Following on from my Perth Food & Drink Guide (Part 1) here’s Part 2 of the guide. As with Part 1, I’ve chosen a mixture of places to talk about, ranging from the new and newish, to old favourites that I find myself returning to again and again. Also as with Part 1, I’ve included a few bars in here as a natural consequence of me having had the chance to visit quite a few of them on my trips back. The full spiel can be found at the start of Part 1 of the guide, but for Part 2, I’ll get straight down to business.
Good Fortune Roast Duck House
Good Fortune Roast Duck House is one of my go to options whenever I’m in Perth. When I used to live there it was a Sunday dinner regular and it’s maintained its quality throughout. The many menu options are all quite decent but for me it’s the boneless duck or chicken with rice that I always return for. The flavour is great, and it’s a decent feed for a decent price. The only thing to be wary of is the condiments. On occasion the staff there have been known to not give non-Asian customers the full set of condiments, and it’s happened to me a few times!
There’s a new location in Victoria Park that opened in December 2013. I’ve not been to that one, and am keen to hear from anyone who has been as to what it’s like. Hopefully the opening of a second location doesn’t lead to a drop in standards.
Good Fortune Roast Duck House
344 William Street
Northbridge
Western Australia 6003
Australia
Telephone: (08) 9228 3293
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://goodfortuneduckhouse.com.au/
Open
Wed – Mon: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Hawker’s Cuisine
Hawker’s Cuisine is considered by many in Perth to serve some of the best Malaysian food in Perth (and some say Australia). I’ve been several times and have never had a bad meal – in my opinion the food served here is just as good as anything I’ve had in Malaysia. The menu is very extensive and contains all of the classic Malaysian hawker favourites. As far as late night dining in Perth goes, it doesn’t get much better than this. Quick, affordable and authentic.
Hawkers Cuisine is consistently busy and, as of March 2014 they have moved out of their old location in Chinatown to a bigger space on Francis street. All signs are that everything is running smoothly at the new spot and that the food is as good as ever. I look forward to checking it out the next time I’m back.
Hawker’s Cuisine
40 Francis Street
Perth
Western Australia 6003
Australia
Telephone: (08) 9328 9668
Email: [email protected]
Website: Facebook
Open
Tue – Thu: 5:00pm to 11:30pm
Fri – Sat: 7:00pm to 12:30am
Sun: 5:00pm to 11:30pm
Bivouac Canteen & Bar
Bivouac Canteen & Bar was one of the first places that opened up on William Street after the MRA redeveloped the first lot of buildings along the street a few years back as part of the “Perth Cultural Precinct” project. There wasn’t much like it at the time and it’s stayed relevant over the years. Mediterranean influenced dishes, respect to regional origins and traditional methods and decent drinks as well. Always a solid option for a meal or just a drink or two.
Bivouac Canteen & Bar
198 William Street
Northbridge
Western Australia 6003
Australia
Telephone: (08) 9227 0883
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://bivouac.com.au/
Open
Tue – Sat: 12:00pm to 11:00pm
Frisk Small Bar
Frisk Small Bar is my go to place at the start of a night out in Perth, not the least because it has a very generous happy hour. There are loads of seats out side on which to sit an watch the world go by and a decent selection of craft beers and well as close to 100 different types of gin to choose from, amongst other drinks. Being slightly out from the all of the action gives Frisk a laid back vibe which is great when you want to just chill out and contemplate life.
Frisk Small Bar
103 Francis Street
Northbridge
Western Australia 6003
Australia
Telephone: n/a
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://frisksmallbar.com.au/
Open
Tue – Sat: 3:00pm to 12:00am
Sun: 2:00pm to 10:00pm
Mechanics’ Institute
After a drink at Frisk, Mechanics’ Institute is usually my next stop. If I had to pick a favourite bar in Perth, Mechanics would be close to the top of my list. It’s got a great hidden laneway location, a rooftop deck and some of the best cocktails going around. The staff here really know their stuff and are happy to mix things up beyond what’s on the menu to create some amazing drinks that really match what you’ve said you like. Add to that a nice range of craft beers and some really friendly staff who are always up for a good chat and you can’t go wrong.
Note this place is hard to find. If you look for Flipside burgers on William Street (incidentally, you can order burgers from the bar at Mechanics), you’ll see Mechanics above it. Walk behind the main street, toward the State library and you’ll find your way in.
It will be interesting to see what effect, if any, the boutique hotel being built next door has on Mechanics – hopefully not a negative one.
Mechanics’ Institute
Rear 222 William Street
Northbridge
Western Australia 6003
Australia
Telephone: (08) 9228 4189
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://mechanicsinstitutebar.com.au/
Open
Tue – Sat: 12:00pm to 12:00am
Sun: 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Ezra Pound
If I’m not starting my night at Frisk, it’s usually because I’m at Ezra Pound. It opened back in the day when getting a beer in a brown paper bag was still a fresh concept and is still going strong. They might not have the most extensive drinks list compared to some of the competition but the small selection is decent and I just really like the vibe of the past. Hipster cues without the pretension. If only licensing would allow them to let people stand out the side and enjoy the sun while having a drink…
Ezra Pound
189 William Street (Down Williams Lane)
Northbridge
Western Australia 6000
Australia
Telephone: 0415 757 666
Email: n/a
Website: http://epbar.com.au/
Open
Tue – Sat: 1:00pm to 12:00am
Sun: 1:00pm to 10:00pm
Jun
Jun was one my of my go-to lunch spots when I used to work in Perth’s CBD. Hidden down a laneway, behind a red door and down a basement, I didn’t know what to expect when I first went and I was very impressed. The place is small and contains a mixture of regular tables and traditional Japanese tables. The food very good and there is some properly authentic stuff on the menu. It’s not uncommon to see ravelling Japanese businessmen in here having dinner. Despite the authenticity, me go-to lunch dish is actually not something that “traditional” at all. It’s the lunch special chicken katsu don – Jun does one of the best in town.
Jun
568 Hay Street
Perth
Western Australia 6000
Australia
Telephone: (08) 9221 3339
Email: n/a
Website: n/a
Open
Mon – Fri: 12:00pm to 2:30pm; 6:00pm to 10:pm
Sat: 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Nao
Nao was another go-to option for lunches when I used to work in the CBD. A range of Japanese dishes are offered, with their speciality being the noodle dishes. I generally start with some takoyaki, before moving on to one of the excellent Udon dishes (although Ramen is what they are better known for).
Nao
117 Murray Street
Perth
Western Australia 6000
Australia
Telephone: (08) 9325 2090
Email: n/a
Website: http://naojapaneserestaurant.com.au/
Open
Sun: 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Mon – Thu: 11:30pm to 6:30pm
Fri: 11:30pm to 8:30pm
Bob’s Bar
Bob’s Bar is part of the Brookfield Place redevelopment that occurred a few years ago in what was the old West Australian building and pit in the ground behind it. Today, the pit contains the massive BHP tower and the old heritage buildings have been converted into an impressive area full of bars, cafes, restaurants and shops. Bob’s Bar, named after former PM Bob Hawke, is on the rooftop of another bar, Print Hall and is a great space. Yes, the drinks are over-priced as is most of the stuff in this development but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great space to have a drink in and catch up with friends.
I love the old news clippings on the stairs up from Print Hall from around the time Australia won the American’s cup back in September 1983. The ad below is one of my favourites.
Bob’s Bar
Brookfield Place
125 St Georges Terrace
Perth
Western Australia 6000
Australia
Telephone: (08) 6282 0077
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://printhall.com.au/bobs-bar/
Open
Mon – Sat: 12:00pm to 12:00am
Small Print Baker & Roastery
Small Print Baker & Roastery is also part of the Brookfield Place development. Coffee is roasted on site in partnership with Dukes Coffee Roasters of Melbourne and is, as one would expect, excellent. The decent breakfast, lunch and pastry options (all pastry and breaad is baked onsite) make Small Print one of the best daytime options in Brookfield Place.
Small Print Baker & Roastery
Brookfield Place
125 St Georges Terrace
Perth
Western Australia 6000
Australia
Telephone: (08) 6282 0022
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://printhall.com.au/small-print-baker-roastery/
Open
Mon – Fri: 6:30am to 4:00pm
Jus Burgers
Jus Burgers has been around for what seems like forever these days and was the first of the “new wave” burger joints to open up in Perth. They often get voted as having the best burgers in Perth. When there was just the Leederville store and owner Justin (hence “Jus”) was in the kitchen, the burgers were consistently great. These days there are 4 locations and unfortunately quality has suffered. When the burgers are good, they are as good as ever however things are inconsistent and I’ve had burgers that are just ok from Jus too.
In any case, the general strike rate is still decent and I’ve had many more good burgers from Jus than bad ones. My usual order? Cheeseburger with avocado (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it) and onion rings.
It’s interesting to see that they closed their one Melbourne store last year – I think it was a matter of being in the wrong location. If they’d opened up on Sydney Road instead of Chapel Street I think they would have been a much greater success. Having said that I never tried the Melbourne outpost so I can’t comment on what they quality was like over east.
Jus Burgers
743 Newcastle Street
Leederville
Western Australia 6007
Australia
Telephone: (08) 9228 2230
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://jusburgers.com.au/
Open
Tue – Sat: 11:30am to 10:30pm
Sun – Mon: 11:30am to 9:30pm
