DISCOVERING NORTHBRIDGE - Two Feet and a Heart Beat tour

Back in 2007 over a few brews at the local pub, two friends hatched a plan to bring guided walking tours to Perth.  Seasoned travellers will always say the best way to unearth gems and stories, hidden deep within a city, is to book a walking tour with a local guide. Roll on eight years later, Two Feet and a Heartbeat have been helping tourists and locals alike unearth the history, culture and hotspots of Perth. 

Having discovered abandoned warehouses in Berlin, the best cheese in Amsterdam and Prague’s hidden art exhibitions thanks to wonderful tour guides, I thought it was time to hit the pavement with Two Feet and join their small bar tour through Northbridge.   

Our first stop was the Northbridge Brewing Company an oasis for beer lovers overlooking the Northbridge Piazza.  Although the Autumn weather has made evenings a little fresh, the Piazza was brimming with beanbags, many huddling up with homemade popcorn to watch the Ultimate Frisbee Film Fest.  The curators of Northbridge Piazza are known for their quirky programming, injecting vibrancy and life into what used to be the shadier part of town.

We detoured through China Town and Nick’s Lane where our wonderful guide Casey shared Northbridge’s dark history of gambling and brothels.  The once grim and deserted alleyways are now laced with splashes of colour thanks to Form’s incredible public art campaign.  We stopped at the entrance of Sneaky Tony’s and The Standard learning about Perth’s evolving small bar scene. Whilst we were all hoping to sneak in for a cheeky rum or two with Tony, it was lovely to take in the incredible artworks and work up a thirst for our next stop. 

It was then on to Lot Twenty where we tucked into sharing boards and cocktails on the deck. Whilst the cocktails were top notch (and brimming with sweet foam), the social aspect of the tour was surprisingly my favourite part.  We met the most amazing bunch of women who all live on the same street with over 20 kids between them.  Crabbe Place sounds like the kinda place I’d want to raise a brood, where children safely play in forts on the street and neighbours become good friends.   We could have stayed and chatted for hours but it was on to our final destination.

Past the Alex Hotel and Joe’s Juice Bar, Casey led the way towards Francis Street sharing the history of the Old Swan Barracks, from army drill hall to bustling backpackers hostel.  The last stop was Dominion League where we enjoyed a welcomed (and mammoth) feast.  Some kicked on with cocktails, whilst I ended the evening snacking on that delicious smoked chicken accompanied by Averna on ice and wonderful conversation with new friends. 

The team at Two Feet and a Heartbeat sure know their stuff and play such an important role in shaping Perth’s cultural landscape.  The Small Bar Tour is a great way to eat and drink your way through Northbridge with a bonus historical lesson on the side. 

(WO)MAN v MEATBALL - eating competition at Lalla Rookh

Damn girl! Judging by the way she can handle a burger, you'd think Nicole Lau had the blood of competitive eating champions coursing through her veins.  Whilst her mama didn't take out the crown for Miss Eatin' Apple Pie in 1962, Nicole has certainly been raised as a hell of a good eater.   

The infamous Man v Meatball eating competition is on at Lalla Rookh tomorrow night!  I've got money ridin' on this meatball scoffing babe and we had a quick chat before the big day. 

Super pumped you are entering Man v Meatball!  Is this your first tangle with competitive eating? 
I've entered two competitive eating competitions already, nachos, hot dogs and hands free pizza eating.  On a side note did you know that triangular nacho chips are mighty hard to digest?  Although I'm yet to take out the title, I can see the meatball glory from here! 

What is your greatest dining achievement?  
My greatest achievement would probably be staying at the all you can eat sushi train for 2 hours without stopping.

If you had a soundtrack to eat meatballs to what would your top 5 songs be? 
Too legit to quit – MC Hammer
Not Many - Dcribe
In da Club - 50 Cent
Notorious B.I.G. - Notorious B.I.G.
My closing track would have to be "Bye bye bye - Nsync".  I know it ain't ghetto but I feel it's pretty poetic, na mean?

What will you be doing this week in preparation for Man v Meatball?
I work at Old Faithful so I'm going to make sure I consume as much meat as humanly possible on my breaks to prep for this mofo of a competition.

Will you actually eat on Thursday before the comp?
Of course! If you're not eating, you ain't living. I'll probably start the day with a big breakfast somewhere.

You've obviously eaten at Lalla Rookh before, any hot tips for what the audience should be ordering?
Anything and everything, you can't go wrong with a single item on that menu. Chef’s Bone marrow is seriously legit.

What would your idea of a nightmare food eating competition be?
Anchovies … ewwww. Ain't nobody got time fo dat!

And a little word to your competitors …
Chiggedy check yo'self before you wreck yourself.

You can cheer on Nicole as she takes on her fierce competitors at Lalla Rookh's Man v Meatball competition tomorrow, Thurs 23 April.  Entries open at 5pm and comp starts at 5.30pm.  

A CONVERSATION WITH - The Bao Bar

The dumpling obsession is universal.  From Polish pierogi, to gyoza in Japan and Italy’s love for ravioli, people the world over enjoy a good dumpling. So it was only a matter of time that some bright spark in Perth would dedicate a food stall to the humble gua-bao.

Literally translated to cut bread, gua-bao is a Taiwanese snack food usually comprised of braised meat and condiments sandwiched between fluffy, sweet white bread. Coincidentally, ‘bao’ rhymes with wow and it’s a steamed parcel of carbs, pork and magic that has everyone talking.      

So what does it take to reach Level 99 Bao Master?  I caught up with The Bao Bar’s Aaron Chew after steaming endless serves of bao at Whipper Snapper’s Small Batched whiskey and food fest, to find out how he went from making a killer packet of Mee Goreng at age 10 to running his own pop up.

You must have heard my cry for help, I've been longing for a specialty bao pop up.  What drove you to open The Bao Bar? 

The Chinese food in Perth is predominantly Cantonese style cuisine with some influences from Malaysia and Singapore cuisine. This is what we have all grown up with and it really has not evolved over the years. 

The Bao Bar was created to show the people of Perth the diversity that exists within Chinese culture, using food as the medium to share those stories. I want people to know that Chinese food is much more than just Dim Sum or your typical No. 34 Sweet and Sour Chicken.

The heart and soul of true Chinese cuisine lays within its street food.  It’s those daily staples in Chinese populated countries such as Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong, that really shine.  Bao (more specifically gua-bao) is the perfect vessel to showcase Chinese style street food.  Its already proven to be a popular concept abroad in America and all over in the eastern states.  Its about time Perth got their bao on!   

 So who is behind The Bao Bar?  

The Bao Bar is run by yours truly, Aaron Chew , Level 99 Bao Master (with a few amazing partners).  I’ve also been lucky enough to rope in a bunch of friends who take time out to help me in exchange for delicious bao and good times.   

Is this your first foray into the food world? 

Well my parents used to own a little Chinese takeaway joint Bentley "Chew's Chinese Takeaway" (10 points to anyone who actually can remember it or ever went there).  I spent my childhood years running around the place. Around the age of 10, I got acquainted with the kitchen experimenting with noodle soup, rice dishes, pasta and roast meats.  I could also make a mean packet of the infamous Mee Goreng!  But yes, The Bao Bar is my first flirtation with the real deal. 

What has inspired your menu offerings?

The menu is inspired by a plethora moments; from recipes which I have grown up with, to things which I have eaten throughout my life, and those discovered on my travels around the world. I wanted to take well known flavours in Chinese cuisine and give it a modern twist by serving it in a gua-bao. I’ve placed important on trying not to stray too far away from traditional flavours and always finding a way to relate it back to its original roots. If I fail to do that it defeats the whole purpose of what it is I'm trying to achieve. 

Obviously, you have been taste testing bao all over the world.  Can you name any that have just rocked your world? 

Hands down, Grandma's. 

And so, my last question, the mum test!  I know firsthand how critical Asian mums can be of honing your craft.  What has your mum thought of your baos? 

My mum is (and possibly forever will be) against the idea of opening up a pop up bao shop instead of being an accountant, doctor, engineer or lawyer. She on occasion has come in and eaten some of my baos and at times can be full of criticism, "why didn't you do this instead?", "why does it look so ugly?", "why you serve so much … are you trying to lose money?", it goes on and on. But lately she hasn't really said anything negative.  I’ll make bao and she would eat it, look at me and then walk away. I’m just going to take that as the best compliment! In my books, her response of silence is pretty much the equivalent of being awarded a Michelin Star.

TALKING EAT DRINK PERTH (whilst wearing drop crotch pants)

We're back for 2015! 

Last year Ai-Ling Truong (aka the Blue Apocalypse) and I started a little segment called The Food Alternative.  It airs each Tuesday at 6pm on RTRFM 92.1 during Drivetime with Simon and Anth.  Those guys basically drink beer and interview our guests whilst we do the hard yards ... researching potential stories, eating a lot (for research yeah?) and unearthing Perth's best kept secrets to share with you. 

We focus on WA's awesome foodie scene where great eats, drinks and passion meet and we love it! So far we have 37 episodes under our belts all of which you can find right right here. 

Every now and then Ai-Ling or myself will jump on air and this week I spoke with Simon and Anth about Eat Drink Perth.  If you missed Episode #37 you're forgiven as I am sure you were just in the toilet or something.  But never fear as you can jump online and listen to our restream. 

Here is a link to all the great events I mentioned:

• Get your bao on at Night Noodle Markets
• Experience the magic of a long table dinner curated by the talented Stacey Clark Stylist at the The Creatives - Autumn long table dinner this Saturday, 28 March
• Support local at Small Batched this Sunday at Whipper Snapper Distillery this Sunday.  A whiskey and food festival featuring new comers The Bao Bar, Beersine, Sue Lewis Chocolatier, Fervor, The Little Cheese Shop and more
• Learn how to cook the perfect steak at Meat Me In the City's meat masterclass
• Food Truck Rumble created by my co-producer Ai-Ling on Sunday, 12 April

EAT | SIXTEEN OUNCES (Victoria Park, WA)

sauerkraut and a lonely pickle

There has been a bit of a fermenting frenzy circling our office.  Kombucha bubbles at our desks and words such as scoby and kefir often fill the air. Fermentation is an ancient 8000-year-old practice, responsible for delights like kimchi, sauerkraut, yoghurt, wine and cheese and stinky stuff like nato (eewww).  

Since local fermentation goddess Lisa Thornton of Get Cultured pickled it up on air for our RTRfm 92.1 show The Food Alternative, my interest in pickling, fermenting and basically cramming anything into a jar quickly escalated into an obsession. So when I found both sauerkraut and a lonely pickle on my plate at Sixteen Ounces, I instantly called it love.

Bratwurst hollandaise is a pretty plate of streaky bacon, sauerkraut, shaved parmesan, gherkin, poached egg and greens for $16.80.  I ordered mine sans toast which is my idea of starting to watch what I eat in the new year (note I still had the hollandaise!)

The crew here use Five Senses Coffee and always put on a good brew.  We had a long mac (topped up) and flat white.

Sixteen Ounces' Farmhouse Brekky is everything you (okay .. or your ravenous boy who isn't bent up on the pickling phenomenom and who can happily eat bread three times day) have ever wanted in a big breakast.  Complete with double meat streaky bacon and bratwurst plus poached eggs, mushroom, baked tomato, greens and toast all for $21.50 which is pretty reasonable when it comes to morning delights in Perth.

TOP 10 | EAT DRINK PERTH

Eat Drink Perth is a celebration of Perth's evolving culinary scene running from 18 March to 25 April.  The  program well underway it’s time to get out your planner and enrich both your stomach and your soul.  Put on your buffet pants Perth! 

Image by Jasmine Dowling

Here are some events that I will be clearing my calendar for:

1. Later this month, the Cultural Centre will transform into Perth’s first Asian hawker hotspot, Night Noodle Market.  Delve into exotic flavours whilst uncovering a melting pot of Eastern cultures including Filipino, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese.
2. South African cuisine was a little hard to find until William Street’s Baby Mammoth swung open its doors.  I thought a recent work trip to South Africa would satiate my street food yearnings with a swagger of traditional dishes.  But in true work trip form, I was a slave to the hotel buffet and only dabbled in a few signature South African dishes, including a quirky bread loaf chicken curry strangely named ‘bunny chow’. I’m pretty excited to experience The Spice Route wine degustation at Baby Mammoth.
3. The gents at Whipper Snapper Distillery are putting on Small Batched, a collaborative event with some of WA’s finest purveyors. How on earth will they pair chocolate with Whipper Snapper’s signature moonshine, Crazy Uncle? Curious whiskey matches will be on offer by local Artisan Chocolatier Sue Lewis, plus 5 Senses Coffee, The Little Cheese Shop and the foraging team at Fervor.  
4. An evening with Fervor is one to behold. With a focus on native Australian ingredients, Head Chef Paul Iskov, curates a stunning menu using foraged wonders such as salt bush, quandong and paper bark. Often travelling to the regional corners of Australia, Fervor will leave behind a cloud of red dirt as they trek to the big smoke to create a unique dining experience in a secret location.
5. Take a nostalgic trip down memory lane at the Northbridge Piazza.  Northbridge Food and Wine – Then and Now will celebrate the rich history of Northbridge showing how the precinct has evolved over the years.
6. Since launching with a lights-off event in Sydney in 2007, the not-for-profit organisation Earth Hour has been on a mission to protect the planet.  As a prelude to the annual Earth Hour event, the Northbridge Piazza will play host to Earth Hour Healthy Food Theatre.  Hear stories from local farmers and the effects of global warming/. It’s the perfect evening for environmentally conscious foodies.
7. Growing up in the Swan Valley developed my soft spot for farmer’s markets from an early age.  There is nothing like buying your vegetables and produce from the family that grew them.  You will have that chance when the Perth Home Grown returns to Forrest Chase each Sunday.
8.  You need to add an evening with the enigmatic force behind OzHarvest to your bucket list.  After hearing Ronni Kahn speak at the launch of OzHarvest, I’ve been hanging to hear her once again. Ronni will join forces with local celebrity chef Ian Parmenter to talk sustainability at the Food for Thought Cooking Class.
9. Who else finds a trip to the butcher just a little daunting?  If you are keen to know your grain fed from your grass fed and how to cook the perfect steak, The Secrets of Beef Masterclass at Meat Me In the City is the event for you.
10. Chef Joel Valvasori’s family recipe for meatballs is the talk of the town.  For something a little daring and fun join fellow meatball madmen at Lalla Rookh for a crazy culinary challenge, Man v Meatball.  It’s an eating competition not to be missed.  You’ll find me cheering on the sidelines tucking into my own serve of meatball goodness.

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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Long live hot c*ck sauce!

Anywhere that has ample servings of Sriracha Sauce at the ready makes me smile.  There is something magical about hot c*ck sauce!

We popped into Mama Tran for a quick bite before a Wildcats game.  We have tried to institute date nights each Thursday, I think it lasted about 4 weeks.  Down with love. 

We always find ourselves going out for Vietnamese.  Its a fresh, cheap and reasonably healthy way to get food into your belly if you are in a rush.  We ordered the  bun cha gio ga nuong (vermicelli chicken salad with spring rolls), coated it in that wonderful red sauce and loved every bite.  

#ROTTNESTLOBSTER with the Taste Master

The first of the Experience Perth film series took Taste Master, Rich Keam, to Rottnest in search of fresh rock lobster.  

With a little help from local seafood legend Aristos, Rich and Kiren Mainwairing chef/owner of esteemed restaurants Co-Op Dining and Dear Friends, got their hands on some  beauties.  Fresh rock lobster is just perfect thrown on the barbecue on a Summer's afternoon.  When it comes to sourcing local produce, Kiren sure knows his stuff and effortlessly threw together a pretty amazing dish. 

Watch this video to remember why you should head to Rotto more often. 

Casa Mexicana - El Compa

Dining at this little cantina is like being welcomed into the home of your Mexican friend.    It's that house you visit and think gosh I wish I lived here. After all El Compa’s name translates to ‘Mexican house-best mate’. 

Warm and inviting with cheery plastic tables swathed with brown paper and crayons to scribble.  Not too trendy with not a sniff of tex-mex, El Compa is somewhere in the middle and it has found it's sweet spot.

Generous servings of guacamole and corn, soft tacos filled with carnita and cactus and sticky de luce drizzled over crepes.  A perfect little haunt for a cheap night out.   

Fin

When it comes to suspenseful films, I will find any excuse to leave the room.  I will iron your tea towels, darn your socks or polish every single piece of cutlery, one by one.  As soon as I draw in that short breath, pulse quickening, I will do any level of the mundane to take me away from that screen.  I would prefer to half watch, my mind wandering to a safer place. 

When the Spanish Film Festival season was released I excitedly selected a few films at random.  The End or 'Fin' to our Spanish speaking amigos, was at the top of that hastily chosen list.  I prefer to think of myself as a happy endings kind of girl.  I am particularly pathetic during thrillers, forever squirming at the unknown.  I simply hate being in suspense.

When the film synopsis reads that you will be 'glued to your seat right up until its last haunting moments' you know you are going to love it or hate it.  So I enlisted my friend Shanon; the suspense junkie.  I knew she would be keen to get her fix and wouldn't mind holding my hand.

The End tells the story of a group of old friends celebrating a 20 year reunion in a secluded mountain cabin.  It is a time to reminisce, drinking and telling stories around the bonfire.  They group catch up on lost moments and some they would rather forget.   A series of unexplained events occur, and it all gets a little eerie.  I won't give too much away!

The End is a movie that will keep you glued to the screen whether petrified or enthralled.  Definitely a film to watch this season so head down to Cinema Paradiso on Saturday, 22 June for it's final viewing. 

Great White

Da dummm. Imagine you are a young man frolicking with your girlfriend in the ocean one afternoon. You fight, she bites you and in a huff  swims to shore, retreating to the safety of the sand. It is cold, its bleak, some would even call it shark weather.  A drop of blood hits the water and a young girl appears from the darkness below.  She rises and says with a predatory glare ‘I am going to eat you’.  

Great White is a terrifying new play directed by Will O'Mahony bearing the tag line ‘ocean stillness dinner’.  A lot less Jaws, and a lot more thought provoking than its title may suggest.  Great White invites you into the Blue Room Theatre where the stage is a sea of balloons and blow-ups. 

A journey into an ocean of love, fear and life grasping with remorse and lost opportunities.  We follow Ben and not one but two Laurens as they struggle with the tick of time, themselves and each other.  What does it mean to be great?  And what is greatness after all.  Great White makes us stop and think, are you great or are you just dinner?  

The local cast of Adriane Daff, Mikala Westall and Will O’Mahony all gave an outstanding performance taking you from laughter to despair.   Definitely not the kind of carnage you expected.  

Great White will be the show this season that you will wish you had seen. This superb production is showing in the intimate surrounds of The Blue Room Theatre until29 June. This work was made pozible by a wonderful bunch of people who pledged their support.  Pozible is an awesome platform for crowdfunding creative projects such as this.   

‘GREAT WHITE started with a scribble and has grown into something with teeth’ Will O’Mahony.

Yee hawww!

If you are craving a dash of Canadian charm with your bottomless jar of iced tea, then head to Inglewood’s latest eatery for a comfort food fix.  This little piece of the US is the brainchild of Perth’s favourite Scotsman, Iain Lawless, and Liam Atkinson who spent a few years in the Rocky Mountains polishing up his Western ways in the kitchen.  Miss Kitty’s Saloon is full of all those things that make you smile and want to bootscoot.  Doughnuts, ribs for breakfast, poutine and fried chicken on waffles, what more could you ask for.

​

Miss Kitty's Saloon
​882 Beaufort Street
​Inglewood WA ​

Miss Kitty's Saloon

Miss Kitty's Saloon draws inspiration from the wild wild west serving up delights such as sticky tamarind ribs, frickles (yes .. fried pickles), devilled eggs and crunchy delicious fried chicken bits on a waffle bed.   And that is just for breakfast!  

The saloon is swiftly drawing enough cowboys to keep it rammed all week long so be sure to book.  The perfect place for well priced, tasty food with a Canadian twang or a drink after work.   ​

'Beautiful ... with a little bit of dirt'​

Rochelle Adonis

Mothers and Daughters high tea. Rochelle Adonis was the only option. Laughter, smiles, picture perfect high tea morsels amongst friends and the women who are your blood, soul and heart. Nothing short of sublime.

Savoury Roast red pepper soup, basil espuma Dolmades with saffron izabnch micro parsley Confit pork belly, pink lady gell, cerlapple* Bamboo charcoal ravioli, salmon mousse, beetroot salad hollandaise Classic cucumber sandwich

Palate Cleanser Raspberry and rhubarb paddle pop

Sweet Persimmon gallette with burnt honey and ginger cream Chocolate chestnut geniose Mint mousse, tangerine m-sponge, pomegranate and pistachio Liquorice "Meteorite" Italian meringue

Namh Thai

Possibly best described as next level Thai.  This is probably about my sixth visit and it only gets better.  The new renovation makes for a more intimate and relaxing dining experience. An elegant foyer, plenty of space to ooh and aahhh without your neighbours hearing too much.  It was the perfect place for a double date for my housemates belated birthday present.  I think $75 per head is really reasonable for the quality of food.  Hello happy tastebuds.   Happy birthday Lozzie! x

Galloping Horses little tasty duck jockeys riding pineapple and mandarin. Seared scallop curry on shell and crispy salmon flakes, julienned apple, herbs. Salt and spicy soft shell crab, grilled watermelon, herbs and lime dressing. Lime cured beef, roasted ground rice, Thai herbs.

Green curry of tiger prawns with apple eggplant, baby sweet corn, Thai basil. Caramelised crispy pork hock with a herb salad, chilli and lime dressing. Braised beef shin in aromatic spices with sweet potato and roasted peanuts. Thick red curry with roast duck, quail eggs and lychees.

Sticky rice with mango. Lime tart with coconut icecream. Banana sago. Mungbean dumplings.

Rochelle Adonis dessert degustation

My beautiful friend Holly has such a sweet tooth so for her 30th birthday I treated her to a dessert degustation at Rochelle Adonis.  So on a lovely Saturday night we took a few bottles of champagne and indulged in the sweet, sugary and surprisingly savoury dessert degustation.  It was truly a gorgeous experience and I would highly recommend you gather up the girls lots of bubbles and book a table.