Mary Street Bakery, 6050

2 parts flour, 1 part hipster, add yeast, bake.

Finally, Perth gets its first new-age artisan bakery. Cos, if you read the food journalism, its totally the in-thing right now. And the hipsters have already found their way to MSB.

You'll be welcomed by the familair faces from Cantina/El Publico/ACE, who warm you with their knowledge, charismatic demeanour and carefully mismatched shirts. The refreshed fit out is on the money, too. White-out walls, mixed wood features and the occasional totally non-naff hanging pot plant. It's a formula for paired back decor that makes you feel at home. There's a good barista on deck, but i'm yet to come around to the Pound coffee bean. It's a bit too easy-drinking for my taste.

Soy Cap, $4

Day 2, lunch hour

The creative baked goods will make you curse a gluten-free diet. Beautiful loaves, bread-based brunches, gut-busting cakes and biscuits, daily pie and sausage roll specials, and Aesop to wash the grease of your hands afterwards.  One Beef and mushroom pie, $7 was smashingly good; a buttery golden pastry housing rich meaty innards. Extra credit for the house-made tomato sauce, which we used liberally!

Today's pie; Beef and Mushroom, $7

Oozey beef, break-away pastry

Escargot, $5

If you can't face a carb-a-thon, you'll be pleased at the sight of seasonal soup ($13) and salads ($11), plus a couple of more substantial lunch items, this day involving Mullet, barley, baba ganoush, radicchio, $21 and another of Slow cooked lamb. The Mullet dish was plated with the similar rustic flair as those dishes I enjoy so well at sister restaurant, Cantina 663. I loved it and would order it again. Steer clear however, if you have an aversion to coriander!

Daily salads; chickpea and spiced pumpkin, $11

Mullet, Radicchio, barley, baba ganoush, $21

After two visits in two days, I say, I can't think of a better tenant to fill the dried-out Soto space. I've pretty much already consigned those guys to oblivion. Mary Street Bakery, it's a little bit hip, but its down-to-earth too. Tastes YUM, feels comfortable and it's so 'now'.

Food: 4/5 (Traditional methods meet newfangled flavours. Fresh, homemade and modern).
Coffee: 3/5 (Crafted well, but too subtle for this pigeon)
Service: 5/5 (Vibrant, amiable and they know their product)
Ambience: 4/5 (Warm, casual and not overdone-hipster)
Value: 4/5 (Pretty much spot on. Salads $11, Pies $7, Sweet baked goods $5, Breakfast $11-$20

Mrs S., 6690

Mrs S. has remained in my top 3 decadent Perth brunch destinations since it opened. The food is next level, service is sweet and don't forget those insanely delicious, voluptuous cakes. On a recent visit, the Divine Mrs. S had whipped up some unbelievable Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Chocolate Lamingtons. I know, right!! Is that even legal?!? That is like, four kinds of amazing in one. Pure hedonism.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Tea For Tú, 6000

Tea for Tú has all the makings of a girlie meeting place – pastel vintage crockery, a small library of loose leaf teas, cutesy fit out, and a willfully obscured courtyard that is perfect for gossiping.

Via William St.

Courtyard and urban art on Lock Lane

Fall upon this hideaway by one of two ways: underneath (one of my fave bars) Mechanics Institute via Lock Lane; or through a buried doorway at the back of Tú boutique. It’s all very The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This minuscule tea salon, with its daydreaming decor and inconspicuous nature; will have you seeking it on days you just want to get away from the noise.

Courtyard via Lock Lane

In order to fully indulge your inner Marie Antoinette, take your tea with a French pastry. Choose from a small showcase of delectable sweets; cupcakes, croissants and masterpieces from Choux.  Heading trends; Tea for Tú are also one of the few cafes that serve creamy green tea lattes and price take-away coffee at $3 before 9am. 

If all this frou-frou isn’t for you, then maybe the free Wi-fi connection, kindly service and coffee strong enough to give you the jitters, is.

Coffee: 4/5 (Strong, full-bodied, smooth).

Cakes: 4/5 (Small selection of fine looking cakes)

Service: 4/5 (Chatty, obliging and cute!)

Ambience: 4/5 (A tucked away location for quiet contemplation and secret catch ups)

Genesis In The Hills, 6111

I love a good vegetarian find, and I'm generally willing to clock up a few kms to try it out, so it was a warm Autumn day that I made the drive out to the Hills for this Genesis.

Quite literally nestled among the Perth Hills, the tranquil and charming Australiana surrounds are the real drawing card here. Fronting the cafe is a beautiful veranda with wooden tables and chairs. The veranda wraps around the side of the cafe, hovering over pretty bushland.

From the small menu of meat-free dishes I chose the quinoa salad. A rainbow of both fresh and cooked vegetables with a herbed yoghurt dressing and a smattering of almonds. I feel healthy just looking at it!

Whilst the light and healthy meals were fresh, they were a bit overpriced and not really day trip worthy - the charming destination however, certainly is.  Dining amongst green bushland, patchwork homewares and a resident labrador, you can easily feel at Home Sweet Home. 

The warm and friendly owner will take the time to come around to each table after your meal to see that you enjoyed your lunch, which is a heartfelt touch.

Luscious cakes. Front: Banana, Halva and Almond. Right: Baked Ricotta Choc

If you're a sweet tooth, you could argue the cakes are worth the trek also. Moist and sticky, yoghurt and fruit based cakes. I managed to pass up on a piece of the Banana Halva Almond. Oh my goooodnessss!

Food: 3.5/5 (fresh and healthy but no wow here. The cakes however? To-die)

Service: 4/5 (genuine and friendly)

Ambience: 5/5 (Supremely tranquil and quiet surrounded by natural bushland in a homey establishment)

Value: 3/5 (Prices were too expensive) 

Sidney Loves Audrey - 6006

Its one of those coffee-shop-gift-shop meshes, where you can browse the cutesy home-bits and gift trinkets whilst you wait for your take-away coffee. Or if you’re like me, be lured by the heavenly waft of baked goods and decide to hang around.

Big fudgy brownies, chocolate cakes and muffins, resting warm in their baking tin, line the counter. There is free wi-fi but no suitable place to prop up your laptop. Instead the room is scattered with a mix of low-lying vintage settee (yes I just used the term ‘settee’. This is the sixties, remember) and coffee table settings. Sidney Loves Audrey is a good place to mix up your regular coffee and cake catch up.

The coffee, served in cute polka dot crockery and a shortbread cookie man on the side, gets about a 7/10 from me. 

Surrounded by quirky old world wares and Bill Crosby on the radio equate a whimsical air. The proximity to a busy intersection however, encroaches on some of this charm and makes it less cozy. I hope Audrey gets some more lovers so that the chatter of coffee meetings will add up to an inviting and warmer café environment.

The Kiosk, 6051

The Kiosk is a brand new cafe sitting quietly at The Rise complex in Maylands. Its on the budding Eighth Ave but across the other side of Guilford Rd., away from the likes of Mrs S, Milk'd and Rifo's. 

There is a small brunch menu which is not dissimilar form sister cafe, West End Deli. The name of the game is in-season produce, prepared well. There isn't a lot of over processing or cooking. It's all very wholesome and fresh. 

The portions aren't huge and the style more about snacky type brunch offerings like house baked baguette with a pick of side - roasted tomatoes with goats cheese, mushroom ragout with blue cheese and black bean cassoulet. Quality and refinery are the preference over large quantities of hearty foods. This not the place for a hangover brunch but for a lighter , healthy mroe sophisticated fare.  

pumpkin, green bean salad

The portions aren't huge and the style is more about snacky type brunch offerings like house baked baguette with a pick of sides, like roasted tomatoes with goats cheese, mushroom ragout with blue cheese and black bean cassoulet. Quality and refinery are the preference over large quantities of hearty foods. This not the place for a hangover brunch but for a lighter , healthy mroe sophisticated fare.

baguette, scrambled egggs

black bean cassoulet

 We also ordered one serve of the house baked baguette with scrambled eggs, $11. Two serves of the Gluten free zucchini bread with poached eggs, $11.  Plus a side of black bean cassoulet  and some roasted tomatoes with goats cheese, $8.

zuchini bread, poached eggs

 The tastiest part of our meals was the black bean cassoulet. The spiced bean mix was delicious. The zuchini bread was very light and fluffy although it was missing a punch of something minty or salty. Could have done with some more zuchini or a cheese through it. Eggs were cooked so they were gooey and silky, and not stodgy and curdled.

zucchini bread, poached egg

roasted tomato, goats cheese

Probably more impressive were the display of cakes. A gluten free chocolate, raspberry and coconut variety particulary caught my eye. There were other unconventional cake creations, as well as meringues, Portuguese tarts and top-heavy muffins.

Service is quite slow; I don't think they are set-up for a busy brunch trade and it's still early days. Overall the food wasn't super delicious but I like that it was very light on the grease and different to what i'd make at home. The barista is a serious whiz too. I'd stop here for a take-away coffee any day!

Food: 3/5

Ambience: 3/5

Service: 2/5

Value: 3/5

Rochelle Adonis, 6003

Rochelle Adonis is  swank high tea for the contemporary lady of leisure. Whilst the chandeliers, flower arrangements, traditional teas and vintage crockery have persisted; the edibles do not conform to a conventional English High Tea one bit. There is not a scone or quiche Lorraine in sight. The kitchen rotate a set-menu selection of 4 savoury and 4 sweet nibbles with a palate cleansing interlude. It's $45 pp and includes unlimited tea and coffee.

 

So just what magnificent treats can you expect from this modernized High Tea? Be delighted. To start we had some delicate cucumber and dill sandwiches, crusts removed/ Naturally.

                       

The savoury dishes comprised 1. A very fancy dolmades  served with a saffron aioli; 2. Asian mushroom money bag on a small bed of Asian style salad of mint, coriander, chilli and lime; 3. Warm creamed pea soup shooter and 4. Pork belly morsel served on pork rillette, wafer thin dried apple and some sort of quince tasting jelly. The pork was my favourite.

Clockwise from left: dolmades, pea soup shooter, pork and mushroom money bag

Bridging savoury to sweets was a refreshing scoop of watermelon and strawberry sorbet served in the most regal of silver spoons that looked as if made specially for this purpose.

Watermelon and strawberry sorbet

Rochelle Adonis is famed for her desserts and you might recognise some of her cabinet goodies from the counters at Cantina 663 and other cafes in the Highgate/Northbridge/Mt Lawley area. To sweets is where the most dedication is given.

Take home confections

The Dessert tier....

Served in an Asian soup spoon was a magical wedge of coal covered pineapple with possibly an Earl Grey? mousse. Of the flavour I can’t be sure, but one thing is for certain – it tasted amazing! Like a pandan/coconut flavour infused into a voluptuous cream.

The next was a sort of ‘Eton mess’ style pot with flavours of the Middle East – cardamon, pomegranate and rose – gorgeous!

The least impressive of the sweets was the layered chocolate cake. On its own I would have thought it quite excellent but it was overshadowed by the other sugary masterpieces.

The most delectable thing to reach my lips was this piece of heaven – the peach gallete. Perfectly puffed puff pastry with baked peach and a wicked burnt honey cream – I could have eaten 5!

Ooooh yeah baby. Peach galette with heaven cream

Unfortunately the action didn't match the goods. Our waitress was cold and abrupt and the palpable stress seemed to flow from the kitchen to the table. I would have benefited from some ventilation throughout the space too! This said, I would happily endure a sweaty, high-strung service for those heavenly sweets again!

Food: 4/5
Service: 2.5/5
Ambience: 2.5/5