A little snippet of Sydney where I spent it frolicking and feasting throughout what many people think is Australia's capital. Enjoy!
Breakfast in Perth, an Illustrative Guide
Gone are the weekends that begin with the sound of cornflakes falling into a bowl. When appetites in Perth began to expand outside the adventurous 'big breakfast' consisting of sausage, bacon and eggs - so too did the breakfast choices. We've moved away from the likes of burnt toast, haphazardly spread marmalade and butter that we never quite lathered to the corners. The past few years have shown a shift from cardboard cornflakes and splashes of milk towards over-the-top pancake stacks and eating real food for breakfast.
It turns out that breakfast is not only functionally important, but also because it presents yet another opportunity to catch up with friends and family, go outside and do a little less. Dessert for breakfast is not uncommon, with plenty of flexible food choices falling into both categories for experimentation. We can rest assured that Perth has some options to thoroughly indulge in on the weekend. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and these choices should be taken seriously.
Tbsp.
French Toast. A seemingly obvious choice for breakfast but one that is not commonly found on menus. tbsp. does a good job in ensuring their bread is not soggy and that their toast is adequately dressed with fresh berries and whipped honey butter. What is great about this dish is that the butter doesn't completely melt away and you still have a little extra to slather on your bottom slice.
Chu Bakery
Beginning the weekend with a coffee in one hand and a Chu Puff in the other is something many people of Perth have turned into a ritual. When the food in question is as pretty as it is satisfying, it is hard to pass by this corner bakery without peering into its cabinet display of temptations. The profiterole is light and although the cream appears dense, the consistency is just right - holding its own but smoothly melting away once bitten to reveal a sweet jelly.
Flora and Fauna
Brightening the plates and tables of fruit and flower lovers alike, Flora and Fauna's most popular and photogenic dish is the Chia Bowl. The toppings vary depending on seasonal fruit but promises to be fresh and filling. It also makes you feel like you've been really good and super healthy, so I suppose you can reward yourself with an indulgent treat later. That's how it works, right?
Pixel Coffee Brewers
Breakfast isn't quite complete without an appropriate cup of coffee. It is at Pixel that your latte art is taken to a whole new level by their baristas (special mention to 72Transformations). Say goodbye to the seemingly boring flat white and say hello to latte art so Instagramable that you think it should be in international latte art competitions. They also serve up a balanced cup of coffee, with beans from Ethiopia, Columbia and Costa Rica.
Piccolo's Corner
Forget the smashed avo (although it is also offered at Piccolo's) and go for the smashed pumpkin. A poached egg sits on top like the proverbial cherry on the cake. The egg is glossy, pristine and once split to allow the yolk to seep onto the plate, it is done perfectly almost every time. The smashed pumpkin shouldn't be overlooked as the pumpkin itself is a comforting and versatile vegetable and is honoured in this simple but tasty smash.
Mrs. S
There is a reason why the Manwhich has been on the menu at Mrs.S for more than five years now - it's a winner. There are no complaints of beetroot relish staining lips or fingers as the combination of flavours within the sandwich lend nicely to the pulled pork. The ciabatta roll is lathered in aioli, cucumber and greens are added in for good measure to break up the soft and tasty pork and to tone down the awesome jolt of flavour from the beetroot between the wedges of bread. The only challenge is being okay with not sharing.
Harvest Espresso
What did matcha lovers do in Perth before matcha lattes were on menus? They either held out for somewhat mediocre green tea lattes from Starbucks in a city other than Perth - or they did what I did (and still do) and went to the Asian grocery to purchase matcha powder and make their own. Harvest Espresso was among some of the first cafes to offer the matcha latte to avid green tea fans, providing their customers with a smooth and creamy cup of astringent antioxidants. What's more is the large comes in a decent sized mug you can wrap your cold hands around come winter time. It's still a favourite place in Perth to grab a matcha latte.
This will be a continuously updated post. I hope you have enjoyed it so far! All illustrations by me.
Tsukiji Fish Market
Japan is the Land of the Rising Sun, but also the land of the rising fishermen. There are many places in Japan that showcase the amazing gastronomical culture, eating habits and culinary techniques of Japan. Tsukiji Fish Port Market in Tokyo, among Nishiki Market in Kyoto and Dotonbori in Osaka are key places to experience this.
A short walk away from Ginza, Tsukiji Fish Market is an incredible way to dive into Japan's food culture. As the largest seafood market in the world, there is no unfamiliarity with the masses of people or fish that pass through this district. Fresh fish is imported to Tsukiji and exported throughout the rest of Japan. The market is noisy and rustic, and equal parts charming. It is in short, a sensory playground.
Whether you're seeing tuna being sliced finely with a sharp blade, feeling smooth ceramic rice bowls, smelling smokey grilled octopus, hearing stall owners yelling out "いらっしゃいませ (Irasshaimase)!" as you weave through crowds of people, and whether you are tasting freshly fried tempura, almost all senses are engaged.
Tsukiji Market is split into two markets, the inner and the outer market. The inner market is full of hustle and bustle where serious wholesalers and owners of restaurants bide their time and bid on the freshest and highest quality fish available. They take their time to taste the meat, For a glimpse into the Tuna Auctions, you can only organise these through tourists groups or by getting there during the early hours of the morning.
You cannot participate in the auction but you are permitted to take photographs. Be aware to be on your best behaviour and don't seek to obstruct business as usual, as it is very much an important aspect of business for many high-end restaurants and sellers. Only an approximate 120 tourists are admitted per day with stakeouts beginning at 3am on occasion.
That aside, to me the outer market is where the action is. You'll often find restaurants tucked away in between stalls selling fresh produce or pots and pans. Sounds and smells fill the fresh air as restaurant owners advertise the catch of the day. Keep an eye out for the stools and high counter tops, shaded by a simple tarp. They aren't places to be overlooked and often specialise in particular foods.
We did not limit ourselves to eating at only a sushi restaurant at the market. I instantly gravitated toward these strawberry mochi and proceeded to have my best tastebud sensation that morning. One piece was Y300 but were a reasonable size. Flavours ranged from custard cream, mango, matcha, strawberry and red bean. The mochi was soft, the flavours subtle but tasty and the fresh strawberries were incredibly plump and juicy. I found myself constantly dusting mochi rice powder from my lips. You will find a couple of stalls like this scattered throughout the market.
We ate at Hokkushin Bussan, which specialises in exporting fish roe. Jason and I ordered kiwami-don, with a serving of medium fatty tuna, tuna, sea urchin, salmon roe, shrimp, chopped fatty tuna, scallop, salmon, squid, white fish and crab flakes. This dish was Y2280 (Approximately $27.00). The chirashi was the best way to sample the freshest and highest quality raw fish. We requested an extra serving of fatty tuna which had an amazing consistency and taste.
It was recently announced that Tsukji Market was moving to Toyosu in November 2016, approximately twenty minutes away by bus. I would recommend visiting the market while it is in its current location, if not to experience the atmosphere, admire the densely packed stalls, watch people weaving through lines to grab a seat at the sushi bar, then you must visit for the simple pleasure of eating high quality food.
Popular restaurants at Tsukiji Fish Market:
- Sushi Dai
- Sushi Zanmai
- Tsukiji Kaggura
- Sushi Zanmai-Honten
- Tsukiji Sushisei Honten
- Aozora Sandaime Hafu
Have a browse of the official Tsukiji Japanese Restaurant guide here for more food options, although in my opinion it's best to have a wander as you'll easily find some amazing food!
Edosei
If you are not looking for Edosei you may just walk past it. It is almost hidden on Barrack Street, tucked away if not for the simple name plating outside. The decor inside is simplistic and beautifully refined. Following each other into the restaurant at the end of the working day are local salary men who are also eagerly greeted regulars, ready for a good meal and a bottle of sake.
It is no wonder that Edosei has such a flock of regulars, as it was founded in Perth by a Japanese marine automation manufacturing company based in Tokyo. The company's strong links in the food industry throughout Australia has enabled it to introduce its first restaurant to Sydney and its second in Perth.
Edosei prides itself in its use of the freshest fish flown in from Melbourne's fish markets. The staff are authentic and polite, warmly greeting their customers upon arrival. One particular staff member noticed an empty Subway cup tumbling around outside the restaurant. Unlike most people in Perth, he proceeded to pick up the rubbish with a tissue and throw it away. These mannerisms and actions particularly reiterate a high level of consciousness and pride they take with everything they do, their high standards of service and quality also inherent in their food and presentation.
Lucia and I started off with a hot entree of Buta Kakuni ($15), a gelatinous braised pork belly whose sweetness was offset perfectly with a side of crisp and hot mustard and topped with thinly sliced Japanese leek and dehydrated chilli. The pork is simmered perfectly for hours to the point that the fat renders down to nothing but a brief moment of juicy melt in your mouth goodness. It was an instant favourite and with each pork belly square so delicious and appetising, we kept searching the small bowl for left over bits of pork that may have gone amiss.
Unlike Lucia, I am a lover of sashimi. We compromised and both picked out the Conger Eel and Cucumber Roll ($15.00) to share. It was a piece too many for the both of us, as we had keen eyes on the dessert. Nonetheless we ate the rest of it. While it was nice and well rolled, I wasn't sold on the eel which I usually enjoy. Had it had a little more of that tangy dressing, I would have eagerly had more. Although the rice was soft, the filling was a little dry and found myself washing it down with water.
I ordered the tempura with hot noodles ($18.00). You are given the option of udon or soba for your noodle bowl and I chose the classic udon which was served in simple dashi. I liken this dish to Kitsune Udon - minus the tofu. For a dish whose textures are primarily soft and soupy, the side of tempura balanced it well texturally.
The tempura was incredibly enjoyable and came out very hot (we were warned not to touch the plate) which is a good sign of a good restaurant. Steaming hot tempura that is crunchy on the outside and slightly doughy on the inside, gives eaters the opportunity to let the tempura cool to their desired temperature and in saying that - their desired starchy textures. There is nothing worse than cold tempura in a Japanese restaurant. The ingredients that had been ladened in batter were themselves fresh and tasty.
Lucia's Tan Tan Men ($18.00) came out in a steam of sesame oil and chili. Tantanmen ramen is characteristically spicy, rich and warming. Pork belly (the very same as was in the Buta Kakuni entree) sits in a broth surrounded by thin and delicious ramen noodles and spring onion. A half boiled egg with the perfect amount of runny yolk sits in the centre awaiting some serious ravishing. Although the usual interpretation of this dish is with minced pork, the tenderness of the Buta Kakuni isn't disputed, although we were a little thrown to find the same pork used in the main as was in the entree. Still, it was delicious.
My only gripe with the restaurant is that I would normally not pay for udon noodles or ramen at a going price of $18. When you can be served the best ramen at a One Michelin Star restaurant in Tokyo (Tsuta to be exact) for little over $13 (¥1,100) it is hard to comprehend the cost.
Not being able to decide just which dessert to choose, we went all out and shared the Ama Ozen ($28.00) assorted dessert platter. Although it looks quite basic, what we were met with was an amazingly smooth, vanilla Ama-Yakko panna cotta with brown sugar syrup and fresh fruit. It would soon turn out to be the favourite dessert on the plate. A full sized serving of the Ama-Sushi baked cheesecake ($14.00) would have been far too much to consume as it was incredibly dense and dry, even when partnered with the creamy green tea ice cream and the thinly sliced apple compote.
All other items on the platter were eagerly devoured though - this includes the mochi, parfait and chocolate chopsticks sitting on a sweet biscuit cracker. The panna cotta was by far the star of the platter and I would have zero qualms just ordering that. Even the wafer was light and crisp and coupled well with the creamy panna cotta.
I am keen to taste some of the fish and sushi dishes on the menu at Edosei, as a quick glance at what the regulars were ordering looked a treat. Colourful rows of salmon sat a top plates equally as colourful, around half eaten bowls of rice and open sake bottles. Needless to say, I think Edosei deserves a re-visit as the food was tasty, albeit a bit pricey.
The good:
- Buta Kakuni entree - I don't need to say more
- Extensive menu with a variety of options and an ideal restaurant for a good introduction to Japanese cuisine
- Earnest and friendly service
- Closing between lunch and dinner demonstrates a good restaurant that takes the time to prepare the dishes for dinner
The not so good:
- Pricey ramen
- Dry cheesecake
Have you eaten at Edosei before? What was your experience like? Feel free to leave a comment and share.
Address:
64 Barrack Street, Perth, CBD
Opening hours:
Monday - Thursday 11.30am - 2pm, 5.30pm - 9.00pm
Friday 11.30am - 2pm, 5.30pm - 10.00pm
Saturday 5.30pm - 10.00pm
Sunday Closed
Miso White Chocolate Cookies
What do you do when you have a tub of miso that you bought for your ramen stock and udon noodles, that has been neglected for a few months because you were too lazy to monitor a 63 degree egg?
You use it in a cookie.
Miso caramel is the new salted caramel - or so I would like to think. After having a little sweetness drizzled on top of my icecream baogers in Sydney at the One Tea Lounge, I had been questioning if there had been other recipes incorporating umami packed flavours of miso with sugar, butter and vanilla.
The answer? Yes. More than you'd think. After a quick search I was left itching for not only a stand mixer as mentioned in this post, but an ice cream churner too so I could make ginger maple miso ice cream. Amazing, no? Special shout out to Adam Liaw for his love of umami (as was clearly demonstrated at the Good Food and Wine Show in Perth last year) and for inspiring me to dabble in a little umami sweetness. Also, check out Adam's adventures in his new serious Destination Flavour Scandinavia as there's some serious business going down food wise.
Back to the recipe - I cannot forget to mention that my whole kitchen smelt like the inside of a Tokyo bakery, of which a) stirred up nostalgic memories of when I first stepped into Vie de France in Akihabara and discovered the milk tea croissant (hands down a complete eye opener) and b) I could smell cookies and eat them too! No more Glasshouse Vanilla Caramel fragrances required.
As much as I like eating out, I like eating in too. More appropriately, making things from scratch so that I know exactly what is going in it and the way to make it. My only problem is not having enough mouths to feed at home with batches that suit four to five people. However, I have come to the realisation that my workmates are a hungry bunch and would make sure none of it goes to waste. Pre-warning, these are actually quite addictive and my boyfriend found it hard to stop at four cookies in a row.
This recipe was adapted from Kathleen and Adrianna's Miso Cookie escapades.
Recipe
Miso White Chocolate Cookies
3 cups of plain flour
1 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of caster sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt (and extra to sprinkle on top)
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of white sweet miso paste
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup of white chocolate chips/melts
- Grease and line a baking tray
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl
- In a separate bowl, beat together the butter, sugars, miso paste and vanilla extract until smooth
- Crack in the eggs and beat until fully combined
- Gently stir in the flour, baking powder and salt mixture into the wet mix, adding portions of the chocolate chips as you go
- Refrigerate the dough for about half an hour to better the consistency (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius
- Roll the dough into balls about 2 - 3 inches apart and gently flatten with a spoon
- Bake for about 10 - 12 minutes or until light golden brown
Tips:
Add your miso to taste, I used 3 tablespoons because I like miso and umami and I felt that there was a heck of a lot of sugar going into this, but I recommend you put a spoonful at a time, mix it and then taste.
When putting together your next batch into the oven, wait until the tray and the baking paper have cooled a little, otherwise the cookie may begin to melt before it gets into the heat.
You can purchase miso/dashi/soybean paste from any asian grocery store.
Monet's Garden
Ever since I was younger, I wanted to live in a countryside cottage. I would paint and draw and tend to what I imagine would have been a very large vegetable patch and herb garden. This fanciful country life was inspired by Beatrix Potter, the Cook and the Chef and various English country shows my mother was interested in. It has still managed to still remain relevant - and I have found myself invoking little country aspects into theorised future homes (hello, bay view window).
Visiting Monet's Garden has long been a dream of mine. First introduced to his paintings at the ripe young age of ten, his hay stacks and his water lilies have stuck with me. Oh, and who could forget the Japanese bridge? I was gleeful when visiting the collection in Melbourne 2013 and again at the Musee D'Orsay. When Jason and I planned our trip to France it was only natural that Giverny, Vernon was top of the list, so much so that we actually scrapped our tickets to Nice due to time constraints...
I had to see the beautiful garden that provided Monet so much inspiration. Where he raised his children and escaped from the world, where he found solace and created the paintings that let the world escape reality. We caught the train to Vernon. It was just outside the station that we found ourselves a small cafe that doubled as a bike rental and breakfast jaunt. Hiring two bikes, we began the ride to Giverny across pebbled roads, up hills and on bridges over the Seine.
We wove through the French countryside and fields of yellow - even passing a cow or two. Some several kilometres later, we reached the garden and chained up our bikes.
Although we had been smart enough to purchase tickets to skip the queue online, we weren't too observant to find the actual door to go through with our online tickets. I recommend hunting down that door, or at least asking a person who worked there to assist you in finding it, as we found ourselves standing in a line for something we already had.
We were in soon enough however, a brief interlude in the museum and we were outside again, but on the other side of the stone wall, among the real floral action. The trip had worked out nicely, there is no better time than the Parisian Spring to visit Monet's home. Even the wisteria over the Japanese Bridge were in full bloom, the buzzing of bees in the cool air drowned out by the excited couples and families walking across the bridge.
After lunch, we set off on our bikes again to make the beautiful ride home. No maps were required, just following the path and the street signs. Unfortunately for me, among the chirping birds and the sound of wind lapping against my hair, I heard the distinct 'thud, thud, thud' of a flat tyre. My flat tyre. It was here that Jason and I resulted in taking turns pushing the bike back three something kilometres to the little cafe we hired it from.
Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise as we had the opportunity to slow down and soak everything in. We did miss our train by a few minutes, but it left us with extra time to explore the town of Vernon and its boulangeries (another pain au chocolat was purchased) and its antique and vintage stores.
Monet's garden is splendid, full of colour, scents and whimsy. I'm certain these photographs speak for themselves. If you are a Monet fan like me, or have somewhat of a green thumb, a trip to Vernon and Giverny shouldn't be missed, especially as the journey there provides you with a little glimpse of the French countryside and an escape from the city a mere forty-five minutes away. Just remember when renting bikes, check that your bike tyres don't have a hole in them!
Tips
- Give yourself at least half a day to three quarters of it just to get there, visit and come back. Don't forget to have a little lunch and go for a wander in the country side. The surrounds are equally as lovely as Monet's not so humble abode.
- The gardens are only open from April to November.
- The train you need from Paris is the Paris Gare St-Lazare to Vernon (approximately forty-five minutes). Take the bus from the train station or ride a bike to the grounds.
- Purchase tickets online and as mentioned previously, find that door and skip the queues.