Saturday 28 January 2012

Envy on Cambridge, 6014

This is my most favourite recent discovery. I drove past it a few months ago and have been itching to blog about it since.



If you're a devoted fan of Tutti Frutti (like myself) or other providers of fro-yo, gelato and ice cream out there, I encourage you to check out Envy for their unique take on frozen desserts. 

The frozen yoghurt is much different from your standard, whipped fro-yo dispensed from a tap. Envy's version is scooped from a container and it's texture is like a hybrid of Sorbet and Ice cream.  One ample scoop will set you back $4.50 and two, $5.50. They also have a help yourself freezer with take home 1L containers for $14.50 - such good value!



New York Cheesecake frozen yoghurt, 1 scoop $4.50



Their most popular creation I as told by the owner (and rightly so), is New York Cheesecake frozen yoghurt.  A deliciously tart, slightly lemony base with bits of crushed biscuit throughout - joy! 

Other flavours to get you salivating - coconut, a speckled cookies and cream, blood orange-choc-chip, sticky marshmallow and plain vanilla loaded with Gummi Bears. I tried all of these (yes, they're generous with testers) and can vouch for them all. I almost got the coconut which incorporated a creamy, flavoured base with the granular texture of desiccated coconut.  Perfect.






Churros are another one of their specialties and you can also get cute love-heart shaped choc-dipped ice creams on a stick.  Valentines Day gift?

They also do tea, coffee and light brunches, but you really come here for the frozen desserts :).



Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Ambience: 4/5


Envy on Cambridge on Urbanspoon





Thursday 26 January 2012

Third Avenue, 6050

Third Avenue resides away from the heart of the restaurant and nightlife in Mt Lawley but an outdoor seating area absorbs a bit of energy from the traffic on Beaufort St. still.  The location also has parking on site, so you wont be battling for a car park like you would further down the street.


Fish Of The Day - Barramundi, Squid, Asparagus, butter sauce

Green Vegetable side $10
 A mix of Modern Australian and Italian cuisines; the food is subtly sophisticated and reliably delicious.  The menu includes an enticing list of mains, homemade pasta dishes and great wood fired pizzas.  There isn't much for vegetarians but they have a substantial list of entrees; try the polenta chips they are very more-ish!
Sea Salt Tempura Prawns with Asian Herbs and Soy Mirin sauce, entree: $23

Crisp Polenta $5
Food highlights; Crisp polenta and the cooked greens were delicious; expertly cooked and glossy with a mildly buttery and garlic sauce.  The Fish dish was of mixed reviews; the filet itself was delicate and fresh but the sauce was too oily.

White Chocolate Parfait, Berry Coulis, Honeycomb 
Desserts were delicious and very easy to overeat! These were specials for the evening and I had particular trouble resting my fork at the Frozen ice cream like dessert above...

Chocolate Brownie with hot sauce
 Simple and modern trimmings decorate the interior; white tablecloths,  clean walls and spot lighting; the air is casually classy. 

Creme Brulee, Brandy Snap
 The service is great too; friendly and attentive, without nagging. An added bonus is that Third Avenue is  BYO.




Food: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Ambience: 3.75/5


Third Avenue Cafe and Pizzeria on Urbanspoon

Sunday 15 January 2012

Ootong & Lincoln, 6162

Ootong & Lincoln is what I’d call your quintessential ‘Freo’ haunt. Flooded with natural light and decorated with an eclectic mix of old-world bits and bobs, Ootong & Lincoln has a warm and quirky character devoid of pretention.



Once a colonial teahouse, the airy space invites drawn out catch-ups between locals and relaxed afternoons spent flicking through a good book. 

Assembled above the front windows is a whimsical and wide collection of vintage children bicycles. Uneven hanging lamps with exposed electrical cord and a set of worn white roller skates deck the white walls. 

On the question of the edibles, its all seasonal and fresh, with the vegetarian types well catered for (it's Fremantle after all). I’m yet to try the breakfast menu but I can vouch for lunch. On last visit, we tried the lentil pattie with a trio of the salads of the day. The pattie was full of flavour; I couldn’t get enough of the crunchy mix-seed crust. A 
chicken burger, baguettes, prawn pasta and a curry of the day also feature. 

Veggie pattie, tomate & quinoa salad,  raita

Pesto risoni salad, potato salad, Waldorf salad
yum !


Perched high on the counter is Ootong’s own array of homespun cakes, beckoning you with the promise of deliciousness. The nut and fruit-heavy Carrot cake is awesome and the Chocolate-Beetroot is what I must try next time!



homemade jams for sale

Lumberjack Cake (coconut, apple, date)



Acoustic guitar in background


The first time I wandered into Ootong Lincoln, it was a lazy Sunday afternoon and there was an acoustic duo playing. Now I know you might be rolling your eyes right about now, but it was not contrived at all and the hippie music fit seamlessly with the setting. Because of the sprawled out seating, the music was soothing and not overbearing to the enjoyment of our food, nor the conversation.

 


Food: 4/5
Coffee: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Ambience: 4/5

Ootong & Lincoln on Urbanspoon

Monday 9 January 2012

Down South, 6281

I recently took a trip to the beautiful deep South West and here’s what The Sneaky Pigeon found…

Peko Peko, 6281
Fast, fresh and friendly. Peko Peko have taken the rudimentary Asian eats and given them modern, surprising twists.  Ordinary Miso soup gets a bit more special with the addition of pumpkin and salmon, and fresh sushi are rolled with unconventional ingredients like lemon pepper tuna, Thai chili chicken and curry kingfish. Truly delicious, cutting edge sushi.


Prawn salad with Ginger + Miso dressing $12


Peko Peko also trump the standard soya sauce with an array of super tasty dipping sauces. Try the Miso and Ginger, it will electrify your taste buds!  These sauces double as dressing for the Asian inspired salads. $12 will buy you a healthy container of fresh greens, cashew nuts, noodles and your choice of either fresh cooked prawn, avocado or steamed chicken.





Food: 5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Service: 5/5

Peko Peko Dunsborough on Urbanspoon



Simmo's, 6281

Being absolute slaves to our sugar cravings, my sister and I took not one, not two but three visits to Simmo's in the three days we were down south. 
‘Born, bread and frozen’ in WA, the ice cream is heavenly and the selection of flavours is extensive.  I usually spend about 10 minutes deciding which ones to choose! 


My latest discovery has been chocolate with peanut so Snickers was one of the flavours I went for. The ‘Mascarpone Orange Swirl’ sounded so invitingly luxurious, so I got that too.  The mascarpone one was my favourite; a creamy vanilla cheesecake taste with a punch of syrupy citrus. Mmm-mmm!

top: Swiss Chocolate Almond, bottom: Nougat 

Top: Mascarpone, Orange Swirl, Bottom: Snickers
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Service: 2.5/5

Simmos Icecreamery & Cafe on Urbanspoon



The Pour House Bar and Kitchen, 6281 

We also took our slightly sun-stroked selves to The Pour House for a lazy afternoon cider.
Formerly known as 'Malt Market’, we were told they had to re-name after some dispute from Malt supper club owners in Mt Lawley.

The vibe was easygoing as is standard form down south. The top level is called 'The Lawn' which is partly floored in faux grass, including a cool little circular room, recessed into one wall. Upstairs serves as a burger and beer garden and there’s shaded outdoor balcony where you can watch the ebb and flow of Dunsborough town.


I really dug the vibe but did not rate the wedges we ordered at all.  They were overly chunky, undercooked potato and came served with some dipping sauce which was so peppery it made me sneeze…in hindsight I should have gotten a burger; they were doing a pint and burger deal for $20.  Doh, food order regrets.  

Wedges, hot mustard aioli
Food (wedges): 1/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5

The pourhouse bar + kitchen on Urbanspoon


Eagle Bay Brewing, 6281
Ahhh….the views at Eagle Bay Brewing automatically make you sink bank into your chair and your shoulders relax.  Breathtaking and characteristically ‘Down South’ surrounds set the tone for laidback lunch grazing and beer tasting. 

The large, contemporary interior opens completely to ‘the great outdoors’. The scenery has a surreal and natural grandeur that suspends you in time. I look around, smile and think ‘there’s no place else I’d rather be’.




Teryaki Swordfish skewers, cucumber, pickled ginger, wasabi creme fraiche


Gratefully, the food and drink lives up to the views. I expected to see the token pizzas and mezzes on the menu, but Eagle Bay Brewing are a lot more sharp than that.  The open plan kitchen produces Modern Australian fare that makes an inventive use of the wonderful produce of the South West.


The teriyaki swordfish skewers with wasabi, pickled ginger and coriander - is awesome! A great mix of fiesty flavours and plated with finesse.

Lentil Fritters

I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting the deep South West.  It’s a family run business that serves beer, excellent food and unmatched atmosphere.   It’s hard to say what is better; the food or the view.


Food: 4/5
Ambience: 5/5
Service: 3/5

Eagle Bay Brewing Co on Urbanspoon




Squid Lips, 6281
Squid Lips make gourmet fish and chips sourcing local fresh seafood. They make a point of using rice bran oil, promising cooking that is free of cholesterol and preservatives.  
All you really need to know though, is that they make THE best squid I have ever had, ever!
Choose from lemon pepper, Cajun spices, or a classic salt and pepper, and the squid is cooked to absolute perfection. The pieces melt in your mouth. 

Cajun spice squid rings



SO GOOD!
Food: 5/5
Ambience: 2.5/5
Service: 4/5

Squidlips on Urbanspoon



Bunkers Beach Cafe, 6281
Seated near the large windows in this clean, contemporary, beachy restaurant, we could see the turquoise of Bunker Bay beach a short distance away.

Borlotti beans, poached egg, grilled Yallingup wood-fired bread $18.50

The menu is Modern Australian with a large emphasis on seafood of course.  We were there for the morning meal, which presented some thoughtful and flavorsome breakfast options.

Feeling adventurous I opted for the Scrambled egg with nori, lupin tempeh crisps and toasted sesame on spinach, and my fellow breakfaster, the Borlotti braised beans with tomatoes, garlic, poached egg and spinach, both $18.50.

Scrambled eggs, nori, lupin tempeh, spinach, Yallingup wood-fired bread $18.50

The meals came out after an amazingly short wait and both looked and tasted as if prepared by chefs rather than cooks – which they were.

My dish was a little bit ‘fishy’; the nori (dried seaweed) component was quite pungent. The lupin was pretty interesting and not too my taste either to be honest. I think it would only delight the most audacious of tastebuds.  The scrambled eggs themselves were perfection however and the grilled bread - Yallingup wood-fired – is truly the most delicious bread I have had for breakfast, ever! 

Food: 4/5
Ambience: 3/5
Service: 4.5/5

Bunkers Beach Cafe on Urbanspoon

Tuesday 3 January 2012

Duende, 6007


What a sexy place! I absolutely adore the atmosphere; you can’t help but be consumed in the Iberian, nighttime mood. I recall "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" by Neil Diamond playing when I arrived, which was so fitting.
Stylish, warm and intimate, Duende is great for romantic dinners among couples or leisurely catch-ups in the company of old friends. You and your posse can gather around one of the Moorish design tables or perch up on a high chair at the horseshoe marble bar. 




Duende serves superb Spanish tapas, which I’d liken to any pinxtos bar in San Sebastian.  I'd say it is the closest thing I've tried to the amazing MoVida in Melbourne.  



Mushrooms, px vinegar, blue cheese $14
 I caught up with a childhood friend at Duende a little while ago, and we thoroughly enjoyed the Spanish eats. The highlight dish for me was the Mushrooms; a mix of fleshy shrooms, vinegar, blue cheese and herbs; they were divine! I would gladly eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and snack times too!  

The sweet corn and Manchego croquettes are scrumptious; finely crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. We also ordered the prawn, potato aioli, chimmichurri dish which comprises two large WA prawns with a lovely spicy mayonnaise like sauce.   For dessert we umm-ed and ah-ed, before settling on the raspberry pannacotta with yoghurt sorbet. It was sweet and light; a perfect end to a fantastic meal. 



WA Prawns,  potato aioli, chimmichurri $12

Sweet corn & Manchego croquettes $12
All the tapas range from $2 for spicy popcorn to $28 for the beef fillet.   3 tapas plus a dessert was enough to satisfy my (*note: petite) friend and I.  
The quirky, mostly foreign staff are well versed on the kitchens offerings too. A request for a tapas or wine recommendation is met with a thoughtful suggestion. 




Raspberry pannacotta, yoghurt sorbet $12



Buzzing, sensual ambience, informed service and outstanding Mediterranean food; this place ticks all my boxes. I can't believe it took me so long to try.


Food: 4.5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Service: 4/5

Duende
662 Newcastle St 
LeedervilleWA 6007

08 9228 0123


Duende on Urbanspoon