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.

CNR Kitchen - 6003

This is a raw food and vegan friendly cafe? Who knew? I blanked it out as a simple coffee shop. In search of a decent cup of joe, what a delightful surprise it was to discover what can only be described as a treasure trove of meatless, colourful, fresh, healthy eats! You'll  find vegan and gluten free "burger" sliders (where the bun is substituted for tomato), raw zucchini pad thai "noodles", raw, nut-cheese "pizza", rainbow salads, raw eggplant parmiagiana, pasta-less and meatless lasagne and the list goes on.

Raw pizza and salad

Raw pizza

 I tried the raw pizza - a dehydrated what-free base generously topped with fresh basil, kalamatta olives, roasted peppers and fresh spinach. Relative to the version at The Raw Kitchen of Freo, I actually found it a little bland, but it was certainly edible.  We also ordered the varietal and healthy "Tasting Plate" of dolmades, guac, tomato salsa, carrot and cucumber batons and a slice of raw pizza. If you're not into this kind of healthy food then you might find these dishes a bit unsatisfying. For the health conscious - you will rejoice! In hindsight I should have ordered their pad thai, sliders or roast veg stack, they all looked amazing!

Tasting plate

Tasting plate

In my experience, the food was not executed with quite the same level of stealth or deliciousness as The Raw Kitchen, but it is slightly more affordable. If The Raw Kitchen cuisine is a 10, then CNR is a 7. Still very good. Where CNR whip the competition is in choice! Breakfast, lunch and dinner all have a sizeable list of options. Meat eaters and wheat eaters are not left out in the cold either, theres yummy things like pancakes, gourmet pork sausage rolls, paninis and even a Waygu beef burger. A group of people with varying tastes can dine here in harmony!

Best is the location  - alfresco seating that spills out onto some marvellous people watching real estate at the Northbridge Piazza. There was a Quiddich match the afternoon I went. Thoroughly amusing. CNR also brew boutique coffee, with their signature roast alongside a daily special, for an extra 50c. And the baristas love telling you about the stuff.

Quiddich at Northbridge Piazza

So have had better raw, vegan food? Yes, but I would definitely come back here again and again. Besides, anywhere that puts pancakes on the breakfast *and* lunch menu is impossible not to love.

Highs - The only location in Perth offering raw and vegan dinners, knowledgeable staff,  big nods to gluten/animal/dairy-free peeps, boutique coffee, the selection!

Lows - Raw pizza could be tastier, a bit dark inside, expensive coffee

Canvas, 6160

Canvas is housed inside the beautiful and historic Fremantle Art Centre. Its a truly tranquil spot to bring a group of friends, some BYO bubbles and have a long table birthday brunch...with a Middle Eastern bent.

 The stars of the menu are the Shak-shukas. You probably know the traditional form - eggs poached in a rich tomato sauce with aromatic spices and fresh herbs, served in a small skillet. Well Canvas have taken this traditional berbers breakfast and made it their signature, offering versions that include fancy things like barrumundi, prawns and pork chipolatas...even lamb brains.

Sea shak-shuka with whiting

I tried the "Sea" version with my pick of whiting. The plentiful dish came with buttered spinach and herbs, labneh, harissa and a side of Moorish (extremely satisfying) bread, olives and herbed butter. The serving was enough for two, but too delicious to be shared :D.

Soup of the day - bean, ham hock

It's still a bit of a Freo kept secret but its in an easy running for one of the best brunches in Perth in my books. 

Ups: inspired breakfast menu, generous serves, house made bread and luxurious herbed butter, peaceful setting

Downs: Coffee was just ok, courtyard cold in Winter. 

Subsequent visit worthy? Yep

Tak'E Sushi, 6059

This has got to be the best take-away sushi I know in Perth. Phenomenal freshness and big time deliciousness, at next to nix prices. I go bananas for the classic canned tuna roll. Flavoursome flaked tuna wrapped with just a slither of lettuce, smudgy avocado and crisp cucumber. The rice is the perfect consistency and there is a generous filling to rice ratio. Six pieces of this fantastic tuna sushi is just $5.50. Bargain! Donburi and bento sets go for about $10-$15.

The miso is also high quality. The taste is wholesome and you’ll find shaved leek wading at the bottom of your styrofoam cup, and its always piping hot!

6 pcs tuna $5.50

Miso soup

The family operating Tak'E are so sweet, greeting everyone with a genuine smile and little bow of the head.

Note that Tak’E is strictly take-away. Standing room only. The shop is tiny! Locals love their Tak’E take-away so be prepared for a bit of a wait if you come at peak times.

Food: 5/5 (Fresh, tasty, good portions).
Service: 4/5 (Helpful, fast…may be a 30-minute wait for fresh made sushi after 6:30pm)
Value: 5/5 (For the quality, it’s awesome!)
Ambience: 4/5 (Even though its just an in-and-out set up, the display of sashimi and friendly family make it a bit special).

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)

Bollywood Spices Indian Cuisine, 6006

A humble little Indian eatery where whats going on in the dining room is trumped by whats happening in the kitchen. Bollywood Spices are not in business for a fun-time atmosphere or an impress-the-pants-off-your-date dining experience, no. Bollywood Spices stand for honest Indian food prepared with loads of flavour, a tonne of love and very little grease.

 The sizeable menu was hard to narrow down so we asked for a recommendation or two and ended up with Tandoori Paneer Tikka - squares of ricotta cheese nestled under shells of soft onion and green capsicum. Yummy. 

Tandoori Panner Tikka $8.50

Of the curries we went for Aloo goobi, $12.50 which is a potato and cauliflower curry and the Goan fish. Each were complex and delicious to the taste, without being oily - added points!

Fish Goan Curry $15.90

Aloo Gobi $12.50

A side of kachumber salad to lighten the load. The salad was pretty standard, but very reasonably priced.

Kachumber salad $3.00

I believe you can just about always judge the talent of an Indian chef by the quality of the breads and rices. Complemetary papadums were airy and dissolved on the tongue. The plain prata was deliately baked and so obviously fresh. The fluffly scented rice was puffed to a T. Bollywood Spices proved my theory once more.

Plain Naan $2.50

Zeera Pluao $3.50

Bollywood Spices is subsequent visit worthy for Indian take-away when the curry pangs pounce, or a no efforts dine in dinner. Bollywood Spices is not a joint for group dates, although the full house on a rainy Tuesday night suggests otherwise. I'll put it down to a reputation among North Perthites for the most honest Indian food around.

Food: 4/5 - good choice of non-greasy, wholesome Indian cooked by a pro!
Ambience: 3/5 - not winning any awards here but its clean and sweet
Value: 5/5
Service: 4/5 -  food arrived in good time, no complaints otherwise.

Nobu, 6100

Three words: Black Cod Miso. Whatever you do, make sure you recite these words to your waiter. A Nobu dining experience is not absolute without this unimaginably perfect piece of fish. At $46 a pop, the signature cod is marinated for three days and the result is delicate, fall-apart, buttery, honeyed, ambrosial....so....friggen...good. 

The signature Black Cod Miso

The rest of the dishes were beautiful but not outstanding. I wasn't ooh-ing or ahh-ing after every dish like I was here. For fine fining establishments in Perth, there are a few others that I would sooner choose for a special occasion. 

Baby Artichoke Salad

Before the holy Black Cod Miso, we also tried the shaved Baby Artichoke Salad- made interesting with truffle ($25); and the Ocean Trout Sashimi with Jalapenos ($26). I loved the Latin American twist. 

Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno

For our 'hot' plates we opted for the special - Watermelon Soft Shell Crab – a wicked blend of flavours and textures and a spectacle for the eyes! Who would have thought of serving watermelon warm? Nobu, apparently! 

Watermelon Soft Shell Crab

After reading about the wonders of the Tuna Sashimi, I had to try one piece. The tuna was succulent, but $7 is a bit over the top for a raw piece of fish. 

Tuna Sashimi x 1

Our cocktails - Mia Margarita (Tequila Reposada, Honey, Passionfruit Purée, Lemon Juice & Shichimi) and Champagne cocktail (Grand Marnier, Peach Liqueur, Pineapple Purée & a Champagne Float); both $18 and both absolutely delicious! The champagne kind was especially unique. Definitely go for one of the Summery cocktails over other libations on offer.

As every special occasion dinner should end, we finalized our meal with dessert. I had the Bento Box - chocolate fondant cake with green tea ice cream and my compardre had the Ichigo
 -Strawberry Pannacotta, Yuzu Granita & Lychee – both $15. The zest, fruity, yet creamy pannacotta martini was a win. My fondant was seamlessly fondant-y but the chocoholic in me wanted more richness. 

Ichigo

Bento Box

Nobu was a pleasant experience but I expected more “Wow” for my buck. If I find myself in short radius of Nobu again, Ill sit at the bar, sip one of their Caribbean cocktails, order a couple of sashimi tacos and indulge in the luxe surrounds. 

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