Heya!
I had the luxury of taking the last week off to catch a breath and couldn’t be more grateful that I took a friend’s suggestion to do so; it was more necessary than I thought. While i was considering a few destinations, it was a very last minute trip and i didn’t have the time to plan much, so my folks and i settled on perth. while debating between sydney and perth, there was a promotional price on flights to perth so it seemed like a no-brainer. this was the most relaxing holiday i’ve ever had; we did pretty much nothing, which was exactly what i wanted to do. and, well, perth isn’t exactly the most buzzing city. but i loved it.
i’ll share some spots we visited in a bit, in case you’re ever interested in heading there! (tbh i would move there.)
two weeks ago, i didn’t get all the memes about police entering p diddy’s house etc, but then i read about it with all that free time in perth and i have to say it was an utterly disgusting read. i also came to the conclusion that the earth is wondrous but the world is horrendous. should humans ever have populated earth? i wish p diddy a horrible time in prison for the rest of his life. and tbh, people like him should stop reproducing. but then i also heard about mohamed al-fayed on the news and WHAT IS WRONG with these predators?! you know, i’ve always wondered why the awful ones don’t get stricken by illness and do the rest of us a favour. sometimes it feels like the world should end, even though it’s in the shambles and is likely not going to end. pfft. i’m not an optimist by nature.
ANYWAY.
perth things!
these days, i’m not really into travelling *that* much for food. younger me would plan the itinerary around food, but i’m quite a go-with-the-flow traveler these days (i.e if i’m tired, i’ll sleep in a little etc.) so if i don’t get to try something that was bookmarked, i’m not that bothered. it’s just food. life goes on. some (really) nice food we had. we stayed in the cbd so most of these things are around the cbd/northbridge:
gelato at chicho gelato. i don’t usually fancy ice cream much these days. (i say, as i had chicho gelato twice.) well, i fancy the idea of it (as with many things), but then about 4 mouthfuls in i realise that regret can hit one in the form of sweet, frozen custard. it’s also amazing that ice cream ever got invented/discovered and how the gratification we get from eating frozen crème anglaise is vastly different from drinking its liquid form. in times like this, okay - i can agree the human species has redeemed itself a little.
what was ingenious, i think, was the limoncello gelato, which was a special. ricotta gelato with lemon curd and limoncello-soaked brioche. (i wished the lemon curd was more tart, or if it was a meyer lemon curd it would have been more incredible, but it was practically faultless.) ricotta gelato on its own is a treat, but soaked brioche in ice cream? it’s like the godfather of all ice creams that incorporate cake in it. because, you know, you never really get to eat/distinguish the cake because its soft texture gets lost in all the moisture and the cake really ends up like an unintended schmear/ripple. it’s always bothered me, and i don’t think i’ve ever had brioche in ice cream. so that was eye-opening.
chicho at freo gelato at cuccini was good too; theirs had a denser (more stabilised?) texture, if that’s what you prefer. well, you know, they get real pistachios there. i personally liked chicho more. also, it dawned on me that we have to give credit to gelato/ice cream makers here for the subpar dairy that they have to work with.
is it just me who panics at the counter when ordering? i was going to have some fruit-based gelato but, clearly, that’s not it in the pic. coffee at lowdown. coffee at smooth operator. i gotta say, coffee in australia is just different. it’s usually solid, unpretentious, has a good vibe going. y’know? some places here just scream basic and pretentious and a little cold etc. it almost feels like you can’t really feel comfortable despite a literal comfortable environment. but in australia you can feel comfortable even if the space is a little cramped/squeezed. Is it just me?
we had some antipasti plates and pasta at il lido and they were splendid. it’s even better because they have all-day dining and are just across the street from cottlesloe beach, which is a lush beach. white sand, clear blue waters. i adored the space and setup at il lido; prices are sound for the quality. the dish that really got me was the fried olives with provolone. it had such a meaty quality in terms of texture and the pairing with provolone was ace. we also had the charred octopus with gremolata and fennel, which made me fall in love with fennel even more. (didn’t think that was possible.) the cooking on it was spot on, and made the gremolata better for it. orechiette with fennel sausage was as expected - delicious. i loved the seasoning, the cook, the use of good olive oil in their food. at that point i wished we had a proper meal there, but hopefully another time!
octopus, heirloom carrots, fried olives, orechiette madalenas bar was delicious. cute spot, warm ambience. a little pricey, but seafood isn’t cheap and it’s always wise to spend on properly done seafood. gotta love a restaurant that does a proper salad. (never underestimate the humble mixed salad! i think it’s very telling of the quality of food/seasoning/cooking at any restaurant. a restaurant that can’t nail a simple green salad is questionable - to get the dressing balanced, the right amount of dressing to just coat - not smother - the leaves in a way that makes you want to keep eating it, is a delicate art.) the shark bay tiger prawns were sublime. super sweet, a nice cook, with a nice sauce and some sort of oil (ha, sorry i don’t know what the sauce was - website states “Shark Bay tiger prawns, miso, laver”)
tiger prawns, crudo, duck liver parfait teeter bakery was great. faultless lamination, a nice line-up of sweet and savoury viennoiserie. almond croissant wasn’t cloying as it can be in some places. (i’m pretty much allergic to the almond croissant because of some work-related trauma.) sausage roll was massive and nice. a cute spot, too. kinda wish i lived on the same street.
sausage roll, leek & nettle crois la cholita was quite nice. quesadillas were yum (we had the chorizo with fontina), and octopus with chorizo was deeelish. fish tacos were yum.
so. much. chips. sandwiches at mortadeli and conti deli. conti deli was a-okay, i thought the rolls were a bit dry; bread-meat ratio could have been better. mortadeli was quite a bit better. sandwiches are hefty at both spots!
the amatriciana shari vari records at the state buildings is a total vibe. great for audophiles. the state buildings also houses beer corner, which is not too shabby. a little expensive i would think, but a nice spot.
we popped into gino’s at fremantle for breakfast, which seems like an institution. i had a vienna coffee which is such a great beverage. a latte topped with cold whipped cream? why, HELLO. we had hash browns and my dad had a full-on bagel. both were nicely seasoned, but we’re not that fussy of eaters so don’t hold it against me as a breakfast spot rec. hats off, though, to the massive operation they run. when the kitchen door swings open, you get a glimpse of just pans and pans just stacked above the stove. and i always love watching a well-oiled machine run.
a good way to start the day little creatures is a no-brainer. the weather was so nice, your beer doesn’t get warm in 5 minutes, a bottomless bowl of fries to snack on seals the deal. also a massive operation that leaves me in awe. with casual food establishments, i don’t feel like there is a need to be so critical. if you’re able to have a nice time with some good-enough drinks and food, everyone’s a winner. actually, in general, there is no need to be so critical of food. it’s almost 2025 and it’s getting really tiring. if you can’t wholeheartedly enjoy something as it is and prefer picking it apart, i feel sad for you. get out there, surround yourself with mountains, trees, or even towering bookshelves, and realise how small you are and even smaller, the 7.8/10 rating you’re giving a dish. (well, unless the corporation is a massive capitalist or you have some insider info that the owner is a real dick towards staff.)
the crab cutlet thingamajig at hifumiya udon (above) is gooood. portions are hefty, food is tasty, but let’s say the japanese/australians have a different “spicy” scale.
elizabeth quay in the evening is so pretty.
they're essentially the same picture, shoot me i have to say the highlight for me was kings park. one of my favourite things to do in life, ever, is to lie on the grass / sand with no worries, no
plans. so even better is this simple pleasure in beautiful weather. we went twice (would have gone thrice if it not for the rain!) and it was a g time lying on the grass.
drats, you know what? i was going to write a recipe for rice and clams but now it’s just too long, isn’t it. next post then.
xx
M