanese @ Den Haag, Netherlands

The Little Ramen Bar @ Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Ippudo Ramen @ Hong Kong

Hide Chan Ramen @Midtown East, New York City

Totto Ramen @ Hell's Kitchen, New York City

WenY