Premium 4-Course Menu

The Applecross-Fremantle Lodge Dinner
Saturday October 25th


Garlic Bread

Entrées
Tasmanian Smoked Salmon, Green Leaves, Caper Mayonnaise
Prawn & Avocado Salad
Caesar Salad
Ravioli Filled with Spinach & Ricotta served with a traditional Napoletana Sauce
Fettuccine in a Bacon, Mushroom & Parmesan Cream Sauce
Penne in a Chicken and Saffron Cream Sauce

Mains

Chicken Breast stuffed with Pesto served on a saffron Risotto, with a
Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Fish of the day, served on Spinach with Potato Mash & a Lemon Butter Sauce
Seared Atlantic Salmon, Caramelized Lemon.
Grilled 300g Sirloin Steak, served with spinach Mash & Red Wine Jus
Roast Vegetable & 3 Cheese Filo Parcel
Garden Salad

Dessert

Parfait Ice Cream, Pistachio nuts, Berry Coulis
Profiterole au Chocolat
Tiramisu
Mango, Apple & Coconut Crumble


Coffee/ Tea

The Applecross-Fremantle Social Event

(Please click on the image to enlarge).

Origins, Sheraton Hotel, Perth

Food 4.25/5
Service 4/5
Decor 4.5/5
Bathroom 1/1
X-Factor 0/2
Value 1.25/2
Total 15/20

Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant

Coming...

Jaws, WA.

Hay St. Mall
BYO, Bookings not necessary.

Jaws certainly has some of the best sushi in town. As per the photo, the many plates of sushi circle the table on a conveyor belt. The serving size is usually a plate of 2 pieces of sushi that vary from $2.80-5.70 in price (which is quite expensive). Though as the food is prepared right in front of your eyes, you can be assured that everything is fresh. One of the best things about Jaws restaurants is their level of service. It's not the same calibre as that of a fine dining restaurant, but the Japanese place a lot of emphasis on serving their guests well, and being very well-mannered. As for their food, being sushi, it is paramount that the seaweed be of the top quality and freshness, and no other restaurant in Perth appears to have seaweed of the same quality as Jaws. They remain true to their authenticity in Japanese sushi making.

Chestnut Grove Verdelho 2005 ($23 from Vintage Cellars) - they are BYO, with no corkage fee.

Nose: slight smokiness, hints of oak.

Palate: Fresh, well balanced acidity on the mid-palate. Musk, guava, lime, and tropical fruits.

Finish: Acidity proves to be over-powering.

Rating: 91 pts.

Food 4/5
Service 4/5
Decor 2/5
Bathroom 0.25/1
X-Factor 0.5/2
Value 0.75/2
Total 11.5/20

Balthazar, WA.

6, The Esplanade, Perth.
Ph: 9421 1279

It is a rarity finding a good restaurant in Perth these days, so it is comforting to know that there is now one other restaurant that I feel I could safely turn to should the occasion arise. The restaurant is on the small side, though it is dressed up quite smartly, with striking wallpapers in the dining area and bathrooms, and wine bottles everywhere the eye can see.

I'm not sure if the menu we were looking at was their usual menu, or their lunch menu, but it did seem rather limited. Perhaps 5 different entrees to choose from, and likewise with mains (meals seemed to average $20-30). This was definitely not the case when it came to the wine list, filled with page upon page of wines sourced from all over the world, though there seemed to be a particularly strong presence of French wines that were not very familiar to me.

The food arrived promptly, and presentation was A-grade. I ordered the Salmon, and my company the risotto. Both of us were very impressed. I was particularly impressed with my meal, as it was complete in every facet. The presentation was beautiful, the serving portion was perfect, the sauce was full of flavour, yet not overpowering, the skin of the salmon was perfect, as was the flesh (I have never seen such beautiful Salmon in my life, the colour and texture was fabulous). The skin had a very unique taste to it; I suspect they integrated some seaweed into it. The asparagus, everything - was cooked to perfection.

Service was not as good as what I had heard, though being lunch time, I suppose it is expected that service be a little more casual. There was nothing really to fault in that department, though one waiter seemed to be a little arrogant.

We finished off with tea and coffee. I thought the coffee was pretty good. Both came with a pot of white and brown sugar cubes, and extra milk on the side. The flat white was silky and creamy.

Billcart-Salmon 'Brut Reserve' NV ($81 for a half bottle).
Didn't take any notes for this one, though it was a real delight! Probably the best NV I have tried, in fact, I think I preferred this over the '98 Dom, and '97 La Grande Annee. The beads were very fine and consistent. Nose of pear, almond, and gentle yeast. The palate is full-bodied, dry, and savoury. Lovely! (Rating: 94 pts).

Food 4.75/5
Service 4.5/5
Decor 4.5/5
Bathroom 0.75/1 (small)
X-Factor 1.5/2
Value 1.5/2
Total 17.5/20

7 Spices Restaurant, WA.

Went here tonight as part of a function, which we each paid $30 for.

I'm unsure if this is the ordinary price for the buffet; I believe it is. The buffet was very ordinary... I only had 1 helping. Their chicken dishes were not fillet, and had very little meat. The red meat dishes were likewise very ordinary, and were very spicy (but the kind of spice and flavour you would expect from a can of curry). VERY ordinary.

I have never taken much of a liking to Indian food, I was told this place was very good, but it was quite a disappointment! As are many eateries in Perth!

Several months ago I was introduced to Nine Mary's in the Perth CBD; and that somewhat changed my impression of Indian food (perhaps it is tailored to suit the Western palate more so, though a lot of Indian's eat there). Their butter chicken is lovely! The butter chicken at 7 Spices on the other hand was nothing special at all! But then again, was anything?!?!

The service was also quite annoying... very blur staff, with very blank faces, and when questioned; expect uncertain answers. Extremely uneducated when it comes to their restaurant (what time the buffet closes, "can I start a drink tab?", etc., are surely not too difficult questions to answer);

Food 2.25/5
Service 2/5 (well-meaning, but poorly trained)
Decor 2.5/5
Bathroom 0.25/1
X-Factor 0/2
Total 7/20

The Brass Grill, Northbridge, WA

The Brass Grill is situated on the top floor of the The Brass Monkey Hotel in Northbridge. The above dish is their 'Bay & Beef' which comprises of "250g of Sirloin Tender Ridge Sirloin, seafood brochette loaded with prawns & scallops, and hand-cut Western Potato Monkey's Chunkies" - $34.90.

This was my second visit, and I'm not too sure how to feel about the place - negatively, I think! On my first visit the food was quite good, but the service was atrocious - not much has changed.

Our food took 1.5 hours to arrive (quite some time after we were assured that the food was well on its way). After squeezing a few balls we ended up getting a few complementary rounds of beer, which managed to calm us down for a little while, but this could only relieve us for so long. When offered another round, we asked what else they had, they gave us 2 shots of Hennessy XO.. which lifted our moods a little, and made us dislike them a little less.

When our food finally arrived.... my dish turned out to be quite satisfactory; nice large scallops, soggy wedges (which I seemed to enjoy), and steak that was ordinary but with sauce that did it justice. My company, however, did not enjoy their '450g Tender Ridge Aged Beef Rib' ($36.90) much at all, I am told it lacked flavour. On a whole, the place was very disappointing, and on both occasions it has been nearly impossible to look past their awfully poor level of service.

Food 3/5
Service 0.5/5
Decor 2.5/5
Bathroom 0.5/2
X-Factor 0/3
Total: 6.5/20

North @ Sky City, North Terrace, SA.

We made a booking for lunch at what was supposed to be Adelaide's premier wine bar - Universal Wine Bar. We were surprised to find that there was literally nobody there, and judging by what the waitperson said; they didn't exactly expect that to change either. It really was a hole. The menu was unappealing, slightly over-priced, the wine list was likewise over-priced, and relatively limited (especially for a premier wine bar!) Most of all, my pet hate.. GOBLETS! As you can guess - we made a quick getaway!

Later that evening... I popped over to the casino to see what it had to offer. One of its restaurants is called 'North'. Here I was met with over 200 wines, a wine-rack that holds a total of 1,160 wines when full, 5 beers on tap, and many more by the bottle. The wine selection is quite good; typical well-knowns, though nothing really out of the ordinary. On the bright side, however, the stemware they use is Reidel's, and the wall of wines is temperature controlled and set to 15 degrees C.

The restaurant is part of a refurbished heritage building. It has gorgeous high-ceilings, gold metal chandeliers, wooden dining tables and chairs, and red candles on tables. The bench top of the bar is made of marble, and leather armrest chairs are only a few steps away from the bar. The lighting is quite nice (tick), but the music was a little ordinary if you like (cross).

The bathroom is lovely, and of decent size. It has nice hand basins, good lighting, beautiful wooden doors, and self-flushing urinals. Very responsible restaurant too: “Please wash your hands” sticker stuck onto the mirror! Just outside the bathrooms, where the inner-entrance is, I was met with a very grumpy and rude matride. It doesn't make for a very good first-impression when you walk in, nor does the impression improve when it's time to leave.

Food 4 /5
Service 3 /5
Décor 4.25 /5
Bathroom 2 /2
X-Factor 1.75 /3
Total: 15 /20

There is another bar located towards the main entrance of Sky City - it's called the 'Loco Bar'. A little boring, though would probably be better when a bit busier. The décor is not too bad; very modern/funky. The good thing about it was that the staff here seem to be friendlier and more laid-back. There is also a variety of happy hour specials that run Wednesday through to Sunday.

For more info:
http://www.skycityadelaide.com.au/skycity/adelaide/bars-&-restaurants/loco/loco_home.cfm

The Grill, Royal Hotel. (South Australia)

2 North Terrace, Kent Town, South Australia.
Reservations: (08) 8363 4888.

This is the first restaurant I have visited on this trip to South Australia. I had a hard time finding the place to say the least, though this is more likely than not due to a lack of good navigational skills! Nonetheless, the experience made the journey well worthwhile. Upon arrival I was swiftly and kindly greeted by the name that my reservation was made, and without further ado was led to my table.

Décor – modern/colonial. The Grill restaurant itself is on the second floor of the building, giving it a view of passing cars and the National Wine Museum. Not the most attractive view, but still a view! The bathroom is very impressive – modern, extremely clean, and lights turn on as you enter.

Drinks – The drinks list was not terribly extensive, especially in the way of beers (which was a little surprising considering that it appears to be a pub/grill). However, the basic wine list is satisfactory, and offers a reasonable choice of familiar wines, by the glass, and at a reasonable price. Better yet, ask for the reserve wine list and you will find even more attractive and familiar wines: BIN 389, Ebenezer, Menzies, and so on.

The ‘Grilled Atlantic Salmon’ was delicious! It is served with baked potatoes on the bottom, and asparagus on the top. The salmon was lovely and incredibly soft, on the other hand, the skin was perhaps slightly overcooked; which made the skin difficult to cut/breakaway, as a consequence, allowing the meat to fall apart. The asparagus was long, soft, and tasty, and the potato had a nice subtle flavour that was also nice. Whilst eating the fish, I was swapping between my beer and red (I know, not the most appropriate, but none of the whites were familiar nor appealing to me). This observation was picked up by the waitperson, and I was asked if I would like a white. I explained what I was after, one was recommended, and rightly so.

(Wine Name), - palate was fruity, whilst not overpowering, followed by well-balanced acidity. (92 points). The ‘Grilled Beef’ was the highlight of the course – absolutely delicious. The tenderloin of beef was cooked perfectly, and the gravy-based sauce was full of rich flavours. It was served with large mushrooms and spinach that was neither chewy nor soggy, and the mushrooms were an absolute delight. The gourmet butter melted away nicely throughout the duration of the meal and further added to the flavour of the sauce. The exterior of the beef had a nice grilled/charcoal texture, whilst leaving the centre incredibly tender and juicy. The sauce was too delicious to waste, and a fresh bread roll was duly given.

My wine to accompany the beef was a Tapestry Shiraz 2005, which comes from the SA region of McLaren Vale. The wine has been aged in oak for 18 months, and is surprisingly elegant for such a young Shiraz; particularly coming from McLaren Vale (which in my opinion tends to produce bold wines). The palate was smooth like velvet, with intense and well-balanced fruit that follows through to the finish, which is pleasant, and leaves you wanting more. Perfectly fine drinking now, though would make for even better drinking with 4-7 years cellaring. (96 points). The wine was served in a decanter, properly poured, and regularly topped up. The stemware is not 5-star grade, though they are perfectly functional glasses, and are of a nice, and relatively large size.

Post-meal – They had 3 types of Cognac (much to my pleasant surprise, being a Grill). I ordered a double shot of Hennessy XO with ice served separately. The waitperson possessed a sound knowledge of spirits and Cognac. The serving size was generous, the cubes were of good size, with smooth edges. A small glass of ice was also presented with a teaspoon to scoop cubes at my discretion. Price-wise I was impressed ($5-10 cheaper per shot than elsewhere, compared to Perth at least).

My Cognac was then followed by a coffee that was made just as I had requested; a strong flat white. Usually this can be a recipe for disaster, and you can expect a revoltingly strong coffee. This on the other hand was perfect. A separate sugar bowl was also presented on the side.

Mains average $20-25.


Food 5 /5
Service 5 /5
Décor 4.25 /5
Bathroom 2 /2
X-Factor 0.5 /3
Total: 16.75 /20

Oyster Bar, South Perth. (Western Australia)

Food 4.25/5
Service 3.75/5
Decor 3.5/5
Bathroom 1.25/2
X-Factor 0/3
Total: 12.5/20

Must Wine Bar. (Western Australia)

I have decided to include reviews of spirits, and worthwhile restaurants to this blog.

Let’s start it off with the Must Wine Bar, Perth. I have had the pleasure of visitng this place on several occasions now, and I cannot stress enough how fabulous I think it is. It is great for almost any occasion... whether it be for business, a date, dinner with friends, family, or even a birthday or wedding! The venue is capable of catering to any of these events. I can tend to be a very fussy person when I am eating out, with the price of a restaurant meal these days; it's simply unacceptable to receive anything less than you would be able to do yourself at home. When you add poor service to a poor meal; it simply does not go down very well with me. However, on all occasions I have been to the Must bar... it has been a most pleasurable experience each time. Every aspect of the restaurant is spot on! They have a very extensive wine list that includes over 500 wines that come from all around the world, they have skilled barpersons that make excellent cocktails and the like, as well as a reasonable variety of spirits, champagne (includes a reasonable selection of bubbly by the glass), as well as fortifieds. One of the other great things about this restaurant is that the staff actually have knowledge of the food and wine, and typically possess a passion for it. I have encountered waitpersons that have explained that a wine was a red, when asked what type of wine it was - so this is a real step up from Perth restaurant standards. Drinks are all at reasonable prices, and their spirits (especially Cognac) are at prices considerably cheaper than you would find anywhere else in Perth. So that's the drinks.

The food and service is also excellent. The staff there tend to be of mature age, and this is reflective of their attitude and demeanor... you are made to feel how a guest should feel. They start you off with a generous serving of complementary bread - which is incredibly fresh and delicious. I like how dishes have their own unique touch (something about the dish that you would not likely find elsewhere, or be able to prepare at home), for example, their 270g Sirloin steak that has been aged for 28 days - the end result is a deliciously flavoursome steak.

A brief summary... you are looking at about $15 for an entree, $35 for a main, $7 for sides, and $15 for desserts. The style of cooking is French rotisserie. The atmosphere is wonderful... a very relaxed yet upbeat mood, with staff that are both professional and laid-back at the same time. It is a popular event on almost every night of the week, so it is advisable to make bookings beforehand. I strongly recommended this place!

Food: 5 /5
Service: 4.5 /5
Decor: 4.25 /5
Bathroom: 2 /2
X-Factor: 2.75 /3
Total: 18.5 /20

Address: 519 Beaufort St, Highgate
Telephone: 9328 8255