EAT | VIET HOA (Northbridge, WA)

You're starting on Monday, so order all the things

I'm a firm believer in starting on a Monday.  Monday not only marks the mourning of the weekend, but it brings that pretty sparkle of hope to start anew with a whoooooole juicy week do things right. I have uttered those words … I'll start [enter new obsession] on Monday … so many times even I roll my eyes.

The latest obsession is to tighten up on dining out.  Work gets cray, the social calendar plumps up and the fridge grows bare, evenings at bikram turn into nights at Brika, Monday comes round and we've been out every night.  It gets exhausting and there is only so much kombucha a girl can drink before she needs to slow down a little on the degustations.  I'm not saying there will be a gastronomic drought or that you won't find new blog posts each week, just going to spend a little more time in.  My aim for the new year to get back into the kitchen, find my inner yogi and spend more time enjoying the sunshine (and not in a beer garden somewhere enjoying pizza, okay well that's a lie).

So with this on my conscience, as anyone in my position would do, I crammed in as many eating adventures as my digestive system could handle before Monday rolled in.  It had been a long time between stuffed chicken wings so we thought Viet Hoa in Northbridge would be perfect for lunch.  We ordered all the things (well except the stuff chicken wings) cos I'm starting on Monday.

Sang chow bow chicken - I love adding mountains of chilli and then eating half the chicken before wrapping it up it like a little lettuce sandwich. 

Bun bo xao - braised beef with lemon grass and rice vermicelli.  I found the rice noodles a little too thick for my liking. The crispy roast duck with peking sauce ain't got nothing on Good Fortune Duck House across the road.  Considering we paid only $53 for the whole meal, you can't really complain.  I love this about Viet Hoa - if you want cheap and cheerful it always delivers.  

Com ga hai nam - Hai Nam chicken rice is a pretty healthy dish if you want something simple and light. The best chicken rice I have ever eaten aside from my Nanna's cooking is Tian Tian Chicken Rice in Singapore.  If you are looking for chicken rice in Perth, then Tak Chee on William Street is the answer, followed far behind by Singapore Chicken Rice at the Coventry Markets. 

EAT | TAK CHEE HOUSE (Northbridge, WA)

The only place for authentic Hainanese chicken rice is Tak Chee House.   

EAT | BIVOUAC (Northbridge, WA)

Whether its a quick meal before a show or a long lazy dinner with friends, Bivs is always 10/10. 

A warm hug

The secret to this big bowl of love, also known as Pho, is the quality of the stock.  Lately we have been getting our weekly dose of warm hugs from Lido in Northbridge.  
 
Where do you love to tuck into Pho?     

The Bivs

'A bivouac is designed for rest and recuperation and that’s what we’re all about.'

Many a night have seen us take shelter at Bivouac, hiding from the merciless amount of dishes I create whilst cooking and the food shop that I should have done yesterday.  

The menu boasts Middle Eastern flavours, with delicious little pomegranate gems finding their way through many dishes.  The Bivs, as we affectionately call it, is the perfect place to retreat with friends.

Last time we tucked into:  

porcini & goat cheese croquettes, truffle mayo
pizza ~ sucuk turkish sausage, red pepper, wild iranian fig, ricotta, dukkah
spiced cauliflower, goat curd, currants
 slow cooked beef cheeks, jester potato, brussel sprouts, braising liquor, carrot jam & harissa
 egyptian spiced panna cotta, dried persian fruit compote, candied popcorn

Viet Hoa

The drop in mercury has cravings for hot soup and comforting food emerge.   ​We dropped into Viet Hoa for chicken rice and hot beef noodle soup.  I should really say hot beef spaghetti soup as there was something oddly Italian about my noodles. 

The little tough girl

I am pretty sure this little tough girl is featured on the back of La Cholita's business cards.  I do love the atmosphere of La Cholita; loud, always busy with its endless shelves heaving with tequilas and mezcals. 

​We started the party with the usual offerings of tacos and tostadas.  Washing down the always satisfying queso and chorizo quesadillas with a tamarind soda.  The food here is always tasty and pushing the right buttons however, I was a little sad that our pork hock was allowed to leave so early!  The naughty piggy you should have stayed cooking for another two hours. You would (should) have been oh so tender! 

Bivouac

Pizza time!

duck me

Best peking duck pancakes in town. Do you agree?

Happy 1st Birthday Bivouac!

They sure know how to put on a party! My life would not be the same without all those special meals and moments at Bivouac. Happy birthday guys, here's to another amazing year ahead! x

Viet Hoa

Sometimes you just don't want to do dishes. So you just go for chicken rice.

DIM SIM CAFE

This was my first visit to Dim Sim Cafe on William Street.  Clean, fresh and perfectly cooked squid tentacles.  It is always nice to yum cha with someone who knows exactly what to order and can pronounce it correctly.  Except for the fact that Abstract Gourmet is a hell of a lot whiter and well ... not even Asian.

Embed Block

Add an embed URL or code. Learn more

Bivouac

Sometimes I think ... where did I eat before Bivouac opened?  We find ourselves returning time and time again.  ​

We kickstarted dinner with a serve of porcini mushroom and gruyere croquettes jalapeno aioli with a bottle Inedit. Inedit carries the meaning 'never been done before'.  A beer skillfully crafted by the brewmasters of Estrella Damm in collaboration with Ferran Adria, Juli Soler and Sommelier Ferran Centelles and David Seijas from ElBulli Restaurant.   Created solely for the purpose of being enjoyed with food.  Upon first sip, Inedit is quite subtle and light on the palate but paired with food it is pure bliss.  It cut through the oily crunch of the croquettes and each sip magnified with each bite. 

Gnocchi would have to be my favourite vice. There are only a handful of restaurants in Perth where I only have eyes for these little pillows of potato. Bivouac is currently leading the pack. There is some pretty fking amazing gnocchi coming out of the kitchen at the Biv. Pan-fried pillows of perfection served with blue cheese, kale and walnuts, the richness and depth offset with the sweetness of caramelised pears. Heaven is a perfect bite of all these flavours.

We also shared another favourite "la tagliata', a whopping 300g aged sirloin perched atop smashed potatoes and kohlrabi puree and then drenched with a pedro ximenez reduction. The meat cooked just right and the flavours almost overwhelming.

We then followed up this feast with a decadent serve of creme catalan and rolled back home.

Bivouac

 

sweet potato and cinnamon frites grilled haloumi, shaved cucumber, rocket, pomegranate, almonds and sherry vinaigrette pan-fried gnocchi, caramelised pear, blue cheese, kale, walnuts crispy linley valley pork belly, pickled cabbage and apple salad, silician olives orange cake

Shanghai Tea Garden

The food here was tasty.  A little TOO tasty.  I hate msg hangovers.

Bivouac

Bouzy breakfast at Bivouac is fast becoming tradition. Best porridge of my life greatly enhanced by wonderful company.  Yes Aaron Rutter YOU!  I am just over the moon (and then some) to be working with team at Jump Climb a whole lot more.  I just know they will be radcakes in their new role as Directors of the Beaufort Street Festival.  I am pretty sure all our meetings will be over food.  Bliss. Aaron's "local yolkal" menu choice prompted many eggcellent jokes. What a crack up ..

Local Yolkal ~ linley valley organic free range bacon and eggs cooked to your liking, toasted turkish bread + bloody mary

Porridge courage ~ date and pistachio porridge, toasted coconut, poached rhubarb and organic vanilla yoghurt

Viet Hoa

cheap and cheerful

Jus Burgers

I swear I always end up wearing my food. Our friends Chris and Tay showed us the double stick method.  Use two skewers to keep burger fillings in order and then cut.  Keep the sticks in place whilst you elegantly eat your burger.  I only remembered them saying "watch the pointy ends" when I had already punctured my gums.

Onion rings with aioli. Original beef ~ Amelia Park beef, MSA approved, hormone-free - chargrilled with creamed horseradish and balsamic onions Mullet ~ Amelia Park beef, MSA approved, hormone-free - chargrilled with bacon, beetroot, cheddar cheese and free-range egg.