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.

EAT | HARVEST ESPRESSO (Victoria Park, WA)

Its little cafes like this that ensure I step out of the comfort zone and venture outside the shire of Mt Lawley. Harvest Espresso is the kind of place you want to call your local.    

You will spot this bustling gem by the throngs of people standing outside, patiently waiting for a table. Clutching the menu wide eyed with  grumbling tummies, wondering what to order, they would all tell you its definitely worth the wait. 

The team at Harvest Espresso serve up serious coffee and the prettiest plates.  The beef tongue was possibly one of the hottest breky plates captured on Instagram this Spring.  Served up on a delightfully fluffy grilled polenta, sauce gribiche, gorgeous poached eggs with the brightest puddles of yoke and a crunchy sprinkling of rye and mixed seed.

Kettle Cafe

Every pocket of the globe needs a great local cafe.  Somewhere to walk to on a Sunday morning knowing the smell of coffee and a paper await.  Kettle Cafe has recently popped up in Lathlain much to the delight the locals piling in for honest home cooked fare.   

Our friends who all live close have been singing Kettle's praises since it opened.  Breakfasts are my favourite catch ups so we quickly snapped up the opportunity to check it out.  The cafe has a breezy neighbourhood feel with warm furnishings and welcoming staff.  There are cosy and intimate tables for lovebirds, larger tables for groups and the rustic communal table is perfect for spreading out the paper.  The rugrat friendly corner is right by the low, lounge style seating for parents to enjoy their meal whilst the little ones play.   

The breakfast menu is short and simple and the counter filled with sweets and muffins for those wanting a sweeter start to the day.  

I can never understand my boyfriend at breakfast time.  He always orders what I think is the boring option, this time the classic free range eggs poached with avocado and bacon which was wolfed down in seconds. The lemon and thyme polenta served with creamy mushrooms, rocket, thick shavings of parmesan and a drizzle of basil oil caught my eye so I added a serve of poached eggs on top.  It was warming and hearty, tasting like a Winter breakfast should. 

 Kettle Cafe is a quaint little cafe just perfect for this corner of the world. 

Breakfast Beer + Doughnuts

Beer and doughnuts at breakfast?  Yeah why not.  The Precinct is always full of such lovely surprises known for adding twists to old classics.  It is not often I stray into this part of town but my experiences at The Precinct have always been good ones.  It has all the makings of a wonderful local and yet it also worth the trek.  Friendly knowledgeable staff, lots of room to move about, an innovative drinks menu and beautiful creative food.   

We thought we would forego the usual Sunday order of a Bloody Mary, opting for the recommended Moa Breakfast Beer.  It was clean, lightly dancing on the palate.  Full of berry flavours reminiscent of a packet of strawberries and cream.  

Tay and I ordered the French toast served soft and fluffy laden with aromatic exotic mushrooms, punchy rocket dotted with fresh herbs and labne.  I had a day of dining ahead so I welcomed this lighter style dish.  The boys opted for eggs on toast adding side dishes to pimp their plates.  

I just love the slow eggs and sous vide scrambled eggs at The Precinct.  They are carefully and gently cooked on a low heat to which results in such a silky texture.  It isn't for everyone but I love my eggs runny.  There is nothing worse than a hard yoke!  

We shared a serve of caramel doughnuts which  were just out of this world!  The sugary doughnut balls were injected with salted caramel served with a delicate espresso chantilly cream to dunk them in.  Such a cheeky option if you are looking for something sweet at breakfast.  We just ordered one serve between six each savouring the decadent few bites, which after a fulfilling  meal is really more than enough.  

Beer and doughnuts on a Sunday morning .. what more could you want?

The Precinct

Nestled in the heart of Vic Park this little eatery is fast becoming a favourite.  We celebrated Karina's belated birthday breakfast at The Precinct.  Warm and inviting with an organic relaxed feel serving up fresh seasonal produce with it's own little twist.  A winning formula that it is most certainly working well with the place bustling of full tables and happy patrons.

We did have to wait a little for our orders which I have come to expect on a Sunday with a full house.  The wait was worth every minute and it's always nice to ogle your plate with a rumbling tummy. My green eggs and ham were presented in such a kooky fashion  that Dr Seuss himself would be proud.  The spinach foam was delicate and bursting with flavour, and the eggs perfectly set.  Toasties crammed with peanut butter, bacon and banana were beckoning so we ordered a serve to all share.  I think I have found my new hangover go to.  The bean cassoulet and herbed soft polenta were both tasty, wholesome dishes.

Thank you for another charming experience.  We will be back.

• green eggs & ham, confit tomatoes 18
• peanut butter, bacon, banana toasty 10
• breakfast cassoulet, beans, slow cooked eggs, pork 20
• slow cooked eggs, soft polenta, confit tomatoes 16 + bacon 4

The Precinct

The Precinct is fast becoming a favourite.

fries, pepper ketchup skirt steak, fries, vegies, cola jus lamb duo, walnut spatzle chocolate banana pie

The Prophet

The Prophet is the kind of place you tell all your friends about.  For $40 you get everything seen below (except for the Turkish delight).  Just don't eat too much pita bread .. by the time the kebabs hit the table you are already one bite away from a food coma.  We had a lovely night celebrating my bf's mama's birthday.  Cheap and cheerful dinner complimented by a bottle of French celebratory champagne.

The Precinct

You had me at "try the brown ale paired with lamb sliders". It is always reassuring when the wait staff know way more than you. So already my first impression of The Precinct was a big thumbs up. I love the layout of The Precinct. Warm and welcoming making you want to bring a hungry bunch and huddle around the round table sharing copious bottles of wines. The staff are just ace. They know the menu and are pretty good at reading people. Once word gets out this place will be packed all the time. Nice to venture a little east of the city for a change. This place is perfect at both ends of the spectrum. From lazy eats with one or two to a special birthday with an armful of friends.

The charcuterie board was a great selection of offerings. I love picky food where you sample bits and pieces. It's like looking into the chefs mind to see what he is a little obsessed with at the moment. The rabbit really stood out, it's richness perfectly matched with tart little cornichons and the sweet toasted fruit bread. Chicken liver parfait was silky and rich. Our sticky turkey wings were a nice surprise. Typical of turkey the meat was a little dry but the texture almost vanished when wrapped in that crisp caramelised skin.

I love that junk food has been reincarnated into dude food sporting seasonal produce. Out with overpriced "tapas" in with tummy filling dude food. The little lamb sliders (on three different buns) were like gnawing on crispy lamb chops straight off the barbeque. Nom nom.

Everyone had been raving about the gnocchi so it was on the top of my hit list. I really loved the marriage flavours but I am deinitely a fluffy pillow kind of girl. My bf said I was just being fussy and he thought the density of the gnocchi balanced out the light creamy sauce. I still ate my fair share of the plate though!

We ended on a sweet note with decadent chocolate truffles and a little ten year old french drop "mas amiel cuvee" walking away full, happy and only $150 down.

Pretty damn good The Precinct. See you again on Thursday!

brooklyn brown ale (x3) charcuterie plate lamb sliders trio turkey wings, chilli and lime gnocchi, almonds, pulled pork drunkin truffles mas amiel cuvee speciale 10YO, france (x2) espresso and flat white

The Imp

Vic Park always feels a little out of the way but I really do need to venture into this neck of the woods more often.   Alisha and I rarely catch up but when we do we order, eat and ramble like as old friends do.

I feel as though I missed the window to dine at The Imp.  It is almost like I am a little late, like I arrived at a party when half of the guests had already left.  If I do not visit within the first three months I always feel a little jaded by all that I have heard.  Rather than be fed by the stories of others, I always prefer to arrive at a venue with a clear head without the order this and don't order that swimming around inside my head. 
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I am always a little forlorn at the news the crispy pork belly was off the menu.  However,  the beef shin came with recommendation and served with charred spring onions and sticky soy sauce.  The meat just melted in your mouth and sinfully sweet goo was joy.  We also ordered the duck and fig frittata bites served with rocket and truffle oil and finished chatting over a cheeseboard.

My photos are so horrendous but you get the drift.  The Imp is a great little spot for an easy and tasty dinner with long lost friends.