This page is mostly for me to keep tabs on places that I like to eat in Perth. Having a list makes it much easier to consider options when trying to decide where to go. I can’t remember all the names of the restaurants, so some names are… functional.
If you have any suggestions, please add some comments. I’ll try them out and update this page.
Good Experiences
These are places that I’ve enjoyed eating at. Amoung them are my favourite restuarants. Since there are quite a few, I’ve divided this section up by type of food (country of origin)
Korean:
- Took Be Gi (my favourite restaurant in Perth, excellent food, small and busy, closed on Tuesday)
- Seoul Korean BBQ (good food, inexpensive)
- Kim Chi House (behind Old Shanghai, nice atmosphere)
- That-one-on-the-same-street-as-Lido-but-closer-to-town
Japanese:
- Taka’s in Shafto Lane (good food, very inexpensive, free tea)
- That-place-that-used-to-be-Ramen-Noodle-House (excellent food and service, weird hours, great yakitori)
- Wasabi (excellent food, inexpensive)
- Bonzai (good food, try the dengaku)
- Nao Ramen (good ramen)
Chinese:
- Tea Cafe (hot lemon coke! closed on Thursday)
- That-BBQ-place-in-Victoria-Park (try the BBQ pork)
- Tak Chee BBQ (try the chicken rice, Brisbane street)
Chinese (Yum Cha):
- Northbridge Chinese Restaurant (used to be Chau’s Tea House)
Mongolian BBQ:
- Kublai (excellent, inexpensive, fun buffet)
Vietnamese:
- Lido (good food, try the lamb chops and grilled prawns)
- Vinh Hong (good beef bowl and combination broken rice, inexpensive, closed on Wednesday)
Malaysian:
- Makan2 (nice environment, good for tea tarik, decent for nasi goreng, quality varies on the roti)
Indonesian:
- Sparrow (good food, very friendly owner)
Indian:
- The Elephant Hut (South of the river but worth the trip, decent serving sizes)
Pizza:
- Palace Pizza (the best pizza I’ve had, small place, suburban Fremantle and Dalkeith)
- Mancini’s Woodfired Pizza (Excellent pizza, very reasonable prices, Canning Hwy, Mt Pleasant)
- Il Padrino Caffe (run by the locally famous Nunzio)
Mexican:
- Pancho’s Mexican Villa (excellent, try the beef enchiladas, closed on Monday)
Lebanese/Turkish:
- Turkish Kitchen (excellent fresh bread)
- Istanbul (chilli walnut dip)
German:
- The Duckstein
Indifferent Experiences
I’ve been to a number of places that weren’t that bad, but weren’t really that good either. Generally not worth returning to for a meal.
- Arirang (expensive)
- Pizza Bella Roma (expensive, not that great)
- Han’s Cafe
- Formosa/Utopia (food a bit odd/sweet)
- African place (reasonable price, service varies)
- Retro Betty’s (seems to have gone downhill recently)
- “Blue” Taka’s on Wellington Street (pre-cooked Tempura, no saucers!)
- that-other-Mexican-place-in-Victoria-Park (bad, too oily)
- Thai Cafe (excellent food, but poor hygene and service from owner)
Bad Experiences
These places I would actively avoid.
- Morgan’s (day old bread sold as “freshly baked” for $5 a serve)
Bonus! Place to Eat in Sydney
Just a short list of places I liked to eat at when living in Sydney.
- Pho Pasteur (my favourite restaurant in Sydney)
- Roxbury Hotel ($5 pasta dishes on Tuesdays)
- That-thai-place-in-the-downstairs-food-court-in-Chinatown (sticky rice and som tum!)
- Little Devil Bakery (egg and salad roll with french vinigrette and maggi sauce)
- Istanbul (fresh lemon drink)
- Seoul Ria
Japanese: No mention of Matsuri in West Perth? Corner of Milligan and Hay. Give it a try and see what you think.
Mongolian BBQ: :”That-place-in-Leederville” would be Kublai. I’m impressed by anyone who has more than two bowls in one sitting.
Pizza Bella Roma: Agreed. Used to be really good about 12 years ago.
Bad Experiences: “Browns of Subiaco”. Average service, small serving sizes and hideously overpriced. What was something like a “baguette basket” on the menu turned out to be two slices of white bread. Grand total: $3.00.
Personally not really impressed by Matsuri, but a lot of people I know rave about it… maybe I need something between good and indifferent…
I’m impressed by people who managed to cram the equivalent of two bowls of food into one!
In my experience “[insert restaurant name] in Subiaco” generally tends to be overpriced and with average service…
Updated ”That-place-in-Leederville” to “Kublai” - Thanks coffeebucket!
“That-thai-place-in-the-downstairs-food-court-in-Chinatown” - which one is that?I only remember going to one place(only once too) near there(Capital(or did they spell it Capitol?) Square to be exact), which i think was for when you were going back to Perth and it’s called Orange Thai. Was that the one?
Michael: Nah, it’s not Orange Thai (although that place was pretty good and had really authentic iced tea). Heidi tells me that it’s downstairs at the Dixon food court.
Two regular places that PJ and I go to are Taka’s in Shafto lane (Nick already meantioned), and Viet Hoa on William St. Both are good and cheap.
Two places to try if your ever in the Mt Lawley area are:(Both are in a small little arcade, next to IGA Mt Lawley, on beaufort st).
Tan po po - A small Japanese place, run by a Japanese Grandma and her son. Has excellent Katsu Curry Rice. Very popular and cheap. Less than $10 per meal, including beverage. Lunch only, closes at 6pm.
Antonio’s Deli - An Italian grocery store that also makes lunch rolls. Your choice of fresh meats with salad. Imagine subway, but about 20 times better. $5-6 per roll. Lunch only, closes at 6pm.
If your looking for something more up market, or you in the Mt Lawley area at night, some places are:
Queens Hotel - Damn expensive, but great food. Nacho’s recommended with a side of beer on tap. $15-20 per dish
Gogo’s Curry House - Damn expensive, but some of the best Indian curry in Perth. $15-20 per dish.
A cheaper alternative is Suraj Indian Resturant, opposite the Queens Hotel. I haven’t eaten there for at least a year, but when I used to go it was great. $20 per person. This is more traditional Indian curry, while Gogo’s has been adapted for western taste. The interior isn’t fancy at all, but clean and good service by a friendly Indian guy. Good vegetarian selection.
Places to avoid in Mt Lawley are:
The Red Orchid - Negatives: Way overpriced, virtually a more expensive Hans Cafe. Positives: Nice atmosphere. The peach fantasia?? is a interesting desert. Which is icecream shaped and coloured into looking like a real peach. Delicious.
Red rooster - I really don’t know how this place stays open. It’s bad even by Red Rooster standards.
Oh, I forgot another place that deserves a meantion.
The Little Creature’s Brewery in Fremantle. Fresh beer on Tap, always gets me going, but the food is excellent too. Expensive-ish.
Mat: Thanks for the additions. I’ll definitely have to revamp this page on the weekend now!
That-place-near-the-horse-shoe-bridge (try the chicken rice)
Penang Food is the name. Good stuffs.
When was the last time you went to Utopia? They changed management and menu too. The fried seaweed roll and some other vegetarian dishes are great! Ya, I do admit that bulk of the stuffs are fake meat made by soybean.
Have you tried Bibik Chan before on Stirling Hwy before? It was authentic Malaysian. Good stuffs! Inexpensive too.
Another of my all time favourite is Annalakshmi by the Bell tower. Eat to your hearts content and pay what you feel it’s worth. Fantastic indian vegetarian food. The rice itself.. Ooo… The chilli.. Yumm… The spices…
TzuYen: I’m not sure it’s the same place. I think it was “[something] Kitchen”. I went there last week and it was closed (moving)? If it’s not the same place, I’ll check out Penang Food as the possible replacement!
I went to Utopia around… 2 weeks ago. I had the Kway Teow. I don’t know… it was weird in that it was a specialty vegetarian place, but I felt that I would have prefered just a vegetarian Kway Teow from some other place. There were a few too many “interesting” fake meats.
I *think* I’ve been to Bibik Chan with Minh and Adam before (?). I do recall it was pretty good (satay selection and also the deep fried anchovies with peanuts!)
I’ve been to Annalakshmi quite a few times (I live in walking distance from there). The one thing I don’t like about it is the mad rush when the mango lassi gets refilled!
What, no Broadway pizza?
I second the Red Orchid comment as well.
Okay… so I didn’t get to revamp this page on the weekend (still trying to decide what to change).
Danno: After Palace Pizza… Broadway is nothing special. There! I said it!
I added a subpage for Took Be Gi (may favourite place in Perth). I’ll try to add others when I have time/enthusiasm.
Nick: Yep. We went to Bibik Chan and the ikan bilis was good.
My two cents: Viet Hoa sucks and Tra Vinh around the corner is much better. Try the duck soup or com tam. If you like indonesian (like Sparrows), then you should definitely try both Manise Cafe on William St and Es Teler 77 (also on William St).
Mt Lawley has two of the most highly awarded restaurants in Perth and neither of them were mentioned. Must Wine Bar and Jackson’s. Jackson’s sucks and Must Wine Bar is perhaps the second best place to eat in Perth. Soto is a coffee place in Mt Lawley and it does some of the best coffee I have ever had and the service is minimal (just how I like it).
You were right about Took Be Gi but don’t forget the all-you-can-eat at Hana
Making me hungry.
Will have to try Must Wine Bar… I am also now hungry….
I Like: Toba Oriental (Mt. Lawley/North Perth/East Perth. It’s near the brisbane.)
Retro Betties - the one in leederville doesn’t get as much attention from the owner (that dude form Gladiators) as the one in Innaloo does, but the innaloo one is $1 to $2 more expensive across the board (except for drinks) I love it, ’cause it’s got great booths and i like the food, but i generally only go there when i’m seeing a movie at greater union (not that often)
Wasabi kicks soo much ass! Kabuki is good too (Try the Beef Tataki!)
Hi Nick,
nice list you got there. Just out to offer some help n share me tots.
-Tak Chee definitely shifted. Don’t remember the street name, but it’s the same street as the 1st Tra Vinh. But its around the corner after sparrows, on the right if your heading towards Bulwer St. Fantastic chicken rice.
-Penang Food is not bad, but many sightings of roaches. Accounts from friend’s include tiny roaches in the soup. But all I’ve encountered are the 1s on the floor.
-Sparrows’ is erm… Indonesian, not Malaysian. Don’t mean to nitpick, but yar, juz mentioning.Heard Manise across the street is giving them a run for their money… but haven’t had a chance to try.
-The famous place pizza at Northbridge, El Padrino’s?? Love it, go there all the time. Oh, checked out Little Caesar’s?? It’s in Manduring, that’s currently world-best now, by some kinda competition. But kinda different from El Padrino’s, only pizzas & desert pizzas. & lotsa interesting award-winning creations. Google them.
Just a few things with the list:
1. Sparrows is Indonesian. It even says so on their banner/signboard.
2. Pizza Palace can also now be found in Dalkeith
3. I think that the pizza place you described as, “that-place-in-Northbridge-that-was-rated-the-World’s-best” is called Il Padrino Caffe, which is run by the famous Nunzio (or at least famous in Perth Italian/Pizza circles)
4. Tak Chee has moved opposite Lucky (oriental shop) on Brisbane Street
Hope that helps.
Hi Angie,
Thanks for the corrections. I’m updating the page now!
Makan Makan (or Makan2) is Indonesian, not Malaysian.
-For good authentic Malaysian hawker food, Taurus Hakers Restauraunt on Collins Rd, Willetton is the best. Try their Lobak Rolls (minced prok wrapped in bean curd and deep fried) any of their Hor Fan dishes and especially the Nasi Lemak (served only on Sundays). You know they are good and prices are reasonable by the Malaysian families and students that are attracted there (i am Malaysian myself)
-For good chinese food, Hawkers Cuisine behind the Old Shanghai is amazing. Try their marmite pork and steamed cod fish in soya sauce!
-Elephant Hut has AMAZING curry! Try their dosai (only served at lunch)
-Also Jaws Kaiten Sushi in Cinema City! The best (and cheapest) udon around.
Amanda:
Thanks for the comment.
YES! Taurus is awesome. I’m going to have to update this list on the weekend. I have a few other changes and additions such as the $11 all-you-can-eat Yum Cha place in Cannington.
For Hongkong roast meats, my favourite place is Good Fortune on William Street, Northbridge. The place is well patronised and there is a good turnover so you can rest assured you are not eating stale food. Their roast pork (siu yuk) is the best in Perth.
angke:
Best roast pork in Perth!? I’ll have to try it!
For similar food, I quite like Good One BBQ on Albany Highway in Victoria Park.
I eat at Good Fortune at least once a week. Eating too much fatty food is bad for the heart.
Occasionally, on my lucky day, they have suckling pig. That is very rare but very delicious. Customers usually order/buy the entire pig. So there is nothing left to sell to other customers.
You should also try their roast duck.
It closes on Tuesdays.
For Muslim/Indian food, try Karache on Murray Street, Perth. For about $6, you get 2 meats and 1 vegie. Good value and nice food. For home-sick Singaporeans and Malaysians, you can also order the teh-talek.
For truly Indian Food, Royal Sharimar on Cambridge Street has to be one of the best I have tried. Main dishes are small and cost around $18 each. It is advisable to book your table because the restaurant is rather small.
For chicken rice, I used to go to Chin Chin (from Singapore) which has since closed shop. The premises is now occupied by Hawkers’ Cuisine. Its Hainanese chicken rice is very good too. The chicken (no breast meat which I dislike) is served with some light soya sauce and boneless. Yummmmmmm…..
For set dinner for 6 people, good value can be had at Roe Street Chinese Restaurant. The set menu includes crayfish and half-shell scallops plus Hakka salted chicken, steamed or pan-fried tooth fish etc. It costs about $26 per head. No cockage for BYO wine.
I’m very surprised there is no mentions of Star Anise(Modern Australian, Shenton Park)or Duende(Tapas/Wine Bar) Leederville. I have had excellent food at both, higher end of the market though…
I have always enjoyed my steak at the Victoria Station, Burswood Casino. The service is good and the meat done the way I like it, rare.
Can anyone reccommend another good steak house?
Ive tried this pizza place in Mundaring, its called Little Caesars … The pizza there is legendary a must try !!! Its on Great Eastern Highway, Mundaring town centre near the Eagle boys
.
Indian food, Ive tried so far unbeaten from my experiences in my opinion is Anghiti, they have 2 branches one on Walcott Street and the other next to the Innaloo Megaplex. Google it for the address :).
Happy eating
Hi there,
Does anyone know where I can find a phone number or address for Nao Ramen? Whitepages proved to be quite useless once again.
Stumbled across this page whilst doing a google for ramen noodles in Perth
Cheers,
Damo
Neo Ramen, hrrmmm, I know where it is, but can’t remember the address exactly. I’m positive it’s on Murray Street (but it could be Hay), but it’s sorta on that bit between barrack st and pier street, near the movie cinemas but on the other side of the road. I think.
@tone
Ah that narrows it down, I’ll have to go have a hunt around and find it
Thanks for the response,
Damo
I am looking for a really fun and great food resturant great atmosphere casual alittle up market for our post xmas party in Janurary . staff of 13 can you guys help me. I am interest in the padrino’s caffe but but need to check it out.
Does anyone know where Tak Chee is now? They have teh best Hainan Chicken Rice and used to be on William St (just before the horse she bridge, on Roe St side). I heard they were moving to North Perth but on some of the post on here it says Brisbane St or near Sparrows in Chinatown.
Love the page … very helpful. keep it going .. anyways i have been looking for a place to eat with good food and some respectable entertainment to enjoy while i eat.. eg. music , thearter etc… any ideas ?
I heard Nao Ramen is located next to Insan’s Cafe which is at 113 Murray St, Perth. I think it’s kinda slightly opposite the Murray St Car Park.
Enjoy… i don’t know why, but it’s not on the White Pages. I thought it had closed, but found out that it’s still in business.
Enjoy your ramen!
Retro Betty’s at Leederville and Innaloo are owned by different people. Originally they were partners, but split due to philosophical reasons. The owner of Leedervile- Mike Wiss (He is not an ex Gladiator! Just a big guy and ex bodybuilder!) has moved to Tasmania and the place is now run by a manager.
The larger, flasher place at Innaloo is run by Bruce Thorpe and is still keeping up standards. Rumours are that another store is opening soon and a possible name change for the Innaloo store.
Tak Chee has officially opened on 2/2 on William St, just before Good Fortune, next to that wWelcome Inn dim sum place…went there on saturday.
Most recent (& authentic, in my opionion) ramen addition to Perth is in Fremantle Markets - so only open Fri (til 9pm), Sat / Sun (til 5 I think) & public holidays. So far the best I have eaten in Perth - and even better than Nao’s which would have been the pick until recently. Friendly Jap guy has a stall in there, can’t remember the name - also does cold noodle dishes in summer, hiyashi ramen, zaru soba etc plus bubble tea if you’re into it. My favourites are the pork / prawn gyoza ramen or char siu ramen. YUM. He makes the char siu there so there are only limited servings per day. Love your site by the way. V happy to have stumbled across it.
Greetings. I stumbled upon this site by chance, and I am intrigued as to the recommendations. If I might be so bold, a few recommendations of my own:
1. French
The Loose Box - Mundaring (http://www.loosebox.com.au/cms/). Degustation but this means you sit until your arse is sore. Nice place to pop the question I suppose, assume she doesn’t fall asleep out of boredom. I haven’t come across any other decent French eatery in Perth.
2. Korean
Cora BBQ, off Leach Highway, Melville (along the row of shops that houses Yee Seng supermarket). All you can stuff at $35 a pop, this place has given new meaning to the word “carnivorous”. Cooking your meat off glowing pieces of charcoal gets that special char-grilled flavour. Soft-drinks are free-flow too.
Hana BBQ, off Canning Highway, behind Clancy’s Fish Pub. Unlike Cora, this place utilizes a searing plate heated by gas. Good cooking all the same, the heat is easily regulated so you can sear and wolf down the meat at an alarming factory pace. $32.50 a pop for adults. Lunch is slightly less costly but available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only.
3. Best Pizza
This category’s best is a little hard to define, especially when one man’s Mrs Macs is another man’s poison, but the humble italian pie has come a long way, and I’m not just talking from Italy to Australia. I’ve personally tried Little Caeser’s up the hills, but I’m none too impressed. Give these a shot:
Tonitalia’s, Forrest Lakes Shopping Centre, Thornlie. 3 large suckers for under $30. Steve’s special, Alfonso’s special and Meat Lovers are the bread and butter.
Pompei’s Pizza, Walter Road, Morley (or Morley-ish….. it’s opposite the Morley Bowling Alley anyway). Two large for twenty bucks. A very thin crust is evident, and this one comes across more as a savoury bread. Certainly, the g`damned thing isn’t all cheese and good pizza should not be all cheese either.
Ciao Italia, Canning Highway, South Perth. Awesome pizzas here at twenty-ish bucks a pop, the smoked salmon with capers is a real winner in my book. Their calzone is interesting too. Ciao Italia dishes up the best pasta dishes this side of Australia and their seasonal specials are worth every penny. No reservations are taken, so get in early or join the queue.
4. Best Pub Grub
Nicholson’s Pub and Grill, off Nicholson Road, Canningvale. (http://www.nicholsons.net.au/). Definitely diet unfriendly, the huge-ass servings here are a lesson other establishments should learn from. Semi-decent selection of drinks, this really is a licenced family venue. Noteworthy dishes include chili mussels, hickory smoked ribs, chicken parmigiana with pasta and the rump steak. Do not bother with entrees - the mains will leave you destroyed.
JB O’Reilly’s, Cambridge Street, West Leederville. Good irish grub here and a wonderful selection of ales and ciders. Board specials can be interesting, but be a man and have the devilled kidneys on toast when breakfast is served on Sunday mornings. I personally recommend the irish lamb stew.
Outback Jack Steakhouse, Fremantle, opposite Hungry Jacks where Fast Eddy’s used to be. A varied selection of meat here and the wagyu burger isn’t too bad for $30 a pop. The 1kg rump challenge (eat it under 30 minutes and it’s free) confers bragging rights to those who rush in where angels fear to tread. C`mon, you know you want to.
5. Cheaper Eats
Al Dente Pasta, off Canning Highway, Palmyra. The carbonara and tortellini are very hearty and very authentic. Averages ten bucks per main if you have it to go. It doesn’t get better than this.
Ichiban Japanese, International Eating House, Albany Highway, Victoria Park. Although not 100% authentic, you can bet your behind this place is 100% tasty and 110% filling. Be a man, order the large katsudon for around eight bucks and brace thyself for delicious indigestion.
Alfred’s Kitchen, Guildford (http://www.alfredskitchen.com.au/). The occasional craving for pea and ham soup and the need for speed brings us to Alfred’s Kitchen. Burgers aren’t that fab, but there’s something special about sipping piping hot pea and ham soup on a cold winter’s night in front of the open fire they’ve got. Will someone hold my hand please?
Malaysia Garden, Riverton Forum Shopping, off High Road. Lunch specials, at $6.50 a pop are too sexy to miss especially the mother of a serving of crispy noodle with seafood sauce. Noteworthy dishes are the chili pepper ribs, chili pepper squid, the boneless duck with plum sauce, sambal kangkong and beef with kailan. Oddly, they don’t toss up their tofu dishes quite right, but everything else is fair game. They’ve recently gone upmarket-ish by having live seafood in tanks but I’m here for the love, not for the sex so…
Ben Thanh Bread Rolls, Honeywell Boulevard, Mirrabooka. Awesome vietnamese subs here at $3.50 a pop. You can also get freshly squeezed sugar-cane juice on site. They used to be at William Street, but the SOB landlord upped the rent and I got to drive a freakin` half hour to get these subs now, but well worth it. Buy ten while you’re at it.
Bullcreek Hawker, off Parry Avenue, Bullcreek. In the enclave of shops where the IGA is. Lunch specials are fairly decent, especially the roast pork with rice. Ala carte dishes to tickle your pickle include the sizzling tofu with chicken and salted fish, claypot beef stew and King of Pork Ribs (literal translation).
6. Vietnamese Grub
Dao Vien, Fitzgerald Street, Northbridge. Their combination beef soup with extra raw beef is a hearty meal for eleven bucks. This is the place to get vietnamese beef balls - sold by the kilo for around ten bucks. One of the few viet places to actually purvey stuff other than noodles, you can order the sizzling lemon grass beef, pork polony roll and even the spicy stewed beef if you’re up for ala carte. Good percolated iced coffee too, done right at your table for your very eyes.
Phi Yen, Brisbane Street, Northbridge. Vietnamese with finesse, this is one of them rare places you can order ala carte too. Worth a shot when you get bored of Dao Vien.
7. Japanese
Authentic sushi and sashimi can be found at this tiny takeaway next to Subway at the Dianella Centro Shopping centre. I can’t remember the name of the joint, but I sure can recall the food and I’m already getting a boner just thinking about it…
Fuji Sushi Station has quality grub and occasionally, they do get the good tuna in. Register your interest with `em so that when the tuna comes in, they’d call.
Tansawatei - fairly decent bento sets during lunch. Not quite impressed with dinner.
8. Decent Chinese
James Street Kitchen, James Street. Damn good service can be expected here, and the food is of consistently high quality, but this is expected when you are paying top dollar at around $20 per main. Dishes to impress the in-laws would include the coral trout cooked two ways, golden squid, crispy chicken with soy sauce, battered fresh oysters, snow crab with noodles and pre-order stuff that you have to call to ascertain.
Chi Restaurant, Albany Highway, Victoria Park. Bookings are essential especially during the peak window of dining, even on Monday nights. Good value chinese fare with decent service, the battered oysters, duck with yam, beef with snow peas in XO sauce, and fatt sang chicken are all time favourites. It’s all good at this place, so be brave and chow down.
Foo Wah Restaurant, Willeton. Finesse and chinese food don’t often go hand in hand, but if you’re south of the river and suffering from yellow fever, Foo Wah is the place to put out the fire. Japanese tofu in seafood sauce can be so soothing, but make sure you order real meat if not you’re sleeping on the couch tonight.
I can’t think of any more at the moment, since the above reviews are really quite on target.
Wow! Thanks for the detailed update Lord Dianabol. I really have to get around to trying these new places and updating this site… sometime.
Yo Nick, it’s all good matey.
I realized that I drive past Chez Pierre’s off Stirling Highway a number of times - anyone’s been to this French joint yet? Is it any good?
It’s been a long time since I sat down and typed one of these. Yes, one of these “the world we live in and life in general” type e-mails where I rant aloud, much to my personal amusement but more so those of my fans. My make-believe fans, that is. Thing is, I’m no celebrity, and you couldn’t pay me enough to be one.
Recently, I’ve had a fetish for bacon and egg sandwiches. With BBQ sauce. Perfect breakfast food. As an appetizer. Before the steak. There’s nothing more terrible than having to drag my sleepy ass out of bed and find oats or some other animal-feed on the table. What am I, a horse? On a more serious note, the research is saying that it’s fine to eat up to three whole eggs a day, especially after a bout of weight-lifting. The tides, they are finally a-turning on the misguided but much quoted fat-is-bad mantra that arose from the Lipid Hypothesis.
Perth’s dining scene has recently improved, and this is probably due in part to my being more forgiving when it comes to wining and dining. I haven’t been to Emperor’s Kitchen for a fair bit ever sinced they changed hands but more so, chefs. Like a revised stock price, without insider information, you wait for the market to settle and things to stabilize a bit, letting the rumours pan out and whatnot before taking the plunge. Good food and good service, almost James Street quality for south of the river. The recent explosion of Korean BBQ Buffets make you wonder if DIMIA has cut some deal with the Koreans or most asians for that matter on the citizenship condition that them asians have to cook good food for sale.
The gem of the month I must say, would be Phu Vinh Noodle House, an innocuous-looking vietnamese joint located at Unit 1/11 Exchange Road, Malaga WA 6090. But don’t let the vietnamese-sounding name fool you - you get damn good vietnamese food here which is unusual, for a vietnamese joint, but also, damn good service, which is simply extraordinary. I highly recommend their Pho Dac Biet (yes, it comes with the raw beef but has everything else too). I had it today for lunch. Like a good wine, you should first take a good whiff of the stock when first placed before you. An urgent meatiness greets your nose only to be lifted higher by the knife-edged scent of star anise and cloves. Subtle, but like the showing of cleavage, too much becomes vulgar, too little is boring, and just right leaves you hungry for more. I definitely am hungry for more.
But be a real man and try their claypot fish - the waitress did warn me this was strong and salty, best eaten with steamed rice. Being the sort who rushes in where angels fear to tread, I told her to bring it on without the steamed rice. Freshwater catfish, but the generous lashings of fish sauce, caramelized sugar, ginger and freshly cracked black pepper removed all earthy skankiness. This dish certainly wouldn’t excite a blind lesbian, but such fragrant fishy joy was the highlight of the lunch. Well, to be accurate, the highlight of the lunch was Mr Clumsy Oaf, spilling the glass of iced milk coffee over the broken rice whilst reaching for the beansprouts to whack into the pho. The waitress cleared it up promptly, and replaced, yes, replaced the rice and coffee almost immediately whilst I was still burying my head in the bowl of pho out of embarrassment. I was surprised at such pro-active enthusiasm. I was even more surprised when there was no extra charge. Wow. Tea was on the house too, and not the $2/head nonsense some chinese places charge just because they are in Northbridge. Needless to say, a generous tip was in order but more importantly, they’ve got a customer for life.
Next week, I will taste-test their egg noodle with braised duck so stay tuned suckers.
I went to Outback Jack’s at Freo’s on Monday with me mates.
Paid for the $25 all you can eat Ribs and Pasta buffet.
The manager was rude and totally unfriendly, glaring at our table like we’ve come in to steal something. She also told our table that it was either ribs or pasta - we can’t have both - when I asked for a serve of pasta later.
What kind of retardation is this? Firstly, it is a breach of contract, also and more importantly, it also contravenes section 14 of the Trade Practices Act since it is stated clearly on the menu “Ribs and Pasta, All You Can Eat”, and it’s soooo dumb to deny the pasta to a customer when they could be eating more expensive ribs.
In any case, the sauce on the ribs are generic and tasted plastic, and the ribs were charred anyway. A terrible dining experience, I would rather starve than eat at this dismal excuse for a restaurant.
Burn in hell you charlatans.