Tag Archives: CBD

Matsuri @ CBD

Posted in Food, Japanese by

I went to Matsuri with a group of friends to celebrate someone’s birthday. I have heard many praises for this Japanese restaurant and I’ve been given the weird look whenever I tell people that I have never been to Matsuri. What?! You’ve never been to Matsuri?! is the kind of response I’d always get. So I was actually very pumped to finally taste what the fuss was about.

I braved the chilly autumn night, walked in very high heels, and got to the restaurant where we were promptly seated by the friendly waitress serving us. The venue was very nice – modern oriental yet homey and it has glass walls so you can look out into the city. When we were given the menu my intial reaction was disappointment. For a restaurant that’s given a lot of high praises and that has a chic ambiance to it, the menu was rather disappointing. I was expecting something a bit more to the usual teriyakis and sushis and udons. Perhaps I was expecting too much. In any case, no matter how common and ordinary the menu items were, I still hoped that they would take the taste to the next level.

To start, we shared an entree of soft shell crab sushi. It came in 8 rolls.

The crab was perfectly crisp and flavourful. But the thing was this sushi is not properly made; as soon as you pick it up with your chopsticks it falls apart. Before you even get it to your plate you have already made a mess of a trail of sushi rice on the table. How can a Japanese restaurant charging top prices serve sushi that falls apart?

Anyhow, time for mains.

I opted for a beef teriyaki made with sirloin steak cubes in original teriyaki sauce.

This tasted more like garlic beef than teriyaki to me. Taste was garlicy and buttery and it was good but not the kind of teriyaki I am accustomed to or was expecting, at least. Beef was not tender enough either. I lost all poise just trying to chew that meat so I could swallow.

L had an una don, fresh eel in original teriyaki sauce over rice. This was more Japanese tasting than my beef above for sure. Amount of eel was generous but the amount of rice below was sickening. Too much rice for 1 person but enough if shared.

 

D ordered a fish teriyaki. The menu doesn’t say what fish they used but from sampling it, it wasn’t anything special. Nor does it look appetising.

 

A very nice restaurant with friendly and decent staff but food could be much better. I personally think it doesn’t live up to all the hype I’ve been hearing.

My rating: 5/10
Matsuri Japanese on Urbanspoon

www.matsuri.com.au

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Cimbalino @ CBD

Posted in Coffee & Desserts, Food by

One of my favourite cafes has a branch in the city right inside the food court in ENEX100 and even though I usually stop by ENEX when I’m in the city I have never noticed that Cimbalino is right there.

I hardly go to the food court area in ENEX100 but today was an exception. As I was rushing for a facial appointment, I finally went to the food court to grab a quick lunch. While waiting for my food buzzer to go off I looked around and, lo and behold, Cimbalino was standing majestically right in the middle of the food court. I quickly decided that I would come back after my facial for a cuppa.

I met up with Auntie J after my hour of relaxation and her hour of shopping. I placed our orders hoping the coffee would be just as good as Cimbalino @ Cottesloe, which I frequent. Just for a change from my usual latte I had a flat white this time around. The barista on duty also works at the Cottesloe cafe so the coffee definitely did not disappoint – perfectly smooth milk at just the right temperature.

As much as I tried not to get any sweets to go with our coffees I simply couldnt resist it. They have the same cake slices as the Cottesloe store although there were a couple of sweets that I have never seen before. It’s either they really don’t serve them in that store or those sweets are so popular that they sell out before I get the chance to eye on them when I go to Cottesloe late in the arvo. So we ended up getting the lemon and lime tart -

Cimbalino: lemon and lime tart

This was quite tangy with the slightest hint of egg curdle taste. The pastry was too thick and not flaky enough for me and did taste a little bit artificial. Their passionfruit curd that I’ve had in the Cottesloe store was definitely better.

And we also got the mini white chocolate cheesecake. Again, I had issues with the pastry, as above, but the filling was smooth, creamy and cheesy.

Cimbalino: mini white chocolate cheesecake

I’d really just stick to the coffee and the better tried and tested cake slices when I come here next.

My rating: 7.5/10

Cimbalino on Urbanspoon

www.cimbalino.com.au

Took Bae Kee @ CBD

Posted in Korean, Perth by

You know that little Korean restaurant along Pier Street that you can never get into? Well, after months of “trying to get there early” to get a table, I finally got the chance to sample their wonderful dishes. In fact, I’ve been to the Took Bae Kee Pier Street restaurant twice now and once to the newly opened Took Bae Kee 2 restaurant in Barrack Street.

The restaurant in Pier Street is a tiny little shack, hence why you have to be there early to get a table. There are always people waiting outside – even when it’s chilly – and if you happen to be one of them you can’t help but stare at the people eating inside, hoping it would induce them to eat faster. I usually come with a big group and this is clearly not the way to go. Unless they join all the tables together, Took Bae Kee Pier Street can only accommodate groups of 4 people max or less so better head to the Barrack Street one if you want space.

Took Bae Kee 2: Barract Street restaurant interior

Took Bae Kee offers us, Perthians, wonderful Korean dishes that closely mirrored what I had sampled in South Korea a few years ago. The only difference is that meals in South Korea are served with WAY more side dishes. Took Bae Kee gives you a selection of 4 side dishes which changes from time to time and which includes kimchi, bean sprouts, soy beans, nori strips, sweet pork cubes and more.

Took Bae Kee: side dishes

I went with L once to the Pier Street restaurant and had beef bulgogi served in a claypot that keeps your food warm and sizzling. The dish was simple and good.

Took Bae Kee: beef bulgogi

L had the spicy pork, served with rice, which she said was very good.

Took Bae Kee: spicy pork

And because it was a cold night, we decided to share a hot and spicy soup to keep us warm. We had the tofu soup and it was, indeed, very hot and spicy.

Took Bae Kee: spicy tofu soup

Then the next time I came here with Auntie C I had the same dish again just because it was delicious while she had something light – Jap Chae, which is a dish of sweet potato noodles stir fried with vegetables. This dish was very tasty but quite salty. It wasn’t as good as the ones I had in South Korea.

Took Bae Kee: Jap Chae with vegetables

At the Barrack Street restaurant, I had the sliced beef soup with noodles. The soup was a touch bland but they give you salt and pepper on the side so you can season it yourself.

Took Bae Kee 2: sliced beef soup with noodles

I haven’t been to many Korean restaurants in Perth but Took Bae Kee is surely one that I will always go back to.

My rating: 7.5/10

Took Bae Kee (Pier Street)
Took Begi Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Took Bae Kee (Barrack Street)
Took Bae Kee II on Urbanspoon

Jean Pierre Sancho @ CBD

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, French, Perth by

I have an inexplicable relationship with anything French. Perhaps it has something to do with me taking up French history some odd years ago that France, or anything French really, has left such an impression in my life. Naturally, every time I step into Jean Pierre Sancho Boulangerie et Patisserie on Hay Street and walk up its glass stairs I am reminded of my said relationship with the French, and also those chic little cafes that you see in movies.

Jean Pierre Sancho: cafe interior in a glass enclosure

It is a very spacious cafe with a few tables on the sidewalk too. When you step in you can hear quaint French music playing in the background. The cafe does need a little more ventilation though or turn up air conditioning. If you wear long sleeves clothing you will no doubt start sweating within the next 5 minutes, even in winter. Stuffiness aside, head over to the counter and you will be greeted by none other than the French speaking staff. I have yet to encounter a staff there who doesn’t speak the language. They are friendly, and most importantly, patient enough to allow me to practice my French with them and correct me if I use the wrong gendered articles.

Owned by 3 partners, one of whom is my friend’s brother, all the products they sell are handmade in store every day. There is a wide variety of savoury and sweet goods to choose from and don’t forget the breads as well. Over the past year that I have been coming here, prices have also gone up with inflation but, given the size, quality and consistency of the products, I am inclined to overlook this.

The croissants and chocolate croissants here are one of the bests I’ve had in Perth. Croissants that taste like what they should taste like (that’s to say not factory made) – very buttery and rich. Other pastries that I have come to love include -

The lemon tart, tangy just the way I like it but it has the tiniest hint of egginess which is a little turn off for me but that which doesn’t stop me from eating it.

The chocolate mousse, very smooth and very rich chocolate mousse. Not much to complain about that one.

And the blueberry and almond tart. This is by far my favourite. Sweet blueberries sandwiched between 2 almond based cakes, now what could possibly go wrong with that? It was a great afternoon treat after a long day of walking. The tart was pretty big for me to eat in 1 sitting. So I asked one of the staff if I could have it sliced in half and have the other half to take away. She gladly did this for me. People who stereotypically think of the French as a stuck up bunch should really come over to Jean Pierre to experience for themselves just how friendly they can be.

Jean Pierre Sancho: half of a blueberry and almond tart with coffee

Then you wash down all the sweets with a cup of organic fair trade coffee. Coffee is not the best there is but has improved significantly over the past year. They serve it with a bite-sized, buttery and nutty biscuit on the side too.

Jean Pierre Sancho has been in the Perth cafe scene for over a year now and they have already expanded by opening a smaller shop in St. Georges Terrace catering for the busy corporate people. If that’s not enough for you, they do catering as well as deliveries in the CBD area using a characteristically French delivery bike.

Jean Pierre Sancho: delivery tricycle*

My rating: 8/10

Jean Pierre Sancho on Urbanspoon

www.jpsancho.com.au

*photo from http://www.jpsancho.com.au/cmspages.php?pageid=7

Cabin Fever @ CBD

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Perth by

There’s no better way to enjoy a day off than chilling out in a very homey cafe that is Cabin Fever. Buried deep in Bon Marche arcade along Barrack Street, this little coffee shop is like the kitchen I’ve always wanted where friends would come over and we would spend the whole day chattering away whilst munching on sweet little goodies. Everything about this cafe screams home. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If only they could rent out this place to me once a week I’d be a happy camper.

Cabin Fever: counter and bar

Cabin Fever: "dining hall"

Cabin Fever: display of goodies

Cabin Fever: wall of cups and saucers

Adorned by a wall of cups and saucers, frames of drawings and furniture you’ll find at nanna’s place and looked after by such friendly and cheerful people, it did not take long at all for me to fall in love with this place. It was rather busy when I walked in -Business people in suits were waiting for their takeaway coffees, business issues were being discussed over at that “dining hall” and friends of the baristas were sprawled across the couch. The menu is limited to bread, muesli and muffins and quiche for this particular day (as it was today’s special). I placed my order of a skinny latte and a homemade banana and walnut bread (that came up to a total bill of $7) and settled myself onto a green wing chair. Oh what comfort! There is a coffee table next to my chair and a big table lamp so it was perfect for some reading. I took out my book and happily nibbled my toasted and buttered banana bread and sipped my coffee. It was a very light and delicious breakfast. The banana bread was very moist and delicious but could have been better with more bananas. Having it toasted gave it a nuttier flavour that was just absolutely divine! To go with it was a cup of beautifully crafted coffee that I have enjoyed to the last drop.

Cabin Fever: toasted banana and walnut bread with a latte

I sat on the green wing chair close to about 2 hours because I was desperately trying to finish reading Water for Elephants, which I did, but mostly it was just because this little coffee place made me very happy. It had such a positive energy that makes me want to spend the whole day there. If only I had another book with me. Oh, there’s free wifi too.

When I realised the time after finishing my book I finally got up to leave…but not before snapping up some photos. It’s a photo heaven for try-hard photographers like me! I bought a homemade brownie to go which is very sinfully rich and headed out the cafe and into the shop next to it called The Pigeonhole, which is owned by the same people (Cabin Fever is owned by The Pigeonhole), and that is another story.

My rating: 9.5/10

Cabin Fever on Urbanspoon

www.cabinfever.com.au

Ristretto Espresso @ CBD

Posted in Coffee & Desserts, Perth by

If you havent been to Ristretto Espresso before, finding it amongst the hustle bustle of what is known as Perth’s CBD can be quite a challenge – specially if you are a little bit navigationally challenged like me and you brought along someone who doesnt frequent the CBD.

Of my days as a bum, I have nothing else better to do than to hop around Perth and its suburbs to familiarise myself with this amazing city. So after reading rave reviews about how great the coffee is here, I took out my trusty Iphone to confirm the address of this little cafe. It says 160 St Georges Terrace. I was strolling along Hay Street and turned right onto William Street and Iphone says that I am not too far away from my destination. Upon further research I have noted that Ristretto is located in Central Arcade. Note to self, Central Arcade. Not Central Park. My equally lost companion and I walked into Central Park and saw this little cafe inside the lobby. My gut feeling tells me this wasnt it and it turns out that I was right. So we walked all the way back to St Georges and after a few steps we realised that we had walked into 158 St Georges Terrace. Er, should’ve looked at the numbers before walking huh? Well the good news was that 160 is right beside 158 so into Central Arcade we went. It looked really old inside and I, for one, would not have imagined Ristretto to be here. Finally we reached Shop 18 and there was Ristretto Espresso. A tiny shopfront serving only coffee, some sandwiches and muffins. I was craving for a slice of cake to go with my coffee so it was very disappointing to see that they do not even have a cake fridge!

Ristretto Espresso: shopfront

Referring to themselves as “espresso specialists” suggests that their only specialty is really just coffee so 2 skinny lattes were all we ordered. They do not actually have seats per se but there is a food court right next to it so you can sit there then. Most patrons are busy business people so coffee is served in takeaway cups. The small cup costs $3.50.

Ristretto Espresso: skinny latte

The roast is Ristretto’s own blend and the first sip was really strong and a tad bitter for my taste. It reminded me of Toby’s Estate coffee blend. But after a teaspoon of sugar and a few more sips later the latte grew on me. All it took was a little sugar to get rid of the bitter aftertaste and it was almost perfect. The milk was beautifully crafted (but the photo above is clearly not doing it justice because someone inadvertently stirred my coffee before I had the chance to capture it!).

I brought the coffee along to Miss Maud’s a few shops away on Hay Street to have it with a chocolate eclair. Somehow the eclair made the coffee taste weird. It was a taste I cant even describe. The closest definition would be that it was tarty. The coffee was so much better by itself that I actually regretted having that eclair.

My rating: 7/10

Ristretto Espresso on Urbanspoon
www.ristretto.com.au

1907 @ CBD

Posted in Modern Australian, Perth by

1907, situated along Queen Street, is an almost perfect fine dining experience. The restaurant is located in a somewhat dodgy aisle making it hardly recognisable from the outside with no visible restaurant door. The entrance door looked like a door to a house with a “push” (or was it a “pull”?) sign. We walked in greeted by a french waitress who showed us to our table. I did not even notice that HUGE wooden horse at the door food review sites have been talking about because I was anxious to sit down and order my food as I haven’t eaten for more than 6 hours.

The restaurant was unusually hot and stuffy when we went in. I was about to complain to the waitress to turn the damn aircon on but, thankfully, the place started to become cooler. After we placed our orders we were given a complimentary bread basket. It was a very generous size with 3 bread rolls and 4 slices of bread from a loaf. Dips consisting of olive oil, dukka, salt and a slab of butter were also provided.

1907: complimentary bread basket

1907: for the bread

Finishing almost the whole basket of bread was a terrible idea. It obviously fills you up really quickly so my friend and I decided against eating another piece of bread even though they were very tasty, not the kind you get from, say, Bakers Delight. By this time, the complimentary amuse bouche was served. Today’s dish was “Roast Pumpkin Soup” served in what looked like a flat-bottomed test tube or a long shot glass. Being the FOB that we are, my friend and I looked at each other thinking how we are supposed to eat it. There was no spoon and the fork was too big to fit into the ‘test tube’. So we just drank from it. It was very very delicious with a nutty flavour. Why can’t my homemade roast pumpkin soup taste like this? I wanted more of this – a big bowl of this. My friend made it into a dip for the bread too which was surprisingly good!

1907: complimentary amuse bouche - roast pumpkin

And so we chatted away. It did not take long for the entrees to be served. Mine was a “Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Cucumber and Fresh Coconut Salad and  Watermelon”. I have not tried a half cooked half raw tuna before and this was a very good first experience. It was very fresh and the salad, with a spicy and tangy taste to it, complemented the fish really well. Now I know why that watermelon was there. It was to cool down my palette after eating that spicy salad. My friend had the “Ginger Glazed Berkshire Pork Belly with Prawn Salad”. The dish was presented very beautifully! Great for photos indeed. And the taste did not disappoint either. Pork was tender and the salad fresh and tasty. The only complaint was that the pork skin was very tough. It was hard to cut it with a knife let alone chew and swallow it. If the skin were crispier it would have made this dish even better.

1907: seared yellowfin tuna

1907: ginger glazed Berkshire pork belly

For the mains, we both ordered the “Coq au vin, sous-vide Spatchcock with Mushrooms, Mashed Potatoes and Brioche”. We were craving for mashed potatoes so this was the obvious choice. To start off, the mash was very very smooth and creamy. The brioche was buttery and great for polishing off the sauce from the plate. And the spatchcock? It was delicious. Perfectly cooked and the mushroom sauce went really well with it. If there is any thing wrong with it it would be that it was a tad too salty. But otherwise this was a perfect dish.

1907: 'coq au vin' sous-vide spatchcock

I was already becoming very sleepy from being really full that I left half of my brioche untouched. But I just simply could not pass up dessert. The dessert menu had a “65% Dark Chocolate Marquise with lemon cheesecake ice cream” and anything that has ‘dark chocolate’ in it I have got to try. It’s something like chocolate mousse and the lemon cheesecake tasted like a yogurt-y ice cream. The sourness of the ice cream offsets the sweetness of my marquise. I still found the marquise a little too sweet for a dark chocolate concoction but otherwise good. My friend opted for a “healthier” treat, “Caramelised Orange with saffron ice cream and rose fairy floss”. The saffron ice cream was very exotic. Something different but something that I don’t think I would eat on a normal day.

1907: dark chocolate marquise

1907: caramelised orange with saffron ice cream and rose fairy floss

We paid our bill and walked out the door and that was when I saw that giant wooden horse. Why there is a horse in this restaurant is something I do not comprehend. Perhaps it’s something to fill in the void in the reception area? The place looked like a remodelled living room which made it cozy. Well at the least the table we were at felt cozy. The service was very friendly, too, from the minute we walked in to the minute we walked out. The waitress asked if we enjoyed our meals and wished us a good night when we left. She even offered to take a photo for us without us having to ask ask her – that is someone who is alert, I would say.  Some of the bad reviews I have read freaked me out at first because I really do not want to pay big money just to be disappointed. But I’m glad my friend and I took the chance and now this is one of my favourite fine dining restaurants. I would most definitely come back.

My rating: 9/10

www.1907.com.au

1907 on Urbanspoon

Taka’s Kitchen @ CBD

Posted in Japanese, Perth by

There is only 1 dish that I come to Takas for – Miso Katsu Don – and I swear by it. It is described by Taka’s as “chicken katsu served over rice and shredded lettuce covered with special red miso sauce”. Costs $5.30 for the small meal with no soup and $7.30 for the large with miso soup. This is easily the cheapest, most divine meal in town. Great value for money, as they say. The chicken katsu is always deep fried to perfection and there is something in that miso sauce that keeps me coming back for more. Perhaps it’s the saltiness. Or it could also be the sesame taste in the miso. Whatever it is it’s heaven in every bite.

Taka's: Miso Katsu

Because I am too addicted to it, I would brave the heat during lunch time to travel to CBD from West Perth just to have my miso katsu fix. This is not available in the Shafto Lane shop though. Last year after a 12km walk for City to Surf I made the mistake of going to the Shafto Lane shop thinking they had miso katsu there. So imagine my disappointment after walking 12 kms and feeling famish and being told that they don’t serve miso katsu in that particular shop. I almost blurted out profanity at the waitress. But I kept my cool and settled for “Teriyaki Fish”. It was alright but why settle for teriyaki fish??

Both shops are in food court style. Lots of tables joint together and you share tables with strangers. For such a cheap price don’t expect to be dining in somewhere fancy. Air conditioning is crappy too on very hot days. Diners would easily outnumber the chairs so it’s better to dine alone because there’s always that 1 seat gap between 2 people who don’t know each other and you can easily just squeeze yourself in; or dine with a friend and assign him/her to save you both seats while you order. Big groups? Either come in really early to bag seats and order take away and enjoy the food in the comforts of your home.

My rating: 8.5/10

www.takaskitchen.iinet.net.au/index.htm

Taka's Kitchen on Urbanspoon