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Perth: Swan Valley Breweries Guide

27 January 2015

Perth’s Swan Valley has been famous for its wines for many years however over the past decade the number of Swan Valley breweries has increased, resulting in a situation where there’s just as much reason to visit the region for its beer as well as its wine. Western Australia is where Australia’s craft beer scene began and its craft beers are still regarded as some of the best in the country. From familiar favourites to new experimental beers, there’s really something for every beer drinker in the Swan Valley. If you ever find yourself in Perth, here’s a run-down of what’s on offer.

Feral Brewing Company

The family owned and run Feral Brewing Company is the most famous of the Swan Valley breweries, having built quite the reputation Australia-wide since launching in 2002. Their Hop Hog has won many awards over the past years and for good reason – it’s a refreshing hoppy beer that is perfect for those crossing over into the world of craft beer who want something more flavoursome and exciting than they’re used to but aren’t yet ready to jump into the deep end.

As well as Feral’s standard beers, there are always a range of interesting beers on tap including creations such as the Watermelon Warhead (a Berliner Weiss infused with fresh watermelons), the Fantapants (an Imperial Red IPA that actually tastes like Fanta) and various seasonal releases and “one-off” brewpub releases too. Feral aren’t afraid to try new things and if you’re keen to expand your craft beer palate and discover something new, this is the place to visit.

Be warned, this place can get very busy but the beers are well worth any wait at the bar.

Feral Brewing Company

152 Haddrill Road
Baskerville
Western Australia 6056
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9296 4657
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.feralbrewing.com.au/

Open
Mon – Thu: 11:00am to 5:00pm
Fri – Sat: 11:00am to late
Sun: 11:00am to 8:00pm

Homestead Brewery

Homestead Brewery is the new kid on the block, and is by far the most visually impressive of the Swan Valley breweries. Built as part of Mandoon Estate winery, no expense has been spared with the large, family friendly space containing high ceilings, sleek, modern finishes, and lots of shiny new German-manufactured Schulz brewing equipment in plain sight. Head brewer Ron Feruglio was co-founder and head brewer at Melbourne’s Temple Brewing Company and has a lot of experience behind him. At the moment he’s working on getting the core beers just right and what I’ve read about future plans at Homestead indicate that there are some exciting experimental beers to come.

I didn’t eat at Homestead Brewery but, unlike some of the other breweries in the area, a glance at the menu and the food on the tables around me indicated that the food coming out of head chef Michael Hartnell’s kitchen was anything but an afterthought. For wine lovers, the cellar door is located directly next door to the brewery.

Homestead Brewery undoubtedly sets a new standard for breweries in the Swan Valley, and if this is the future of the region, there are very good times ahead.

Homestead Brewery

10 Harris Road
Caversham
Western Australia 6055
Australia

Telephone: (08) 6279 0500
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.mandoonestate.com.au/homestead/

Open
Mon – Thu: 10:00am to 5:00pm
Fri: 10:00am to late
Sat: 7:30am to late
Sun: 7:30am to 5:00pm

Mash Brewing

Mash Brewing is another well regarded Swan Valley brewery that’s been around for a while now. Its beers can be found across Australia these days, with a a core range of beers complimented by seasonal and more experimental releases.

The 1200 litre brewing systems is in full view behind the bar and it’s a spot that’s quite popular with families with its down to earth, casual atmosphere. The food is passable pub grub, but the real reason to visit Mash is the beer – in my opinion their core range is one of the best on offer in the Swan Valley.

Mash Brewing

10250 West Swan Road
Henley Brook
Western Australia 6055
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9296 5588
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mashbrewing.com/

Open
Mon – Tue: 11:00am to 5:00pm
Wed – Thu: 10:00am to 9:00pm
Fri – Sat: 11:00am to 10:00pm
Sun: 11:00am to 9:00pm

Duckstein Brewery

Duckstein Brewery is another stalwart of the Swan Valley and takes a different tact to the aforementioned breweries. The focus here isn’t on experimental beers, but rather a core range of German beers such as Hefeweiss, Pilsner, Dunkel and Altbier, which compliment the German food on offer. The beers stick to Reinheitsgebot (the German Purity Law of 1516) and use only barley, hops, water and yeast in their production. Come Oktoberfest, a few special beers are made available and the venue takes on even more of a German vibe. Prost!

Duckstein Brewery

10250 West Swan Road
Henley Brook
Western Australia 6055
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9296 0620
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.duckstein.com.au/

Open
Sun – Thu: 11:00am to 5:00pm
Fri – Sat: 11:00am to 9:00pm

Ironbark Brewery

Ironbark Brewery offer a range of craft beers and ciders, along with a pub-style menu that specialises in wood fired pizza. Along with the core range of beers, there are a range of seasonal beers on offer such as cherry ale, mango beer and dessert lime lager.

I haven’t actually drank or eaten here before, but when I popped my head in the place was quite lively with live music outside and a number of groups enjoying themselves.

Ironbark Brewery

55 Benara Road
Caversham
Western Australia 6055
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9377 4400
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://ironbarkbrewery.com.au/

Open
Wed – Thu: 10:30am to 5:30am
Fri – Sun: 10:30pm to 6:00pm

Elmar’s In The Valley

Elmar’s In The Valley is Swan Valley brewery that’s been around since 2005, and like Duckstein the beer here is not experimental, but rather a core German range produced according to Reinheitsgebot. Pilsner, weissbier, bock and rauch are some of the styles that can be found on the taps at Elmars and, while none of the beers are particularly unique, they are very tasty, being exactly what you’d expect from a good example of each style.

Food wise it’s German favourites that come out of the kitchen of German chefs Steffen Hoeer and Sebastian Kaiser.

Elmar’s In The Valley

8731 West Swan Road
Henley Brook
Western Australia 6055
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9296 6354
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.elmars.com.au/

Open
Wed – Thu: 11:00am to 4:00am
Fri – Sat: 11:00am to 10:00pm
Sun: 11:00am to 8:30pm

What’s your favourite brewery in Western Australia? Do you have a favourite WA beer?

Chilli Blueberry Plum Sauce: Recipe

Paul

24 January 2015

Wondering what to do with those plums that are going soft towards the end of their life? How about making a chilli blueberry plum sauce? This recipe has the subtle flavour of blueberry added to it along with a decent chilli kick. A versatile sauce that works well as an addition to many dishes.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes / Cooking Time: 2 hours / Serves n/a

Ingredients

1 tsp (5g) ginger, ground
1 tsp (5g) allspice
1 tsp (5g) cinnamon, ground
1 tbsp (15g) white sugar
juice of ¼ lemon
4 large, yellow flesh plums
2 tbsp (30g) blueberry jam
1 birds eye chilli, seeded & finely chopped

Method

Remove the skin and seeds from the plums.
Put the plums into a small saucepan, place it onto the stove on a medium heat and stir/mush up the plums.
Add the ginger, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, lemon juice, jam and chilli and stir.
Once everything is combined, you should have quite a watery mixture.
Reduce to a simmer and allow the sauce to reduce – you want to end up with a thick sauce, about a third of the volume you began with. This takes about 2 hours. Make sure you stir it occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the saucepan or burns.
Blend together the mixture with a stick blender or in a small food processor until you have a smooth, consistent sauce.
Use the sauce straight away or allow it to cool before putting it into a jar/container and refrigerating. It will keep for up to 6 months in the fridge.

Notes

You can taste the sauce after step 4 and add additional sugar and spices to suit your own taste.

You don’t have to add in the chilli if you don’t like. Alternatively if you want it even hotter, throw in the seeds – it’s completely up to you.

This sauce goes really well with duck and Asian greens like bok choy but you can really use it with anything – I quite like it with a nice thick cut porterhouse steak.

Red Cabbage, Dill & Feta Salad: Recipe

Paul

18 January 2015

If you’re looking for something quick and surprisingly filling, this raw red cabbage, dill & feta salad might just fit the bill. I find red cabbage to be a woefully underrated ingredient, with many people scarred by childhood memories of over-boiled cabbage which was anything but delicious. It’s a shame because eaten raw with the right flavour combinations, red cabbage is a versatile, healthy, tasty vegetable.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes / Cooking Time: 5 minutes / Serves 4-6

Ingredients

half a red cabbage (about 450g), finely chopped
juice of ½ lemon
25g dill, finely chopped
100g feta cheese, cubed 1cm x 1cm
50g pine nuts, roasted
3 tbsp (45ml) extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Method

Mix together the cabbage, dill and lemon juice in a large bowl.
Bring your frying pan up to a medium heat on the stove with just a dash of olive oil and throw in the pine nuts. Toss the pine nuts every few seconds until they start to roast and turn brown. As soon as they turn brown, take them off the heat – these things go from lightly roasted to burned surprisingly fast!
Add the pine nuts, feta and extra virgin olive oil to the bowl, mix well and serve.

Notes

If you have a food processor, use it to finely chop the cabbage. To get the cabbage as fine as it needs to be using just a knife is a thankless, time-consuming task.

This salad works well as a main – it’s healthy and surprisingly filling but if you want you can also serve smaller portions of it as a side dish.

South Melbourne Night Market 2015: Upcoming Event

Paul

15 January 2015

The South Melbourne Night Market returns in 2015 from 15 January to 5 March featuring hawker-style food, pop-up stalls, live entertainment and music.

On the food front a number of food stalls and trucks will be featured including White Guy Cooks Thai, Chingon Taco Truck, Overdosa, Greek Street Food, The Snag Society, Happy Camper Pizza and Yogurddiction. Many of the restaurants on Cecil street will also be open and offer alfresco dining for visitors.

Music wise, a range of local artists will be featured spanning a wide variety of genres, including Whitaker, Mighty Duke & The Lords, La Rumba, Funk Buddies and Sarah Carnegie.

There will also a be a range of pop-up stores featuring the works of local independent designers and artists, as well as activities for young children.

I visited last year’s South Melbourne Night Market and based on that experience and the above, the 2015 edition looks like it’ll be well worth visiting. For more details check out the official website.

South Melbourne Night Market

When: Each Thursday evening, from 15 January to 5 March, 5:30pm to 9:30pm

Entry: Free

Where: South Melbourne Market, Under the Verandahs, Coventry & Cecil Streets, South Melbourne

Melbourne: Where I Ate In 2014 (Part 2)

Paul

13 January 2015

With 2014 now behind us, it’s customary for me to do up a post collating some of the cafes and restaurants I ate at over the year that, for one reason or another, never got a full review on The City Lane. There’s simply too much to write about each year to give everything its own post, however this doesn’t mean that a place that’s on this list isn’t worth visiting. In fact, some of my favourite places to eat at in Melbourne have appeared on these lists before.

Hopefully you discover a spot you weren’t aware of and, if you have visited any of the places below, I’d love to know what you thought. You can find Part 1 of the 2014 guide from back in June here.

5 & Dime Bagels

I’ve been a big fan of Zev Foreman’s 5 & Dime Bagels ever since I first tried one at Bowery to Williamsburg. The bagels have proven to be very popular and for good reason – they’re arguably the best example of a proper, New York style bagel that you’ll find in Melbourne. They taste great, and have that just-right soft, springy texture.

As well as supplying several Melbourne eating spots with his hand rolled, boiled and baked bagels, you’ve been able to get them a various farmers markets around Melbourne. They always sell out really quickly at the farmers markets with demand always exceeding supply. Thankfully Foreman has opened up his own café in the CBD with a much bigger production facility and kitchen – you can see all of the action from the café section courtesy of a massive glass wall that separates the space.

Along with Promised Land coffee, there are of course the bagels which are available in a variety of flavours and with a variety of fillings. Plain with peanut butter and jelly, Raisin and cinnamon with butter, Dill with cured salmon, cream cheese, tomato and avocado are just a few of the combinations available, with customers given the chance to mix and match as they please. Oh, and the delicious meats and fish are all smoked in house too.

You can also grab a bunch of bagels to take away, which is something I always do as, unlike many things which never quite taste the same when you defrost them, these bagels freeze brilliantly and taste just as good when you thaw them out as they do when they are fresh.

5 & Dime Bagels

16 Katherine Place
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9621 2128
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://5dimebagel.com.au/

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:00am to 3:00pm

Akachochin

Akachochin is named after the red lanterns that can be found hanging outside of Izakayas in Japan. A variety of traditional dishes and more modern creations are served up by head chef Kengo Hiromatsu with a focus on technique.

Like most Japanese restaurants in Australia, there’s a certain level of modification for western palates – for example the pork used in the tonkatsu is quite thin and the crumbing more dense then what you find in Japan. Having said that, the flavours are spot on and, combined with an impressive range of sake and knowledgable, efficient staff, one doesn’t leave Akachochin disappointed.

Akachochin

33 Dukes Walk
South Wharf
Victoria 3006
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9245 9900
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.akachochin.com.au/

Open
Tue – Sun: 12:00pm to 4:00pm; 6:00pm to late

Brother Burger & The Marvellous Brew

Burgers and craft beer is the claim to fame of Brother Burger & The Marvellous Brew and, being a big fan of both, I was keen to see if it lived up to its promise. Inside the long, open space which is well designed for both solo and group dining I ordered my food along with the rest of my group and the consensus was unanimous. The burgers are decent, and the range of beers is decent.

Are these the best burgers in Melbourne? No. Is the selection of craft beers on offer amongst the best in Melbourne? No. Would I come here again? Absolutely. Sometimes a place doesn’t need to be the best, it just needs to serve decent food and have a good atmosphere and Brother Burger & The Marvellous Brew falls squarely in this camp.

Brother Burger & The Marvellous Brew

413 Brunswick Street
Fitzroy
Victoria 3065
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9419 0088
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.brotherburger.com.au/

Open
Sun – Thu: 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Fri – Sat: 12:00pm to 11:00pm

The Grain Store

The Grain Store dishes up “honest cooking” with a focus on fresh ethically sourced, seasonal Australian ingredients and European techniques. The result is delicious food that tastes the way its supposed to. The homely interior has an almost cottage kitchen barn look about it which suits ethos of the food well and, if you can’t eat in, the takeaway range is quite impressive too – the pear and dark chocolate Danish and a St Ali coffee to-go is a favourite combo of mine.

The Grain Store

517 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9972 6993
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.grainstore.com.au/

Open
Lunch:
Mon – Fri: 7:00am to 4:00pm
Sat – Sun: 8:00am to 4:00pm
Dinner:
Wed – Sat: 6:00pm to 9:30pm

Little Creatures Geelong

Ok so this isn’t actually in Melbourne but hey, it’s close enough. Being from Perth, and having visited the original Little Creatures Brewery in Fremantle several times, I’d been wanting to visit the newer Geelong outpost for a while. As much as it pains me to say this, Little Creatures Geelong really does surpass the original back home.

The entirety of an old wool store has been taken over and no space has been wasted. The interior is spacious and includes the same beers and decent pub food that can be found in the Fremantle and Brunswick outposts. There’s a lot of outdoors seating and the whole place is very family friendly – there’s even a play ground for the kids. On weekends there’s an art and craft market too where locals sell all kinds of wares. Overall it’s a really great spot.

Little Creatures Geelong

221 Swanston Street
South Geelong
Victoria 3220
Australia

Telephone: (03) 5202 4009
Email: n/a
Website: https://littlecreatures.com.au/

Open
Mon – Tue: 10:00am to 5:00pm
Wed – Fri: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Sat – Sun: 8:00am to 10:00pm

Pho24

Pho24 serves up a variety of Vietnamese dishes but the main focus in the Pho which is served up in “under a minute”. I was invited to sample Pho24’s menu late last year and was interested in seeing just how Pho24 pulled off Vietnamese “fast food”.

Pho24 might have originated as a concept in Vietnam but the food served at Pho24 is very much modified for western tastes. Don’t take this as meaning that the food tasted bad – the ingredients used are fresh and still very much Vietnamese ingredients – the food is decent, it’s just not authentic. This is why context is important when talking about Pho24. At the blogger event we were told a story by one of the owners of an older couple who had walked in and had never before eaten Vietnamese food. They were attracted by the modern, funky design of the space and walked in. Seeing beef fillet instead of tendon on the Pho menu for example meant that they were willing to give it a shot and thoroughly enjoyed their meal. This is the sort of market that Pho24 is aiming for, not well travelled foodies.

Go to Pho24 looking for authentic Vietnamese food and you’ll be disappointed however when you walk out of Southern Cross station and look at your nearest options for fast food, you’ll see where Pho24 has a role to play as it’s undoubtedly better than the other quick options in the immediate vicinity.

Pho24

656 Little Bourke Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 5915 9047
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://pho24.net.au/

Open
Mon – Wed: 7:00am to 9:00pm
Thu: 7:00am to 9:30pm
Fri: 7:00am to 10:00pm
Sat: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Sun: 10:00am to 9:00pm

Shortstop Donuts

Shortstop Donuts was perhaps one of the most anticipated small openings of 2014, with 16,000 Instagram followers pre-launch just one indication of the hype that surrounded this place before it opened. The concept is simple, with owners Anthony Ivey and Sinye Ooi aiming to sell Melbourne’s best donuts along with great coffee. In fact, Ivey travelled around the US, sampling the best donuts and meeting chefs in Los Angeles, New York, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver and San Francisco in order to perfect his recipes.

The menu is dead simple with either white or black coffee espresso or filter available, and 4 different types of donuts – raised, crueller, filled and cake. Raised and filled are the donuts that you’re used to while cake is made from cake crumb batter and crueller is made from choux pastry.

Exactly which combination of donuts is available depends on what’s fresh when you walk in – the be guaranteed a certain flavour you can pre-order online the day before. I tried the red velvet and the earl grey and rose – both cake donuts that were utterly divine. The earl grey, which had lemon myrtle injected into it and a rose petal and rose water icing was amazing.

Lives up to the hype.

Shortstop Donuts

12 Sutherland Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: n/a
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.short-stop.com.au/

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Sat: 9:30am to 3:30pm

T By LuxBite

South Yarra favourite LuxBite have recently opened T By LuxBite in Melbourne’s CBD. The “T” stands for Tarts and there is a rotating selection of 10 tarts on offer daily, along with a range of macarons. Bernard Chu and Yen Yee are also bringing across their philosophy of combining French technique with Asian influences. Think Pandan or Oolong macarons and Calamansi-lime curd tarts with jackfruit and chilli salt. I’ve tried a few things from here and can’t say that I’ve ever been anything other than completely satisfied.

T By LuxBite

2/517 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9629 9662
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://tbyluxbite.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sun: 8:00am to 6:00pm

Hakata Gensuke

Hakata Gensuke has built quite the cult following as one of the best ramen joints to open up in the recent ramen craze that has swept Melbourne. I’d not eaten any ramen since my last visit to Japan so very interested in seeing what the fuss was all about. Joining the queue to sample Fukuoka master chef Kousuke Yoshimura’s tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen I was handed a sheet on which to write my order – one of 4 types of tonkotsu ramen with a choice of noodle thickness, a variety of additions (like nori, soft boiled egg) and a choice of gyoza or chicken karaage on the side.

When I got inside and my food arrived with Japanese efficiency and I wasn’t disappointed, with the flavour and creaminess of the broth being exactly what I expect from a tonkotsu ramen. Serving sizes are on the small side, and you’ll probably want extra noodles or meat but overall, I can see why there are lines.

Hakata Gensuke

168 Russell Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9663 6342
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.gensuke.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sun: 12:00pm to 3:00pm; 5:00pm to 9:00pm

Sparrow’s Philly Cheese Steaks

The Philly Cheesesteak is something that I’ve not come across since I was actually in Philadelphia and got one at the famous Jim’s. I remember it being embarrassingly indulgent and tasty so when I heard about Sparrow’s Philly Cheesesteaks opening up inside on of the back rooms of craft beer venue Catfish I was intrigued to see what they were serving up.

Geno Sparrow, a Philidelphia native can be found in the kitchen cooking up the cheesesteaks which vary from the classic with American or provolone cheese and a few others like mushroom, hoagie and kimchi. I tried the hoagie which was oozing with cheese and absolutely delcious. The onion rings were ok, but really it’s all about the cheesesteak.

Sparrow’s Philly Cheesesteaks

Inside Catfish Bar
30-32 Gertrude Street
Fitzroy
Victoria 3065
Australia

Telephone: n/a
Email: n/a
Website: http://www.sparrowsphillysteaks.com/

Open
Mon – Thu: 5:00pm to 12:30am
Fri – Sat: 12:00pm to 12:30pm
Sun: 12:00pm to 10:30pm

Vietnamese Cooking Experience At OTAO Kitchen

Paul

12 January 2015

OTAO Kitchen is a Vietnamese cooking school run by Ha Nguyen and Ricky Hewton on Richmond’s Victoria street, which is well known for its Vietnamese restaurants and grocery stores. I was invited to attend one of the cooking classes late last year and keenly accepted, given my love to Vietnamese food and the country itself.

There were 6 of us in attendance on the night, with each class limited to a maximum of 10 people to ensure that there’s a certain level of intimacy with attendees getting ample time with Ha and Ricky both individually and as part of the group.

The cooking stations are set up really well, with there being ample space for each person to cook their dishes. There are a few different classes that are offered at OTAO Kitchen – I attended the “Street Foods of Saigon” class.

Chef Ha is clearly very passionate about Vietnamese food and this is evident throughout the class. To start, we went through the fresh herbs and spices that are most commonly used in Vietnamese cooking, with the purpose and flavour profiles of each ingredient explained.

Freshness is a hallmark of Vietnamese cooking however Ha was mindful of the realities of many of our lives and throughout the night would let us know of shortcuts that we could take if we were short of time when cooking. For example not everyone has the ability to source and make their own allspice mix so an off the shelf pre-ground allspice mix is perfectly acceptable. All the ingredients we used on the night however were fresh.

The first thing that we made was Nuoc Cham (Dipping Sauce). This was to be used with our next dish. We were given the basic recipe and told to tweak it to our own tastes. It was interesting to see which attendees preferred which flavours with this sauce that combines sweet, sour, salty and bitter sensations.

While nothing felt rushed, there were certain things that Ha showed us how to make or that he had pre-prepared due to time constraints. For example Ha showed us how to make pancake batter but we did not make our own.

What we did was prepare the fillings for the Banh Xeo (Saigon Pancake with Mung Bear, Pork & Seafood) as well as cooking the pancakes using the batter that Ha had prepared.

The finished product was delicious, especially when dipped in the Nuoc Cham.

Next we prepared Banh Ran (Deep Fried Sesame Balls with Yam Filling)

We actually used chocolate instead of yam to fill our Banh Ran. Ha explained how these are very common in Vietnam, with the filling changing depending on the season and occasion. I liked that we were given a bit of history about each dish and told about how it fits into everyday life in Vietnam. I also loved his anecdotes about growing up in Hanoi.

The next dish was Ga La Chuoi (Chicken in Banana Leaves) and involved the whole class getting together and using banana leaves to wrap up a chicken mixture that Ha had made in front of us.

Next was the dish which was probably my favourite of the night. Ca Kho To (Caramelised Fish in Claypot). Everyone in the class succeeded in making their caramel without burning it which was impressive.

The chicken we had prepared earlier was cooked traditionally over hot coals while the group sat outside and ate dinner, consisting of what we had cooked throughout the night. A good portion of the night was spent outside just eating and chatting and I had loads of fun getting to know everyone else in attendance as well as Ha and Ricky.

The Banh Ran post deep frying for dessert had a crunchy outside and a really gelatinous texture inside.

I really enjoyed the “Street Foods of Saigon” cooking class at OTAO Kitchen. The ingredients used were great quality and fresh, having been mostly sourced from the Vietnamese markets in Richmond and Footscray. I learned some new skills and realised just how easy it is to cook certain Vietnamese dishes which, despite my knowledge of Vietnamese food, is not something that I had attempted before.

Ha and Ricky are really down to earth guys and Ha’s passion for the food of his homeland really comes through in the class. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in cooking and Vietnamese food.

OTAO Kitchen

360 Victoria Street
Richmond
Victoria 3121
Australia

Telephone: 0455 783 792
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.otaokitchen.com.au/

Tokay & Thyme Chicken Liver Pate: Recipe

Paul

11 January 2015

This Tokay & thyme chicken liver pate recipe is decadent, creamy and tastes delicious. Best of all, it’s surprisingly easy to make and really affordable – it’ll make you wonder how the shops get away with charging so much for it. Give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes / Cooking Time: 10 minutes / Serves n/a

Ingredients

500g chicken livers
2 garlic cloves, sliced
½ red onion, coarsely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
75ml thickened cream
120g unsalted butter
150ml Tokay
salt & pepper to taste

Method

Heat 100g of the butter in a frying pan on a medium heat until it melts and is boiling.
Add the chicken livers, garlic and onion to the frying pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until the inside of the livers are just pink.
Remove the livers from the frying pan and put aside.
Add the Tokay to the frying pan and let it reduce to a thick liquid, about 10 minutes.
Remove the frying pan from the heat.
Add the chicken livers and Tokay reduction into a food processor and mix until well combined.
Add the thyme, cream, salt and pepper into the food processor and mix again until well combined.
Place the mixture into a fine metal sieve and sieve it through into a bowl.
Repeat step 8 twice – 3 times in total.
Transfer the pate into whatever container you wish to store it in.
Melt the remaining 20g of butter and pour it on top of the pate to form a seal.
Refrigerate for an hour to allow the butter to set.
The pate should last up to 2 weeks in the fridge or until the seal is broken.

Notes

The Tokay used in this recipe is Australian Tokay, which is primarily produced in the Rutherglen wine region. It bears no resemblance to Hungarian Tokay/Tokaj and, from 2020 the name will no longer be allowed to be used for the Australian wine. Many producers in Australia have started using the term “Topaque”.

If you cannot find Australian Tokay, you can use any Muscat based fortified wine.

New Places To Eat In Perth 2014

Paul

9 January 2015

The past year has seen the opening of many new places to eat in Perth. From restaurants to cafes, and bars to uncategorised “eateries” the options have never been more plentiful. I visited in December and, armed with a list of the best of the best, tried to fit in as many as I could. Here’s a run-down of all the places I managed to try, plus the ones on my list that I wasn’t able to get to that are, according to people whose opinion I trust, well worth checking out.

For a guide to some of Perth’s hottest new bars, many of which also serve great food, check out this list New Bars In Perth 2014.

The Flour Factory

Housed in the space formerly occupied by Venn, the Flour Factory is the latest venue to be opened by Andrew Freeman, the man behind recent openings Varnish on King and Darlings Supper Club.

The interior looks relatively unchanged from when it was Venn, with a variety of upstairs, downstairs and outdoor spaces however the offering is quite different, with a strong focus on food as well as drinks. There are a wide range of house cured meats, cheese and some rather impressive looking hot dogs on the menu however I ordered what it was that brought me here in the first place, which was the pig’s head bacon and “lambcetta” with a hard cheese to match. Neither of them disappointed – I think I could have spent my entire week in Perth just eating these two things.

I didn’t order anything to drink, the cocktail menu and wine list looked very decent – I can how this place works well as both a cafe/restaurant and bar.

The Flour Factory

16 Queen Street
Perth
Western Australia 6000
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9485 1711
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://theflourfactory.com//

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:00am to 12:00am
Sat – Sun: 4:00pm to 12:00am

Propeller

Hamish Fleming and Siobhan Blumann seem to be opening a new place in Perth every other day, with Propeller being the newest addition to their portfolio of venues across the city (Mechanics Institute, Flipside, The Dominon League to name a few). Propeller is located at the site of the former North Fremantle Town hall, and contains a restaurant section as well as an outdoor cafe/bar operating outside of a re-purposed sea container. I really enjoyed sitting outside and breathing in the fresh Freo sea air.

The food is Lebanese inspired with a variety of other influences dotted around. The food is designed for sharing and, as I visited with my family we had the benefit of being able to try a variety of things on the menu. The pizzas were brilliant with perfectly thin, crispy wood-fired bases topped with just the right amount of ingredients. The highlights of the menu were undoubtedly the pizzas and Lebanese inspired dishes, with some of the other options falling a bit flat. It’s still early days with Propeller only having opened in December, and I have no doubt based on my visit there that they’ll settle into their groove and become a reliable fixture in this part of town.

My tip is to get the eggplant pizza and the quail eggs – simply divine.

Propeller

222 Queen Victoria Street
North Fremantle
Western Australia 6159
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9335 9366
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://propellernorthfreo.com.au/

Open
Wed – Fri: 11:00am to 10:00pm
Sat – Sun: 7:00am to 10:00pm

Bread In Common

Nic Trimboli’s Bread in Common has been around for over a year now so is not strictly “new” in the true sense of the word however despite trying their excellent wood fired sourdough bread I’d not eaten in before and was happy to finally get the chance to visit on my last day in Perth. Housed in a quite large old brick warehouse, there’s a lot of character to the space – a very long bar, long wooden communal tables, hanging lights. exposed brick all great a great atmosphere.

Food wise, it’s modern Australian cooking with a focus on quality ingredients. I had the duck fat roasted potatoes and shared two of the desserts – the flourless chocolate cake with crushed Oreos and berries as well as the peanut mousse with chocolate brownie ice cream and raspberry gel. The desserts weren’t cheap, but they were positively delicious. I’ll definitely be returning for a full meal next time I’m in town.

Bread In Common

43 Packenham Street
Fremantle
Western Australia 6160
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9336 1032
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.breadincommon.com.au/

Open
Mon – Thu: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Fri – Sat: 9:00am to late
Sun: 9:00am to 10:00pm

Hylin

Owner Josh McGinnity was an architect before he decided to open up his own cafe and his influences in designing the place, namely New York City’s High Line is very evident from the moment you walk in. New materials mix with old, the small space is used very wisely and there’s a lot of natural sunlight.

The menu contains a small selection of breakfast and lunch options, along with a variety of rotating daily choice also on offer. Coffee beans come from Fremantle’s Micrology Coffee Roasters and the coffees here are perfect. Service is sharp and there’s a really laid back, causal vibe about the place, which is fitting of the area.

Hylin

178 Railway Parade
West Leederville
Western Australia 6007
Australia

Telephone: 0401 815 804
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.hylin.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sat: 6:30am to 3:00pm

La Veen

Another place that’s been open for the best part of a year (with the people behind it being set up in Subiaco for a few years prior), La Veen has what I’d consider the best range of coffee available in Perth. Walk through the front doors and you’ll immediately be faced with what is the largest Synesso espresso machine I’ve ever seen – the thing has 5 group heads and take up almost the entire bench! I asked for an explanation of the beans on offer with some of the filters and was responded to with some really in depth tasting notes and facts on the origin of each bean. Clearly they team here really know their stuff and the cold drip that I got was really tasty.

A focused selection of breakfast and lunch options are also offered. I didn’t eat, but peeking at what was in front of those around me while seated at a bench watching the world go by I’ll say that the food did look decent.

La Veen

90 King Street
Perth
Western Australia 6000
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9321 1188
Email: n/a
Website: http://laveencoffee.com.au/

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:00am to 4:00pm
Sat: 8:00am to 4:00pm
Sun: 9:00am to 3:00pm

No Mafia

The first of the places that were on my list that I wasn’t able to try, No Mafia was unfortunately closed when I went to check it out on Boxing Day which was a shame as I was really keen to try their modern take on simple southern Italian cooking which I had heard good things about. Occupying the space that formerly housed Jus Burgers, the team behind Vic Park’s “The Precinct”, the first thing one notices about this small space is the motto “no pizza, no pasta”. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love a good pizza or pasta dish but it’s really refreshing to see place put the spotlight on other things that a region’s cuisine has to offer.

Rustic food, quality ingredients, great wine – sound like a good thing to me.

No Mafia

Shop 11, 189 William Street
Northbridge
Western Australia 6003
Australia

Telephone: n/a
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.nomafia.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sat: 10:00am to late
Sun: 10:00am to 10:00pm

Habitue

Habitue is yet another new place to eat in Perth that’s opened in the little hub that’s growing in North Fremantle. It’s a Mediterranean restaurant set in an old weatherboard cottage. This creates a casual setting in which to eat the fresh, seasonal food that’s designed to share. The fact that there’s live jazz on Sunday afternoons makes the package sound even more enticing. I didn’t get around to trying it while I was over but it remains on the list for next time.

Habitue

1 Harvest Road
North Fremantle
Western Australia 6159
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9336 1265
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.habituerestaurant.com.au/

Open
Tue – Sat: 5:00pm to 11:00pm

Sprolo

I first got wind of Sprolo when some rather enticing photos started appearing on my Instagram feed a few months back. A “traditional Singaporean” breakfast with house made Kaya jam you say? A Nuttella brownie with espresso caramel and ice cream you say? A few months down the track it became apparent that the food and service lived up to the promise of the photos and I knew I had to visit. Time got the best of me while I was over so unfortunately I didn’t make it to Sprolo but it’s still on my list, and I know exactly what I want to order next time I’m in town.

Sprolo

138 Canning Highway
South Perth
Western Australia 6151
Australia

Telephone: 0401 625 134
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.sprolo.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sat: 7:00am to 4:00pm

St Michael 6003

Another new place to eat in Perth that I wasn’t able to check out this time around was St Michael 6003, which is housed in the space formerly occupied by Perth institution Jacksons. Owners Scott O’Sullivan and Tod Stuart have converted the space into something very casual. The food is modern Australian with a focus on technique and high quality local, seasonal ingredients. Causal, small plate food at this level is something that’s become very popular in Melbourne over the past few years and it’s great to see Perth getting on board with the idea – it really does make eating great food so much more fun because you get to try more things. I look forward to eating here the next time I’m in town.

St Michael 6003

483 Beaufort Street
Highgate
Western Australia 6003
Australia

Telephone: (08) 9328 1177
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://stmichael6003.com.au/

Open
Wed – Thu: 5:00pm to late
Fri – Sun: 10:30am to 2:30pm; 5:00pm to late

The Bomb & Hiroshima Today

Japan
Travel

Paul

8 January 2015

Hiroshima. Arriving in the city by rail on a day trip out of Osaka I’ll admit that the sum total of my knowledge about the city was that the atomic bomb (“a-bomb”) dropped here in World War II. While I was very interested in the history surrounding this, I also wanted to get an impression of Hiroshima today, or at least as much of an impression as one can get in a single day.

What draws most tourists to Hiroshima are the historical sites, monuments and museum related to the a-bomb. They are contained in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which is where the a-bomb was detonated in the centre of Hiroshima, the area formerly being a busy commercial and residential part of the city. Many of the striking monuments, including the museum were designed by Japanese architect Tange Kenzo.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dōmu) or “A-bomb Dome” was, at the time of the explosion, used as an exhibition hall. It was located only 160 meters from they hypocentre of the bomb and was the only building in the area to survive the explosion. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

One of the first things I wondered was “how is Hiroshima a safe metropolis of 1.6 million when most of Chernobyl is, unsafe for human habitation?”. The answer to that question is actually quite simple.

The a-bomb that was detonated over Hiroshima, Little Boy, contained 64 kilograms of uranium. The Chernobyl reactors contained 180 tonnes of nuclear fuel.
Only 0.91 kilograms of Little Boy’s uranium reacted and became nuclear, as opposed to 7 tonnes of nuclear fuel which reacted and was released into the atmosphere.
Little Boy was detonated 600 metres above the earth’s surface, meaning the radioactive debris was dispersed by the mushroom cloud. In Chernobyl, the explosion occurred at ground level, causing the soil to become radioactive.

A statue at the base of the Memorial Tower to the Mobilised Students.

The long, low-standing structure in the background is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. It’s a striking building, completed in 1955 and contains several exhibits related to the a-bomb and the immediate and long term effects on Hiroshima and the victims, including several items that belonged to victims of the bombing. The focus isn’t on the war itself, but rather on nuclear science, the immediate devastation and aftermath of nuclear war and the promotion of peace. Some of the tales and first hand recollections are quite harrowing.

The Children’s Peace Monument is dedicated to Sadako Sasaki and the child victims of the bombing. Sadako Sadaki was a student who was aged 2 when the bombing occurred. In 1954 she was diagnosed with leukaemia and made it her goal to try and fold 1,000 paper cranes while in hospital, folklore claiming that if one could fold 1,000 paper cranes they would be granted a wish. She died on 25 October 1955 and to this day remains a symbol of peace and the impact of nuclear war.

This photo was taken underneath the “Flame of Peace” with the Peace Memorial Museum and Cenotaph for A-bomb Victims in the background. The Flame of Peace has burned continuously since it was lit in 1964, to be extinguished only when all nuclear bombs on Earth have been destroyed.

The Rest House is a building on the outskirts of Hiroshima Peace Park that survived the bombing. A man, Eizo Nomura, was in the basement of this building at the time of the bombing. He survived the blast and went on to live into his 80s.

I am aware of the differences in the way that Japan and Germany have confronted their roles in World War II and those differences were apparent when I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. When I visited the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds in Nuremberg, the permanent exhibition “Fascination and Terror” dealt with the causes, connections, and consequences of National Socialism and there was a very frank discussion of Germany’s role in the war that occurred throughout. A lot of time is given to trying to figure out how it could have all happened when, at the end of the day, the vast majority of Germans living during World War II were decent minded people.

I walked away under no illusions as to Germany’s acceptance of the role it played during the war and fact that they are deeply regretful about it.

In Hiroshima the focus is, as I discussed earlier, on nuclear science, the immediate devastation and aftermath of nuclear war and the promotion of peace, along with the desire to eliminate all nuclear weapons from the world. The question of why this happened in the first place is avoided, and there is very little to no recognition of the role that Japan played in the war.

Moving away from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and into the streets of the city itself, one of the most obvious consequences of the bombing is that everything is quite modern, with most of the buildings being built post 1945 during the reconstruction of the city.

A lot of this kind of architecture can be seen around Hiroshima. If you are interested in 1950s and 1960s architecture there’s a lot to see.

Another very noticeable thing in Hiroshima is the presence of covered shopping streets – something that I saw quite a lot of in Osaka and Kyoto too.

Food wise, there was only one thing I was ever going to eat in Hiroshima and that was Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake-like dish that contains a mixture of ingredients in a batter. Where Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki differs from the more common Osaka style is that the ingredients are layered, rather than mixed, there’s a lot more cabbage and noodles are used as a topping. I also noticed that mayonnaise wasn’t used here.

I’m a big fan of okonomiyaki and the Hiroshima version of the dish didn’t disappoint. The crispy noodles really added another dimension to it.

There are no shortage of hole in the wall bars and shops dotted around Hiroshima. I was looking for a record store, any record store and saw a sign outside of a building down a side street that indicated there was a record shop on the 4th floor. My friends and I went upstairs and found this place, which was only about twice the size of what you can see in the photo. To the left were a number of punk and rock CDs and Vinyl records for sale and, at the bar there were a handful of alcoholic drinks available, plus Japanese curry. When the owner realised that we were Australian, he put on the album “Back In Black” by AC/DC. I later found out that Hiroshima has quite a vibrant independent live music scene, and actually got an LP from a local punk rock band.

One of the things that I love most about Japan is that these multi-purpose tiny venues can be found all over the place. Got an idea for a shop, bar, restaurant or any combination of anything and a space that you can put it in? Go for it. I wish that it was as easy to do this sort of thing in Australia.

To end the day, we stumbled across one of the few craft beer pubs in Hiroshima “Raku”, which had a decent selection of Japanese craft beers on tap, including some specific to this part of Japan that I hadn’t seen before.

Raku also has 2 hand pumps. I’ve had the Yona Yona Ale before, but on hand pump “real Ale” style it took on a much smoother, cleaner taste. Highly recommended if you ever find it on a hand pump.

I only spent one day in Hiroshima and came away very impressed. The historical, a-bomb related things are well worth visiting and it’s a really fun city to walk around. I only wish that I had an extra day to explore because if the few places that I discovered while walking around in the afternoon were anything to go by, Hiroshima seems like it would be a really fun city to get under the surface of with lots of independent shops, bars and food spots.

Pearl Barley & Whisky Butter Mushrooms: Recipe

Paul

6 January 2015

This recipe for pearl barley & whisky butter mushrooms will make the most hardened of carnivores question the idea that every meal requires a meat component. They taste great, have a good, dense texture to them and are really filling. You can eat a few of these as a main, or serve one as a side to accompany another meal. You could make it healthier by removing the whisky butter component but do you really want to do that…?

Preparation Time: 15 minutes / Cooking Time: 15 minutes / Serves 2

Ingredients

6 portobello (or similar) mushrooms
30ml whiskey
20g unsalted butter, softened
150g pearl barley
50g feta cheese
½ lemon, juiced
rind of 1 preserved lemon, finely sliced
½ tsp (2.5g) fresh dill, finely chopped
a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
12 sprigs fresh thyme
½ brown onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 birds eye chilli, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Method

Cook the pearl barley as per the instructions on the packet.
Preheat your oven to 200°C fan forced
Remove the stalks from the mushrooms. Dice the stalks and set aside.
Place the mushrooms heads stalk side up onto a tray lined with baking paper.
In a bowl, mix together the softened butter and whiskey. Once combined, place the mixture evenly across all of the mushroom heads.
Sprinkle the mushroom heads with the leaves of 4 thyme sprigs and bake for 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
In a bowl combine the mushroom stalks, barley, feta cheese, preserved lemon, thyme, dill, chilli, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil and set aside.
Heat some oil in a frying pan and add the onion and garlic. Fry the onions until they become translucent. Remove from the head and transfer into the bowl containing the barley.
Add salt and pepper to taste and divide the mixture evenly across each mushroom.
Eat now, or put into the fridge and eat cold later – either way it tastes great.

Notes

If you’re adverse to alcohol you could just use butter without the whisky. It won’t taste quite as good, but will still be tasty – add a pinch of sugar to the melted butter for some sweetness.

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