MARY STREET BAKERY

It's true, Mary Street Bakery is my favourite place for breakfast.  Maybe its my soft spot for Beaufort Street, or perhaps its because you can order gnocchi and icy pops before noon. I always find myself torn between two dishes, so I do what any sensible person would do in my position … I order both and the waitstaff pretty much give me a 'hell yeah' high five.  Maybe its this total acceptance and applauding of overordering that keeps me going back.

Pork snitzel creamed corn kimchi egg 

Mescal cured salmon slow egg avocado jalapeño lime toast, Cold drip coffee, Fried chicken buttermilk pancake peanuts maple butter fried egg, Pork snitzel creamed corn kimchi egg 

Mescal cured salmon slow egg avocado jalapeño lime toast 

DO | HIGH TEA WITH ROCHELLE ADONIS

Rochelle Adonis Cakes + Confections has carved a reputation as Perth's go to for High Tea. The perfect spot to celebration with gal pals or host a hen's party. 

Savoury plate - potato rosti with lamb, gazpacho, quinoa, savoury bite

Raspberry pop to cleanse the palate whilst we doodle. 

Dessert plate - a stunning assortment of sweet treats, the perfect way to end a hen's day

EAT | MARY STREET BAKERY (Highgate, WA)

Is it right to eat dessert at breakfast?  Mary Street Bakery's head chef Courtney Gibb is forever pushing the breakfast boundaries and turning the boring ol' hour of eggs on toast and bircher on its head.  Our ensemble had the air of a decadent evening meal but was happily consumed with coffee before the clock struck 10am. 

A luxe way to start the weekend with favourite friends Ai-Ling of Food Endeavours of the Blue Apocalypse, Custard & Co's hustler Caitlyn (also of Mixed Dozen) and Stacey Clark Stylist.  We spent the hours talking shiny new diaries, pop up dining adventures with Custard & Co that will soon fill up our calendars and all the wonders that inspire us about embracing the clean slate that is the new year.  Fuelled by salted caramel, candied bacon and caffeine we went on our merry way clutching our Custard & Co Family Xmas ciders.  

Love you girls xo

Cured salmon brown rice avocado seaweed 

Ricotta gnocchi corn hazelnut kale pecorino

Stacey Clark, myself and Ai-Ling with our Custard & Co Family Xmas ciders. 

Salted caramel popsicle chocolate fudge candied bacon

EAT | TONG 86 (Northbridge, WA)

man my clothes stink

It's kinda hard not to have a love hate relationship with Korean bbq.  I am down with pickles and spice, the frozen pieces of meat don't phase me and I am quite happy to cook my own meat and chop it up with communal scissors. It's just the aroma of smokey cooked meat that clings to your clothes, following you home like an awkward first date. 

Bbq cologne aside, Tong 86 with its gritty warehouse interior is perfect for a group catch up. Sinking  Korean beers, we ordered an assortment of meat and fired up the cooker. All eyes were on the pancake and pork belly, as we drowned each mouthful in kimchee. 

A cheap and tasty farewell dinner for our fab friend Hannah. Complete with a fragrant little bonus.

When in Rome … 

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EAT | CECCHI'S (Inglewood, WA)

Sicilian olives and chorizo polenta

Amuse bouche - a delicate gazpacho

Every now and then I stumble upon a stream of food photos that I forgot to blog about.  One glimpse and they transport me back those plates and places rich with flavour.  Cecchi's has long been a favourite.  A welcoming family restaurant serving modern renditions of Italian classics.  Whilst the menu has turned over, refreshed as the months roll on, you will still find yourself with the plate just as pretty.   

You can tell that each ribbon of the papperdelle is made with love.

Burnt sage and pea ravioli

Pour over silky chocolate ganache and then bite into the oozey middle of these ricotta doughnuts.   

St Michael 6003

Culinary magic is bound to happen when the owners of two of Perth’s best restaurants join forces.  St Michael 6003 is the love child of Red Cabbage's Scott & Hazel O'Sullivan and Petite Mort's Todd Stuart with talented chef Adam Sayles in the kitchen.

It was the end of an era when Jacksons closed its doors but now newbie St Michael 6003 has taken up residence on Beaufort Street.  

St Michael 6003 uses a small plate approach where diners mix and match each dish creating their own degustation.   This was our first experience and it was so good, we went back.   

Bread and butter; Smoked pork hock, piccalilli and parmesan 

Roast cauliflower, capers, jalapeño and manchego 

Scallops, corn, spinach and shaved squid

Marron. mushroom dashi and turnips

Honey cured bacon, mustard, charred pickled onions and cumber

Lamb belly, mandarin and pickled yabbies 

Wagyu rump cap, cherry, oats, seeds and nuts

Peanut butter, salted caramel and chocolate 

Pumpkin, white chocolate, cheddar crumb, pear sorbet and blue 

EAT | MARY STREET BAKERY (Highgate, WA)

Maple pancake with buttermilk chicken and egg

Please! just a bite of your buttermilk chicken?

Poached Autumn fruits with coconut yoghurt and gluten free granola

EAT | THREECOINS (Inglewood, WA)

Threecoins is the literal translation of the family name Trequattrini and a new little joint that has opened on Beaufort Street down Inglewood way.   A family affair founded on a common dream to bring home cooking, Trequattrini style, to the table.

Nothing delights me more than being heartily welcomed into la familia, with loud smiling voices and big bold gestures, and this is the vibe that echoes at Threecoins.  Complete with red and white checkered tables and the fine flavours of regional Italian cuisine, I am chuffed to call this little trattoria my local.

Antipasto plank ~ arancini with polenta mash, farmhouse duck liver parfait on toasted ciabatta, eggplan parmigiana with pie top, prosciutto and cheese
Homemade marination in EVO, lemon zest, garlic and fresh herbs

Homemade ravioli with pumpkin and Taleggio filling tossed with butter, parmesan and sage, finished with pure white truffle oil

A family special ~ slow cooked lamb leg ragu with fettucini finished with shaved pecorino

Slow cooked beef cheeks, red wine gravy, grilled polenta and Italian coleslaw

Chicken cacciatora ~ free range chicken drumstick braised in white wine sauce, olives, capsicum served w/ traditional Umbrian focaccia

Threecoins Pannacotta ~ the perfect way to end an evening

Mary Street Bakery

A salted caramel doughnut as a treat before breakfast?  Um, yes please.

Having a bakery on Beaufort Street has added many inches in all the wrong places but meh ... I would rather enjoy my breakfast with reckless abandonment.  

Mary Street Bakery will soon be turning one and has been buzzing ever since they opened their doors.  I love that the menu changes frequently enough to keep me amused but they still have all those favourites that keep you coming back.  Did I mention salted caramel doughnuts?.  This time it was my treat for my little sister's birthday.

Birthday girl enjoyed slow cooked eggs on sourdough with crispy bacon.  Sometimes you just want bacon and eggs huh?  I took those two elements to the next level with a pork scotch egg served with onion mojo and cress.  I don't think I have ever had a scotch egg so full of flavour cradling it's own perfectly cooked egg. We also chowed down kipfler potatoes with aioli and a lovely big squirt of sriracha. 

Solomon's Cafe

It's almost kinda hip to have an allergy these days.  Those buzz words raw, paleo and gluten free are now so proudly spoken.  

With all the talk of nourishing thy body and people embracing a cleaner way of eating, its no surprise that Solomon's Cafe is bustling.  Holistic eaters have welcomed the latest offering brought to Beaufort Street by local hip-hop artist Drapht and his sister Alisa.  

Here you can treat your body to a smoothie or two then enjoy the best damn pumpkin pancakes you have ever dreamed.  I am pretty sold on the breakfast offerings at Solomon's.  Healthy and nourishing, its a lovely way to start your weekend.  

Progressive dinners along Beaufort St

It is that time of the year again!  Our Roving Dinner is back and we are offering two unique dining experiences.  Check out our pretty posters for all the information. 

To purchase tickets for Mon, 7 October click here
 To purchase tickets for Mon, 14 October click here 

Mary Street Bakery

Did someone say bread? Actually, make that artisan bread.  

Mary Street Bakery will soon be dominating your newsfeed as everyone scrambles to try the latest offering from the food gods of Beaufort Street.  The only thing you will be sacrificing is your waistline as you tuck into baked goodies, breads, donuts and other tasty morsels.  But don't worry you can gulp it all down with their cold pressed juice and simply wash your sins away.  

I am still yet to fit in a breakfast or brunch with friends and Mary Street Bakery is definitely on my eating agenda this week. So in the meantime here are some snaps from a week or two ago. They sure know how to throw an house warming with guests leaving laden with freshly baked goods. Happy opening guys! 

Pinot Noir & Black Truffle Dinner

Winter.  Nothing warms the soul like a glass of wine and the comforts of the season.   Cold nights were made for pinot noir and truffles, Perigord black truffles to be precise.  

Must Winebar hosted their annual Pinot Noir & Black Truffle Dinner on a cold Thursday night.  Five courses showcasing seasonal produce rich with Al Blakers' Manjimup truffles.  Each dish creatively designed by Russell Blaikie and matched with local and imported gems carefully selected by Must's wine consultant, Paul McArdle.  

First Course
Truffled Sweet corn Croquette
Clemens Hill Pinot Noir Coal River Tasmania 2010

Second Course
Salt Roasted Celeriac, Jamon Iberico, Truffle Mayonnaise, Sourdough Toast
Hudelot-Noellat Bourgogne Rouge Burgundy France 2011
  

Third Course
Truffled Charcuterie Plate: Chicken Liver Parfait with Black Truffles & Truffled Pate en Croute of Plantagenet Pork, Truffle Mayonnaise
Valli Bannockburn Pinot Noir Central Otago NZ

Fourth Course
16 Hour Butterfield Beef Rib, Truffled Parish Mash, Sweet Baby Carrots, Pinot Noir-Black Truffle Jus
 Dugat-Py V.V Gevrey Chambertin Burgundy France 2009

Fifth Course
Truffled French Brie, Lavoche, Truffle-Salted Nuts
Littorai Savoy Anderson Valley California USA 201  

A trip to Must is now not complete without finishing the evening on the unique flavours of a Hattori Hanzo.  Served martini style and packed with a punch HH is a blend of Mutemuka shuzo sake, chili infused absolut vodka, St. Germain elderflower liqueur finished off with crème de violette. 

Elmar's

Hearty bratwurst sausages in soft white buns.  Laden with sauerkraut, tomato sauce and mustard just needed jalapeños to make them the perfect cure for my bf's hangover on Saturday morning. 

Circa

Circa has opened in the long forgotten Diva site on Beaufort Street.  The decor is rich with opulent finishings making it a little too dark and gloomy for breakfast.  The sunlight just peaking in through the open doors.  By night you could definitely imagine cramming into a booth with a bunch of friends sharing hearty Mediterranean fare and a bold bottle of Shiraz.  

The breakfast menu consists of approachable breakfast items such as:
Poached apples, pears, rhubarb with granola crumble
Sicilian sausages, poached eggs, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, manchego   
Smashed avocado, roasted tomatoes, fetta, sourdough, olive oil

I do love a good Croque Monsieur so we ordered one to share.  The sandwich came out drowning in béchamel sauce and stuffed with honey baked ham, swiss cheese and dijon mustard.  The bread lots its toasted crunch as it battled with the overflowing sea of sauce. 

The beetroot cured salmon was a refreshing light option.  Served with a slice of green vegetable frittata on sourdough. Topped with a lovely dollop of a familiar something, maybe hollandaise and creme fraiche, which added a delicious punch of buttery zest.  The poached eggs served on organic Loafer's sourdough were beefed up with a side of bacon, the yoke perfectly runny.   

I wish I had taken a peak of the dinner menu.  Circa has taken off where Diva left off making it a nice local restaurant to enjoy welcoming service and simple, homely meals with family and friends.  

Clarences

If you walked past Clarences during daylight you would hardly notice all the good things going on in this inviting neighbourhood bar.  By night, the windows are glowing from the candlelit tables, each corner bustling and the leafy courtyard alive.  Throngs of people patiently wait in line to lap up local pleasures.   Although I do love the buzz of Clarences by night, it is the quieter days that I love the most.  Those times when it is easy to find a cozy nook to sample the wonders of the bar and delights from the kitchen.  

Our friends counting down the days until their adventure to explore the wonders of Barcelona, London, Paris and beyond.  Lucky them!  Lazy Sunday farewell drinks in the comfortable surrounds of Clarences was the perfect choice. 

Still a little full from breakfast at The Precinct, I ceremoniously bid farewell to my  morning meal with an Amaro Montenegro 'the liqueur of the virtues' on the rocks.  There is something about this Italian bitters that brings a smile and flush to my cheeks especially during Winter. 

Amidst the copious rounds of drinks to celebrate our wandering friends we ordered a bunch of share style plates for the table: 

Pork ribs - deliciously sticky with the meat easily pulling away from the bone.
Queso fundido with toritlla chips - a mini spiced mexican fondue
Chicken wings and chipotle sauce - crispy yet tender with smoky sauce
Chewy cheese buns - Clarences take on the popular cheesey puffs loved by Brazil   
Hot chips - who doesn't love hot chips on a rainy afternoon?
Arancini - a safe and delicious staple on the small goods menu  

Oh Clarences, I have missed you.  

girls eating like boys

I love dining with a bunch of girls who don't mind tucking in like hungry cowboys.  The vibrant atmosphere of new local haunt Miss Kitty's Saloon was the perfect place to order mountains of comfort food.   We celebrated Naomi's birthday over wine, laughter, suckling pig and ribs.  Ye haaaw!

... above
Crisp corn fritters with hot pepper jelly
Charcoal tamarind pork ribs with corn, chilli, yoghurt
Roast suckling pig with tomato relish

below ...

Grilled local squid with smoky, eggplant, roasted cauliflower, jalapeno salt
 Beef chilli with corn waffle, avocado butter
 Poutine (fries curds gravy)
 Shaved fennel and citrus with olives, chickpeas, herbs
 Pickled peach slaw

Sweet things ...
Glass of bannoffee pie 
Sarah's pecan butter tart

Ace Magic

10 reasons to dine at Ace Pizza:

1. They have a wood grill. 
2. You need to go before your friends do:  'Yea, I've been to Ace.'
 3. They make a mean pizza.
4. They serve waaaaay more than just a pizza! 
5.  Fried mac and cheese squares dipped in their chilli sauce.
6.  You can drink Americano's on tap for only $9.
7.  Rib chop served with bone marrow and roast potato (mmmmmarrow!).
8.  Ace soft serve. You can be your own Mr Whippy!  Vanilla soft serve ice cream with yummy sprinkles.  Homemade ice magic and salted caramel fudge in dangerous serve yourself squeezies.
9.  Pigs head and witlof. Yeah! 
10.  They take bookings and are open seven nights.

Americano! 

My patient boyfriend and beautiful friends Hanni and Tals x