Moana Coffee, 6000

We don’t ‘look up’ enough we humans. Focused always on the path ahead, we fail so often to observe the beauty above us. Moana Coffee reminds us to stop and smell the roses. You’d quite likely fail to notice it if you hadn’t heard the chatter on the grapevine. Suspended over the commercial Hay Street Mall, Moana is like a floating island of calm, and is perfect for a bit of solitude away from the tourist traps below. 

The balcony cafe, which you reach by a stately staircase, is positioned at level with the canopy of colonial buildings; the historic skeletons, of what they today house at street level. Up here you’ll meet Tranquility, History and Coffee.

Since its beginnings in 1907 as a café, the bygone Moana Chambers have seen an assortment of tenants from tailors, to jewellery makers, to families and theatre performers. Sewing machines and theatre chairs have since been replaced with coffee gears and low and high seats on which to perch; but the historic casing still remains. The reactivation of Moana Chambers into cafe-gallery and office space is thanks to a collab between the City of Perth and Spacemarket. Spacemarket has been responsible for awakening a number of underused buildings around Perth and repurposing them for creative ventures like artist studios.

 

Hanging outside on the quiet balcony is peaceful and charming. British Racing Car Green coffee cups, looped fairy lights, buffed floorboards, up cycled chairs and elegant archways. The ambience is lovely. Leaving will be an ache.

The beans are supplied by Bonissimo; my soy cappuccino had rich flavour and a fat crema, with good cocoa dusting. To fill your tummy, there’s a simple selection of bakes, toasties and salads, plus soups for the wintertime. 

I’ll be honest, I’ve been sitting on this review for a while, mostly for self-seeking reasons; I’d like Moana to stay the city centre sanctuary it is! The earnest owners work hard though, and deserve every patron they get. So I put my selfish motives aside, to share with you this treasure…

Coffee: 4/5 (Full flavoured and produced to a high level)
Ambience: 5/5 (An oasis. Can’t help but linger)
Service: 4/5 (Sweet and sincere)
Value: 4/5 (Slice of homemade pumpkin bread: $3.50, Small coffee: $3.80, soy milk: 30c)

Jamie's Italian, 6000

I was over the moon! I had scored an invitation for opening night at my favourite lisping celebrity chef's newest venture.

A fancied mix of classic and modern furnishings create a cheery ambience

Jamie's Italian is pretty much Mr. Oliver personified. From the food, to service, to the décor, everything echoes Jamie's philosophy, without being "branded" or cheesey.

The space is a playful mingle of old and new-world with splices of Italian bright red, white and green throughout. Retro booths and jade tiling, offset rough-hewn surfaces, hanging food produce, copper mesh lights and a blingy chandelier. A merge of hip and timeless, casual and classic. Warm, jovial and mightily inviting.

"Vegetables" Plank, $10 pp

The food is really like eating from the pages of a Jamie cookbook. We tried two pastas and a chocolate pot dessert. Pastas - rolled on site, cooked al dente and prepared simply- were thoroughly enjoyable. Dessert was lovely too. More bitter than sweet, the chocolate mousse was presented in a coffee cup, complete with cappuccino-top cocoa dusting and caramelized biscotti. Very cute and perfect for sharing. On my second visit I went for the Vegetables Plank which is a serious bargain at $10 pp. Marinated mixed vegetables, pickles, buffalo mozzarella, pecorino and a crunchy root vegetable salad. I followed with an entree size of Tuna Fusilli; 'Jools Favourite', $12. The woman is a nutcase but her taste in carbs ain't bad at all. Curls of al dente pasta in a tomato and flaked tuna sauce. Providing the wow factor were Jamie's trademark herby breadcrumbs. Crunch, crunch, crunch, om, nom, nom.

Entree size Tuna Fusilli; "Jool's Favourite", $12

The most exciting thing about the food is the realistic pricing. Factoring in the CBD location and celebrity endorsement- $9 for expert dessert, and pastas averaging $20 - is awesome. This makes all those "$20 Pasta Special"'s at other eateries look laughable. Competitors will be red-faced and shaking in their boots!

Antipasti board prep

The cocktail and wine list is excellent too. I can still taste that Clic Pinot Grigio in my mouth now -delicious!

The stylish tiled bar, and collared shirt-and-tie staff

In a nutshell, Jamie's Italian speaks rustic, warm, whimsical, contemporary and an emphasis on quality ingredients - much like the man himself. A win for Perth.

Food: 4/5 Simple, fresh food, made on site where possible, skilfully cooked. 

Ambience: 5/5 Warm, welcoming and coolly smart.

Value: 5/5 Antipasti approx $10pp, pastas $11-$30 and magnificent desserts approx $10

Drinks: 5/5 Great range of italian whites and reds, exciting cocktail list

Print Hall, 6000

Print Hall is the shiniest edition to the stunning Brookfield Place complex; boasting a brisk bank of bars and restaurants with rockstar chefs and sommeliers. The bar/restaurant by the same name, is one of the first to open and another two- a Hong Kong eating house and morning coffee bar- are primed to get things rolling next week.

A wall of impressive wines divides the drinking from the dining. Even though the bar next door is gushing with people on a Friday night, you feel divided enough that the noise doesn't intrude. If anything, it adds energy. The bathrooms are stylish retro, turning out white tiled walls, turquoise lacquered doors and Aesop soap dispensers. Can a bathroom be 'dapper'?

Great debate saw us go for the Smoked Ocean Trout with crackled pumpernickel, lemon yoghurt, oyster and pickled shallot, $41. Also, the White Asparagus, gnocchi, goat’s cheese, salsify, artichoke, nasturtium, $39. This dish was beautiful. An artistically plated harmony of subtle flavours and melty textures. I'd order this again. The size and presentation of mains are promotive of a three-course meal. If you have an appetite I suggest two courses or getting some sides.

White asparagus, gnocchi main, $39

Smoked trout main, $41

Well-groomed waitstaff are knowledgeable, European and maybe a bit over enthusiastic, not once letting our waters reach below the 3/4 mark.

This was my first time tasting the creations of David Coomer, and expectations were met, however not exceeded. If I had to compare the cuisine to another in Perth, it would be Restaurant Amusé, except with a little more rustic and a little less Heston Blumenthal.

Add it to the bucket list all you serious foodies out there.

Food: 4.5/5 (Inspiring flavours, unheard of ingredients and delightful plating)

Ambience: 4/5 (Classy, airy, slightly but not overly corporate)

Service: 4/5 (Well rehearsed)

Value: 4/5 (Paying for the craft, if you appreciate this kind of dining, then you'll think it fairly reasonable)

Nao Japanese, 6000

So I haven’t tried a tonne of Ramen in my time, but I can still say with confidence that this may well be the best Ramen Perth has to offer. The steady Japanese patronage is one indication and simply devouring (and it will be a 'devouring') a flavoursome bowl of Nao noodle soup is another. It doesn't take a connoisseur to tell that this is DAMN GOOD RAMEN.  Unlike many noodle eateries, Nao make their Ramen noodles every morning inside their little shop. This is the simple secret.

Green noodle in spicy broth with added leek

You will choose from a delightful array of components. The broth - miso, salty, spicy or soy. My favourite is the miso – a must if you have an affinity for miso soup. The spicy is tasty too. Then you choose your noodles – green (laced with spinach), red (peppered with chilli), plain or chunky egg. Then you can add on a selection of different vegetable and meat toppings. It’s like bubble tea noodles! If you don't feel like noodle soup, the sushi is fresh and fast too.

Teryaki chicken susi - so fresh

Green noodle in miso with chicken and added leek

 Once I finished face planting my first bowl of Nao, I took a few beats to look around and take in my surroundings. I really enjoy the fit out- it’s quietly special. Nothing show stopping, but its cosy and cutely Japanese. I'm so happy to have found this place. My life is Nao complete.

Green noodle in spicy broth with chicken

*Note: closed Saturdays, open Sunday

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

Halo, 6000

Looking for a quintessential ‘Perth’ dining experience with a view?  Forget C Restaurant and make your way to Barrack Street Jetty. It’s here you’ll find Halo Restaurant, hovering over the ripples of the Swan River.  

It’s a fine dining experience that encapsulates everything there is to celebrate about Perth; fresh seafood, stunning waterfront views and that close to perfect weather.   I recommend Halo for a Friday or Sunday lunch to capitalize on the pristine scenery. 

Amazing French bread

Barramundi, sweet corn risotto, avocado

The restaurant itself is smart and contemporary; with service to match.  Our Irish waiter showed the informed and enthusiastic service that I find to be absent in most Perth eateries.

Green salad side

Fish on cumin carrots, fish samosa and eggplant relish

In matters of food, it’s all made with high quality and (very) locally sourced ingredients. What’s arguably the best part of the eatables at Halo is their magnificent bread. It’s baked by an in-house French Boulanger, who is employed solely to bake beautiful bread for the restaurant. 

Roast pumpkin, beetroot and greens salad

Rolled sponge with lemon creme and pannacotta

The menu is heavily skewed in the direction of all things form the sea and you can taste the freshness in every bite. I ordered a Barramundi dish when I had lunch at Halo a few weeks ago.  Whilst the fish was cooked perfectly, I have to say each individual item on my plate was greater than the it’s whole.  The fish was served on a base of cumin carrots, a fish samosa and a spiced eggplant relish. The chef was obviously going for a bit of a Middle Eastern take, but the flavours didn’t quite connect. 

Chocolate fondant, mocha soil, chocolate truffles and maybe a mocha parfait?

Money shot

Never being someone to shy away from dessert, of course I had to try the Chocolate Fondant cake.  This was even more enjoyable than my main.  It comprised a perfectly gooey fondant cake, chocolate truffle cubes, mocha soil and some sort of mousse/parfait which I forget precisely what it was.  I'd like to bet that the same French Boulanger was responsible for this dessert, because it was superb. I had to fend off foreign forks, picking at the chocolate truffles on my plate!

Rhubarb pannacotta, raspberry sorbet, white chocolate parfait, rhubarb jelly

Food: 4/5

Ambience: 5/5 

Service: 5/5

Bench Espresso, 6000

Whilst I'm no coffee specialist, I have drank enough Soy Cappuccinos to recognise an excellent coffee when I try one. The tribe of discerning coffee drinkers is becoming a noticeable wedge in Perth's sub-culture, and the availability of a quality brew is vast and growing, particularly in the CBD.

Soy Mocha, Cappuccino

Allow me to illustrate my point with newcomer: Bench Espresso.  At the less happening end of Hay St, the espresso bar has a sleek, modern interior, punctuated with deep purple and lime green. You can pick up slices and bakes, or try one of their really tasty looking toasties.  I don't need to go on about how delicious the coffee is, but I will recommend trying their hot chocolate or a mocha. They use those most exquisite liquid coverture chocolate. If coffee alone isn't enough caffeine to buzz you out of that 3pm slump, doubling it with Belgian chocolate is sure to do the trick.

Coffee: 4.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Ambience: 3.5/5

Polly, 6000

Polly wanna cracker?? Polly wants coffeeeee. I'm going to assume this is the inspiration for this pop-up like coffee house that sits in the heart of Perth's cultural center.   Polly Coffee Bar resembles a bird avery in it's structure,  coloured models of birds perch over railings, and the counter cabinet displays an array of beak-friendly snacks such as vege poppy seed bagels and pumpkin seed rye sandwiches (taking the bird association too far?)    

Polly stocks a selection of European packaged treats and drinks including Hansi soda

One regular soy cap take-away

I like the simplicity of gray concrete and steel

Outside of its appearance, the coffee here is really good and I'd definitely recommend it over the Caffissimo just nearby (morning City commuters, a worthwhile detour).

I ordered a smoked salmon sandwich on rye with my coffee which the European chick behind the counter made up new for me instead of grabbing from the display.   I wish this could have meant my sandwich was going to be fresh however and I was disappointed to find the bread a bit dry.   The fillings were good though, plenty of smokey salmon coupled with its usual complementary companions; cream cheese and capers ( I'd have liked a few more capers if were getting picky).  Avocado and baby spinach joined the other fresh fillings too.

Cute stamp, nice touch

Smoked salmon on rye, baby spinach, avocado, cream cheese and capers

More bird motifs

you can see the dryness can't you???
 

Polly is a fitting addition to Perth's developing cultural hub (we try), but next time I'll try the sauteed mushroom and pumpkin version and hope they bothered to buy a fresh loaf that day.

Food: 2.5/5
Coffee: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambience/Space: 4/5


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Secret Garden, 6000

'Royale' with a (generous) side of spinach

After reading recently of the benefits of Salmon and it being labeled as a Winter "Happy" food,  I felt the need to start my day with a smoked salmon breakfast whilst in the city one morning.   With this mission in mind I headed for Secret Garden cafe which hides behind Tiger Tiger off Murray St.   I made my way past the indie kids tapping away on their Mac books at Tiger and picked up the menu at the counter before committing to the 'Royale' (poached eggs on toast with Salmon and house-made Hollandaise) with a side of spinach (daily greens, tick).   The staff were really friendly, educating me of the various sandwich and wrap fillings in their counter cabinet, and my picky request for a half serve of eggs and toast, and hollandaise on the side, was met with a chirpy "of course".

Soy Cap

Interior

As the name suggests, this place is peaceful, quietly tucked away from the bustle of Murray St. with a backdrop of non-overbearing art pieces that fit in effortlessly with the surrounding decor.

The meal arrived just as I was coming to the last few gulps of my soy cap (pet-peeve - forced simultaneous eating and coffee drinking ) and was great - egg yolk suitably gooey (#2 pet-peeve - over-poached eggs), toast was tasty, salmon pretty pink delicious and hollandaise sauce that hit the perfect balance of creamy buttery and lemon tangy. The coffee was good too :). 

Art piece leading to outside area

Food: 4/5

Coffee: 3.5/5

Service: 4/5 

Ambiance: 3/5

Price: $$

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