Menu Magazine - Issue 29

WA’S GUIDE TO WINING AND DINING • ISSUE 29

What really happened in Lockdown

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polly & the people

Message from Hon Paul Papalia CSC MLA

Minister for Tourism Welcome to Western Australia and the 29th edition of Menu Magazine.

T

his issue marks Menu Magazine’s 15year anniversary, and over this time the publication has provided an excellent insight into some of WA’s best restaurants, cafés and culinary experiences, highlighting the latest trends in the State’s food and beverage scene.

In this edition, Menu highlights a selection of innovative venues and success stories from businesses that faced significant challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also features an exciting mix of beer features, including new WA releases, as well as the regular columns on design, wine, products, education and events.

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Australia’s largest State is home to countless holiday experiences, including some found nowhere else in the world, and there’s never been a better time for locals to get out and explore what WA has to offer.

Stretching across five distinct regions, WA’s ancient and beautiful landscape is home to pristine beaches, rugged gorges, unique rock formations, towering forests and secluded waterfalls.

It’s here you’ll find unforgettable cultural and wildlife encounters, exquisite food and drink, vibrant events and a flourishing city life

in cosmopolitan Perth, which has welcomed a mix of new cultural spaces, hotels and bustling bars and restaurants in recent years.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Menu Magazine and that it inspires you to discover more of WA’s exceptional food and wine.

HON PAUL PAPALIA CSC MLA MINISTER FOR TOURISM

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DOIN' IT FOR THE BREW Welcome to the 29th issue of Menu Magazine.

Despite these unprecedented and challenging times, 2020 presented some bright moments of innovation and inspiration that have propelled many of us forward.

It would be impossible to publish this issue without acknowledging the strength and ingenuity of those in the hospitality industry. From the distillers who quite literally turned their hand to sanitiser - to so many cafés and restaurants that expanded their takeaway operations to feed their loyal and hungry clientele.

Through it all, we somehow managed to pull together an issue celebrating Perth’s resilient hospitality industry. Some of Perth’s finest gourmet delis paid homage to Cheese Week. Our restaurant profiles spanned from our glorious South West all the way up to sunny Kalbarri, which features as this issue’s travel destination.

We collaborated with some of our contributors from Issue 28 to find out how they coped in the midst of a pandemic – and some of their answers may surprise you.

Our music section received a facelift with a feature about Perth’s live music-related show called The Music Reel. Meanwhile, we made good use of our time in lockdown and decided to cook up some of the recipes in the Books for Cooks section.

Aussie created, owned and made Crafted especially for cafés Made with Australian grown Almonds and Oats

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/altdcbarista

@altdcbarista

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With community support and patience, our hospitality industry will have the opportunity to rebuild and evolve in a post-COVID (hopefully) world.

A big thanks to everyone who supported us too, some of which we have featured on pages 8 and 9.

Bon appetit Carmen Jenner

contents

Contents Introductions MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (Polly & the People) EDITOR’S ENTRÉE (Introduction) COMPANY DETAILS (Team) MENU PEOPLE (Contributors) OUT & ABOUT (Social Pics)

2 4 6 7 8/9

Profiles MODERN THAI WITH A STANDOUT VIEW (Dusit Dheva By The Sea) A REAWAKENING (Roasting Warehouse South Fremantle) STORYTELLING WITH A TWIST (Tiller Dining) BEER, SEAFOOD & MARSHMALLOWS (Finlay’s Kalbarri) A FABULOUS VIEW (The Raft) THE NEXT CHAPTER (Limones Restaurant) A TESTAMENT TO LOVE (Rivendell Winery Estate) VERDANT DELIGHT (Avocados Bar & Grill) SPICE UP YOUR LIFE (Cinnamon Vic)

10/11 12/13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Prizes COMPETITIONS/SUBSCRIPTIONS 21

Cover Picture Dusit Dheva By The Sea Profile pages: 10/11 Recipe: 60 Bite size pics pages: 74-77 Photography: Scott Arnold-Eyers

Features COVERT COVID (News) DUSIT DHEVA WINS BIG (Awards) THE GREAT TAKEAWAY CAPER (Coffee) DRINKING WITH STYLE (Beer) BEER NEWS (Beer) AUSTRALIA’S BEST BEER IS A TRIUMPH FOR WA (Beer) GOURMET DELIS GET CHEESY (Food) NATURE'S TABLE (Food) SMART KITCHENS (Industry) SPIRIT IN A BOTTLE (Health) NATURE'S WINDOW (Travel) DON IS GOOD (Celebrity Chef) THE FUTURE OF BUFFETS (Food)

22-27 28/29 30/31 32/33 34/35 36/37 38-43 44-47 48/49 50/51 52/53 54/55 56/57

Columns SEARED SCALLOPS WITH THAI HERB SALAD (Cover Recipe) MORE THAN AN APPLE A DAY (Juicing Column) GET A SUPER HEALTH CHECK (Finance Column) SUPPLY & DEMAND (Fresh Produce Column) WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE? (Industry Column) A WASTE OF PEEL (ECO Column)

60 61 62 63 64 65

Products

REDS & WHITES (Our Top Drops) 58/59 PRODUCTS & SUPPLIES (Products) 66/67 HOSPITALITY IN YOUR HOME (Products) 68/69

Entertainment

REEL LIFE (Music) 70/71 BOOKS FOR COOKS (Book Reviews) 72/73 BITE SIZE LISTINGS 74-77 CUISINE & LOCATION GUIDE 78 MAP 79 WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE (What’s Happening) 80

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Publisher Scott Arnold-Eyers Sub Editor Carmen Jenner Menu Writers Donna Albertini, Dianne Arnold-Eyers, Scott Arnold-Eyers, Natalie Bennett, Robert Davies, Brian Garcia, Clive Gilbert, Sharon Gilchrist, Bob Gordon, Georgina Goss, Araluen Hagan, Carmen Jenner, Andrew Kelly, Jessica Roberts, Jeremy Sambrooks, Chef Taweepong Sangsuriyaporn, Sarah Schmitt, Danica Scott, Debra Watson Design Cam Allen Design Legal & Finance Manager Dianne Arnold-Eyers Contributing Photography Scott Arnold-Eyers, Mariane Bornelli, Gary Dowse, Taryn Giles, Araluen Hagan, Travis Hayto, Nicole King, Caris Morcombe, Hien Nguyen, Duane Orriss, Tara Oudejans, Jessica Raschilla, Tony Turner, Jacqueline Van Grootel, Bronwen Williams, Nicole Woyzbun Web Designer Paul Bui Web Administrator Dianne Arnold-Eyers Sales and Marketing Scott Arnold-Eyers (Head Office) 0403 344 143 Menu Magazine is proudly published by Eyers RockET ABN 50 880 398 494 Address: P.O.Box 62, Scarborough WA 6922 Phone: (08) 9430 6007 Web: www.menumagazine.com.au | www.digital.menumagazine.com.au Email: info@menumagazine.com.au Menu Magazine Printed by Scott Print Distributed to selected newsagencies (through Integrated Publishing Solutions), as well as selected bars, cafés, restaurants and hotels throughout Western Australia.

Menu Magazine is published bi-annually. To subscribe, head to page 21.

Every endeavour is made to ensure the contents of this magazine are correct at the time of going to print. The publisher and editor do not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed by individual writers. All prizes will be awarded at the editor’s discretion and no correspondence will be entered into.

Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Images and written material submitted for publication are sent at the owner’s risk and, while every care is taken, Eyers RockET will not accept any liability for lost, stolen, damaged or misused material. The publisher reserves the right to modify editorial and advertisement content.

contributors

Menu people What a year it has been. In April of 2020 I don’t think many of us knew where things were going.

We were unsure what Menu Magazine would look like and then we started getting calls from people asking when the next issue was coming out and what we were going to write about. We took a leap of faith and started to put together the issue you are reading now. It has been the most amazing journey and we are so grateful to the people that supported us during this time. We couldn’t do much between April and June, so we decided to clean up our office, web sites, social media and basically make a brand new start on what is now a new world. Some of the stories I heard from people were devastating and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t had a cry or two. As a result, I thought it would be a great idea to write about some of these stories to give you an idea on how the hospitality industry really coped during lockdown.

Scott Arnold-Eyers Well, 2020 has been an interesting year. We have been fortunate in WA and things are almost back to normal now for most of the hospitality industry. Regional areas have benefitted from the local tourists who couldn’t holiday overseas who went north (or south) instead. Many Perth venues have managed to weather through the period of lockdown and survive the restrictions thanks to support from the government and local customers.

New venues such as The Raft have opened and flourished despite these difficult times. Here’s wishing you all the best for 2021.

Georgina Goss I enjoy taking a deep dive into stories affecting our communities, and in this edition, I looked at how our alcohol industry stepped up at the beginning of COVID-19 and made hand sanitiser at a time we had a massive shortage. I would like to personally thank all of the people I spoke to in my research for this article. While not everyone’s voice made the article, your words definitely informed mine.

Connecting with our distillers and brewers made me even more passionate about supporting our local industry and I urge everyone to do the same.

2020, the year that we stayed at home. My toddler’s birthday in late April had the smallest invite list in the history of all first birthday parties so we ate cake for months afterwards. I nurtured a sourdough starter every day (twice a day) only to have it die the week I went back to work. I was so excited to be out again in public and the opportunity to showcase a restaurant with the quality of Dusit Dheva provided an absolute treat. Look out for the scallop recipe in this edition.

We need to give credit to the resilience shown by the hospitality industry to adapt when needed and to bounce back to providing a high standard of meals and service after a challenging time. With summer on the horizon and everything returning to a new sense of normal, it’s a great time to embrace the sunshine and the experiences on offer and support your local café or restaurant. We really are one of the luckiest places in the world and there’s plenty to enjoy.

Danica Scott After years of friendship with Scott and literally being a stone’s throw away from the Menu Magazine office, it’s a delight to be contributing to this issue. As the director of Red Lips Media, it has been a huge learning experience collaborating with cafés and restaurants while helping them to rethink their marketing strategy. With everyone staying inside, the importance of having a strong digital presence became clearer than ever and how social media has such an influence on our choice of venue - even with the dishes we’re going to order.

I believe that thanks to social media, we almost pre-order in our minds before we even step foot in the restaurant.

Scott and I were lucky enough to be involved in Port City Roasters’ relaunch as Roasting Warehouse South Fremantle. Their new menu, including a brand new range of tapas, is a testament to the culinary talent present in South Fremantle and I enjoyed every mouthful during our recent tasting.

Jessica Roberts

This has been a challenging year, no doubt about it. But through the hard times I have loved hearing how families have reconnected through cooking and spent time together. Food really is at the heart of who we are and if we have learnt anything from this year, it is to slow down, use our time well and connect with our loved ones.

Sarah Schmitt

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out & about

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out & about

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profile DUSIT DHEVA'S COVID-19 IMPACT We have always offered a takeaway menu but when the restaurant was closed due to COVID-19, we discounted our takeaway by 15%. We received really positive responses from our customers about this reduction in price.

Our front line staff took the orders mostly over the phone and made the deliveries themselves, and we charged $4.00 to cover the petrol only costs.

Our menu hasn’t really changed but we would like to expand it. I think that the pandemic gave us the opportunity for our customers to know us more for takeaway.

In fact, we gained more new customers during the lockdown and many of those returned after the restaurant reopened to dine-in.

Australian ingredients brought together elegantly with a modern take on presentation.

Spending his early life in Bangkok in the growers markets with his family, Mhee has an appreciation for authentic flavour and quality ingredients that shine through his dishes and you can taste his passion and integrity in each dish. The wall length image of Thai fishing boats beached at a distant tropical location on the inside of Dusit Dheva By The Sea assists to transport us to somewhere far away.

Modern Thai with a standout view

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THIS

is one of my mother’s favourite restaurants. As a notoriously hard to please restaurant patron and fantastic home cook, I knew that I was in for a treat with this review.

Hillarys Boat Harbour, the alfresco area and restaurant tables offer views out over the moored boats and ocean blue water across to the beach.

Dusit Dheva By the Sea is multi-awardwinning restaurant serving Thai inspired cuisine located in picturesque surroundings.

Positioned on the Hillarys Board Walk at

Chef Taweepong Sangsuriyaporn (Mhee) has been in Australia for 16 years developing his trade in some of WA’s best Thai restaurants.

Mhee draws on his heritage using traditional Thai flavours and showcasing Western

We start with the seared Shark Bay Scallops, served in a shell with julienned apple and Thai herbs. The lightly seared scallops are delicately anointed with a bundle of flavour.

The freshness of the apple, with the zing of lime and herbs offer a gentle sweetness that balances the seafood bite from the scallop.

There is a subtle hint of chilli that lingers but does not overpower the palate. We accompany the scallops with a glass of the 2018 Kuku Sauvignon Blanc and the freshness of the herbs and lime compliment the citrus notes in the wine.

We are offered the Kratong Thong next, minced chicken with sweet corn in a crispy

profile golden cup. The cups of corn and chicken are gentle in flavour, made tastier with the heat from the chilli sauce. The crunch of the pastry allows you to be able to appreciate the morsels in a single bite.

We progress to the Soft Shell Crab with watermelon, shallots, mint, coriander, chilli and lime dressing. This crispy and salty nest of crab is piled onto a bed of watermelon that sits in a sweet and subtle dressing of herbs and lime. The watermelon lifts the crab off the plate, keeping the crab crunchy and allows you to be liberal with the moreish sauce, reapplied at your own pace, as you move through the dish. The sweetness of the watermelon refreshes before you go back for more of the salty crunch from the crab.

The 2018 Kuku Sauvignon Blanc is again a well-balanced match with the melon notes complimenting the dish perfectly.

The Choo Chee Curry is grilled Tasmanian salmon served with a creamy red curry sauce garnished with kaffir lime. This is delicious.

The salmon is lightly grilled, tender and succulent, falling apart with your fork. The red curry sauce is rich and creamy without being too much. The kaffir lime is aromatic and the intense flavour stays with your mouth. This dish is on the hotter side so if you are heat sensitive avoid eating the sliced banana chilli on top and consider pairing it with a cold beer. Mhee also offers the option for less heat across his dishes so if hot chilli is not your preference, let the waitstaff know and they can accommodate you.

We move onto the signature twice roasted Pork Belly. Nested on shredded papaya salad, the salty, sour and sweet flavours of chilli, lime and fish sauce cut through the richness of the crispy and succulent pork belly slices. Mhee explains to me that the dish, which in my mind is already a 10/10, is made better with a green mango alternative to the papaya, not quite in season. He tells me that he spends two hours each morning personally choosing specific Asian ingredients that he needs to make his dishes so divine.

The duck is melt in your mouth tender, with a slightly crispy skin covering the breast pieces.

The curry sauce and duck lie on a bed of lychees and cherry tomatoes. There is spice and warmth with exotic aromas and a heat that is balanced by the sweetness from the lychees.

Dusit Dheva By The Sea was recently awarded the Best Thai Restaurant and Restaurant of the Year in October 2020 by Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence, and holds previous awards for best Thai and Best Asian Restaurants for many years. You can taste and see in every dish the years of dedication to creating an extraordinary interpretation of modern Thai.

We finish with the Roast Duck Red Curry with lychee, cherry tomatoes and Thai basil leaves.

There is steep competition now between Scott and I as to which is our favourite dish.

In the words of Mhee, the awards make the past 16 years of hard work ‘worth it’, and I can conclusively say that I agree. My mum does too.

By Danica Scott

Dusit Dheva By The Sea Hillarys Boat Habour 206/58 Southside Drive, Hillarys Ph: (08) 9246 5053 www.dusitdheva.com.au Alfresco • Business • BYO • Casual • Family • Fine Dining • Functions • Funky • Live Music • Licensed • Romantic

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profile

ROASTING WAREHOUSE SPECIALTY COFFEE ROASTS ITS OWN UNIQUE BLENDS IN-HOUSE AND IN SMALL BATCHES. THEY TAKE GREAT CARE TO ENSURE ALL THE POTENTIAL FLAVOUR IS EXTRACTED FROM THEIR BEANS TO PRODUCE THEIR SPECIALITY COFFEES. Challenging the norm their breakfast menu excites, particularly with the hearty Eggs Benny Chan. An old favourite, the new Eggs Benny Chan has been slightly reimagined and features soft-boiled eggs coated in panko crumbs and grilled roti. Every element in this crowd pleaser is homemade right down to the spicy sriracha hollandaise.

A reawakening

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SITUATED

along Fremantle’s iconic South Terrace in a converted petrol-stationturned-café, Roasting Warehouse has been a local coffee and breakfast haunt for many years. Under the meticulous expertise of business partners George Paras and Ali Aziz, the Roasting Warehouse began roasting in Victoria in North Melbourne and Airport West.

The brand has earnt its national recognition with distribution channels all around Australia.

Given their ethos in sustainable practices, it makes sense that Ali has named their logo Zoya. This exotic woman represents the dedication of the coffee farmers and pickers and her elongated profile is likened to a tree with her hair featuring coffee leaves and buds.

Her evocative image is just part of the story and coffee aficionados will appreciate the café’s full range of wholesale beans available online or onsite at the café.

Roasting Warehouse Specialty Coffee roasts its own unique blends in-house and in small batches. They take great care to ensure all the potential flavour is extracted from their beans to produce their speciality coffees.

Many a local has awoken to the allure of coffee and breakfast at Roasting Warehouse. Their professional baristas will make your Espresso, Latte, Cappuccino, Cold Brew or even your own special coffee the way you like it.

Racing to first place in the breakfast stakes, the Benny Chan ties with the Breakfast Mi Goreng. Imagine the delight on our faces when instead of the familiar Indonesian noodle dish we were presented with a fluffy omelette parcel (spoiler - the Mi Goreng is inside). The zesty herb salad and crispy enoki makes the dish a perfectly balanced fusion of fresh and salty flavours. Hearty and spicy, the Breakfast Mi Goreng will keep you full for the rest of the day. Due to the lively spiciness of the Breakfast Mi Goreng and the Benny Chen, both dishes are best paired with one of Roasting Warehouse’s fresh juices to balance out the heat.

profile have an excellent choice of ready-made cakes, baguettes, sandwiches, and bagels in the display cabinet which is ideal for what is now a staple in society in that of takeaway.

Juices are freshly made to your liking using the best seasonal produce and desserts are mostly sourced locally or made in house.

Due to popular demand, they now serve an evening tapas menu accompanied by your favourite beverage. The new tapas menu will change often so come and experience the beautiful decking and watch the sunset while listening to awesome chilled music while enjoying something to eat and drink.

Next came the ridiculously moist and juicy Chermoula Chicken. This can be ordered as a half or full serving and is accompanied with tzatziki and chermoula butter, which really made the dish.

Another favourite was the Chargrilled Lamb Cutlet served with a rocket and herb salad, peaches, toasted walnuts, goat’s cheese and orange dressing. Decadent, right? I’m not alone in deeming this dish my favourite and it’s one of the cafe’s most popular dishes.

You can rest assured that Roasting Warehouse prioritises ethical sourcing and offers complete transparency. They oversee the entire process from inspecting the farming to production and roasting, through to the final stages of retail and wholesale distribution.

They also visit the farms on multiple occasions throughout the year to source the best coffee world-wide and cultivate high-grade beans.

Located in South Fremantle, Roasting Warehouse is undeniably a unique choice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, juice, wine, cocktails, and of course, coffee.

By Jessica Roberts

I really like that there is a good range of side seasonal salads to choose from. They also The Buttermilk Pancakes served with passionfruit curd, raspberry coulis, caramelised white chocolate and a coconut wafer is the perfect post-breakfast dessert.

Also visually appealing is the Beetroot Cured Salmon, artfully served atop a crispy zucchini pancake, rocket, dill, fennel, tzatziki and pickled red onion. This is the perfect refresher on a warm summer’s day and can be enjoyed at breakfast and lunch.

Lingering onto lunch with the Skull Island Prawns, the prawns were chargrilled and served with fennel salsa, soft herbs and chilli oil.

Roasting Warehouse South Fremantle 312 South Terrace, South Fremantle Ph: (08) 6219 5333 www.roastingwarehousesf.com.au

Alfresco • Business • BYO • Casual • Family • Fine Dining • Functions • Funky • Live Music • Licensed • Romantic

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profile Behind the barn doors is where the magic happens in the kitchen. Brian Garcia from Moffat worked with George in conjunction with Moffat’s corporate chef Quentin Phillips to deal with the venue’s requirements.

Brian said, “We supplied a Convotherm C4 combination oven with its low water and energy use, along with all the functions available, to allow George and his team to produce the high quality and consistent food that Tiller Dining offers.”

The couple have exciting plans for several cottages to be built over time and to hold more public events such as wine dinners, pop-up dining and ‘sunburnt dining’.

By Carmen Jenner

Storytelling with a Twist TILLER

Dining chef George Cooper refers to his dishes as “storytelling with a twist”. There’s no menu as such, but instead George works with each client to discover their taste preferences from which he creates a menu.

Situated in Yallingup Siding, the 50-acre property offers sweeping valley views sheltered from the southern easterly. The purpose-built venue began as a vegetable patch and eventually evolved into a catering business (often catering to Rivendell Winery Estate) and is now an ideal venue for private functions (including the jet set crowd flying down from Perth for the day) and weddings.

George runs the business with his wife Kayleigh, who said, “Our clientele includes those mindful of where and how their food is sourced and are appreciative of sustainability.”

Each dish is an experience and often evolves from what is growing on the land – whether that be protein raised or what’s grown in the thriving kitchen garden.

To give an example, George reveals his British heritage from the deconstructed Bacon, Eggs, Chips and Peas served in a mason jar and infused with smoked red gum and apple.

Each mouthful was salty, smoky, creamy and crunchy – with the crunchy aspect being my

favourite part imparted by sun-kissed peas just plucked from the ground. The 2019 Domaine Naturaliste Artus Chardonnay cut right through the creaminess with a refreshing finish.

The Exmouth prawn dish with Geraldton wax, cucamelons, wild fennel, oil and fresh herbs had an element of sourness punctuated by explosions of fresh prawn flesh – a sexy dish, la petit mort.

The beef short rib dish was probably the more conventional of dishes sampled. Luxuriating in a sticky BBQ sauce infused with Japanese soy sauce, the beef fell apart and melted into the pumpkin puree served with broad beans, pickled scallions, cabbage, leek and greens from the kitchen garden. Everything was grown on-site except for the ribs which came from the Blackwood Valley. The depth of flavour was further emphasised by the rich cherry notes of the 2017 Brash Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dessert was a take on Yogo, that iconic chocolate yoghurt meets a chocolate brownie. While it does have a buttery finish like Yogo, it earned its namesake when one of George’s clients named it one Valentine’s Day. The smoke-infused dessert featured chocolate curd, fresh butter foam, aero bombs and caramelised cream and George called it, “the classic dirt dessert”.

TILLER DINING’S COVID-19 IMPACT We opened in March and only got our keys on the week that COVID hit – which certainly wasn’t an ideal time to launch.

While we estimated approximately $250,000 in cancellations, there was some relief in knowing that everyone was facing similar challenges.

The real stress was not knowing how long we would have to wait it out, but when restrictions eased we were able to run some dinners.

Once word got out about what we were doing, the bookings came and now we have 20+ weddings booked up until May 2021.

Tiller Dining 393 Yelverton North Road, Yallingup Siding Phone: 0439 225 694 www.tillerdining.com

Alfresco • Business • BYO • Casual • Family • Fine Dining • Functions • Funky • Live Music • Licensed • Romantic

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Beer, Seafood & MARSHMALLOWS

profile FINLAY'S COVID-19 IMPACT Very conscious of hygiene practices, particularly since COVID-19 we have implemented contactless payment methods with ordering from the tables using QR codes and NFC so patrons can avoid lining up at the bar.

We have to agree with our diners when they say how grateful they are to be living in Western Australia where life is pretty much back to normal. Our diners are also aware that we have been struggling to find staff and they have been very understanding as we continue to deliver great service, food and craft beer under extreme pressure.

We’re excited to share that we’re in the process of expanding the brewery due to the demand of our craft beer available onsite and in take-away cans.

Some of the more memorable dishes we tried were the Shark Bay Cockles in a creamy garlic and wine sauce. The sauce was not too runny or too thick but perfect for dipping bread, which accompanied the dish.

The oysters sourced from Coffin Bay in South Australia were really fresh and popped in your mouth releasing that ocean feeling.

WHEN I first walked into Finlay’s, it felt like an old fishing boat

Our host Dan Nielson recommended the Seafood Linguine, which was the special of the day, and I am glad he did. It had a great texture and flavour, our dish comprised of Kalbarri Crayfish, Shark Bay Cockles, tagliatelle pasta, white wine, garlic and chilli to give it a lovely mild heat. I also liked the fact that the crayfish was diced and displayed in its shell.

Situated in Kalbarri and about six hours north of Perth, I initially thought the drive might be a bit daunting but it was actually quite easy and relaxing.

Chef Dheeraj Khanna made us a special dish of locally caught whole Red Throat Emperor. It was also on the special menu and was super fresh. It came with a crispy Asian salad featuring coleslaw, red pepper dressing and I think a bit of fish paste giving it an Indian touch that I really liked.

harbour straight out of the movie Popeye. It had a relaxed charm about it and the staff really made us feel at home.

When we spoke to anyone about Finlay’s they would all say the same thing. “Great beer, seafood and service.” I can say I agree.

Steeped in an unusual history, the location was previously an ice works factory and then a fish processing plant before becoming a restaurant in 1989. The thing I found really interesting is that the original owner and founder of Finlay’s was Gary Finlay – yet the new owners and operators (since 2018) share the same surname of Finlay but are no relation at all.

The kids loved the home-made nuggets and Five Spiced Squid Tentacles and the $1 marshmallows on a stick for the kids to cook in the open fire.

We were there for about five hours but it didn’t feel like it. The kids were well amused with all the boats, playing with the rope shark sculpture, live music, live lobsters and other kids running freely around the place.

By Scott Arnold-Eyers

Owners Melissa and Warrick make every effort to source all their produce from Kalbarri and when that’s not possible, they will source it from within Western Australia or elsewhere in Australia.

Finlay’s Kalbarri 13 Magee Crescent, Kalbarri Ph: (08) 9937 1253 www.finlayskalbarri.com.au

Alfresco • Business • BYO • Casual • Family • Fine Dining • Functions • Funky • Live Music • Licensed • Romantic

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profile profile

A Fabulous View WE

boarded the tender at Barrack Street Jetty for the short trip out to Perth’s newest event venue – The Raft – permanently moored on the Swan River (31°57’40.0"S 115°51’03.2"E to be precise). What an amazing venue this is, with an incredible view of Elizabeth Quay and Perth City over the water. It would be a magical place for a wedding reception, party or corporate function.

Modern, spacious and open, the use of stone, wood and tiles in earthy colours creates a resort-like atmosphere of understated luxury.

THE RAFT'S COVID-19 IMPACT We asked Katie how they coped while getting the venue built and ready during the Covid-19 restrictions of 2020. She replied: “It was very challenging, because we were concerned about getting the place ready within the parameters of the restrictions. We had to delay the barge build, and we are currently reduced to half capacity, but are very grateful to be able to operate in Western Australia.”

A selection of tall tables and shorter ones provides a variety of seating to choose from, and there are potted palms scattered around.

A retractable roof and blinds can enclose the venue in the event of rainy weather, but are usually open to take advantage of Perth’s generally pleasant climate. The west side has a solid wall to protect patrons from the prevailing wind, broken by five huge porthole windows allowing you to enjoy the view of South Perth, Kings Park and the Narrows Bridge. The east side is open (when not raining), with the marvellous cityscape across the water adding to the “wow” factor.

The 40-person tender travels back and forth between The Raft and Barrack Street Jetty every half hour or so, allowing you to disembark whenever you please.

The Raft is fully licensed with the emphasis on local producers, premium wines and craft beers from Margaret River and the Perth Hills, as well as featuring spirits from local distilleries such as Old Young’s (Swan Valley) and Little Things Gin (Cottesloe). The food on board is supplied exclusively by caterers Heyder & Shears, focusing on seasonal West Australian produce delivering fresh, innovative and

delicious cuisine catering for seated tables or cocktail finger food, depending on the event.

The official maiden voyage on Sunday 27 September 2020 immediately sold out – despite the $200 ticket price. The venue hosts regular events such as Salty Sundays ($50 tickets including a free drink on arrival) and Bottomless Brunch (tables of three, six or eight available with food and drinks supplied).

You can hire the entire venue for your own function, with a capacity of 250 attendees.

Starting life as a floating fireworks barge, the conversion to a premier event space was the brainchild of Katie Chrystal and her brother Dan Chrystal, and the project took about five years from the initial concept to reaching fruition. Their family business Caterlink, supplies commercial kitchen equipment and, in conjunction with Moffat, they designed the bar and food service areas. Brian Garcia, Moffat’s State Sales Manager WA says, “We utilized leading market brands such as Convotherm and Turbofan while setting up the kitchen facilities on board.”

By Georgina Goss

The Raft Swan River, Perth www.theraftperth.com.au

Alfresco • Business • BYO • Casual • Family • Fine Dining • Functions • Funky • Live Music • Licensed • Romantic

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The next chapter

sweetness and sets off the pork nicely.

We followed on with the Goats Cheese pizza. The secret to pizza is having minimal ingredients and the goats cheese, bacon and leek married together perfectly. The 2016 Harris Organic Shiraz paired nicely with a floral nose matching the intensity of the pizza.

Next we tried the Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi with pumpkin puree, sage and brown butter. The gnocchi was light and fluffy and this flavour combination was a treat with the pumpkin puree holding its own robust flavour. Overall, a really satisfying meal with the 2016 Harris Organic Shiraz pairing well with the long palate and the full flavours of the burnt butter and sage.

The last dish we tried was Chicken Saltimbocca - chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto, served with spinach and whipped potato. In its simplicity, the chicken was moist while the prosciutto was salty but the delicacy of the other flavours balanced the dish out. Paired with the Harris Organic Rose Muscat, its sweetness cut through the saltiness of the dish without being overpowering.

FOR those who remember, Limones began as a small, cosy fine dining restaurant in East Fremantle. Now located in Bicton, it has evolved into a family friendly place, but rest assured, Limones is still about serving great contemporary Italian food. Owner and Chef Shannon Leonard’s style is fresh, “letting Mother Nature shine” through the produce; prepared without complexity so you can really enjoy the food.

Our entrée was a contemporary take on an Italian classic – Veal Tonnato with finely sliced pieces of tender veal served with small wedges of lemon, baby capers and Tonnato, which is a tuna mayonnaise. The flavours were well balanced, crisp and great for summer. “Sometimes it’s nice to do the classics and do them really well,” Shannon explained.

This dish was my pick of the day and matched with a glass of 2018 Harris Organics Verdelho, this clean dry wine had a crisp tropical finish balancing out the veal nicely.

The second dish was the Roasted Pork Belly with cauliflower puree, kale and jus. The pork belly was sweet and juicy with a crispy skin while the kale added a little bitterness and the jus brought it all together.

This was another simple dish where each of the flavours did their part in creating a great taste experience, especially when paired with the Harris Organic Rose Muscat, which has a clean finish and mild

Limones is a cosy place to enjoy a meal and the beer garden out the front is inviting while the function room off to the side provides a play area for children when not in use. Booth seating and the ongoing special three course meal for $60, along with a children’s menu, is affordable family dining.

After Shannon shared the story behind the food, I encourage you to become part of Limones’ next chapter.

By Sarah Schmitt

LIMONES' COVID-19 IMPACT When we shut down for COVID-19 we dabbled with a bit of takeaway to see if we got any traction. It was very little reward for the effort, but we took the opportunity to refresh, clean and paint.

Our customers like to know where our ingredients come from, such as the Shark Bay prawns, Rottnest Island scallops and Fremantle octopus. We will continue to source fresh artisan products locally and support small businesses as well as grow our own ingredients.

We are quite a traditional venue with no communal tables or shared plates and the virus has had very little impact on our restaurant.

Limones Restaurant 1 Point Walter Road, Bicton Phone: (08) 9319 1414 www.limones.com.au

Alfresco • Business • BYO • Casual • Family • Fine Dining • Functions • Funky • Live Music • Licensed • Romantic

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ALL

eyes are on the groom anxiously awaiting his bride – until a sudden ray of sunshine signals her arrival.

With the ceremony over, the newly wedded couple mingle among the guests and blooming roses within the secret walled garden. Eventually leaving their enchanted world, they drift over to the styled tepee on the open lawn for the anticipated festivities.

Meanwhile upstairs on the deck, Rivendell Winery Estate owners Darryn and Celia Gruenthal watch over the unfolding wedding.

Testimony to their organisational skills, they appear remarkably relaxed and Celia shares, “We’ve learnt to staff up and outsource the catering side of all of our events.” Which in this case involves a grazing board, pizza van and a dessert bar.

Rivendell offers affordable low-key wedding packages right up to high-end fine dining functions tailored by Catered by Jaqueline or local chef George Cooper from Tiller Dining. With her wedding planner hat on, Celia arranges the styling, celebrant and alcohol, among other things, and functions are generally capped at 100 guests creating a relaxed atmosphere evocative of the region.

Situated in Yallingup, Rivendell has been a permanent fixture on the Margaret River trail since 1985 and was once famed for its restaurant. Now the estate offers weddings, functions, a cellar door, picnics, coffee, accommodation, workshops, tours, massages, a tennis court, and the famed vineyards with 30-year-old vines yielding cabernet.

A Testament to Love open from Friday to Sunday and showcases Rivendell Winery Estate Wines and Forester Estate wines from the Lifestyle, Premium Range and Reserve Range. There are also ‘help yourself’ picnics offering local cheeses, charcuterie and other goodies from the region.

RIVENDELL'S COVID-19 IMPACT Surprisingly, COVID worked not only in our favour, but for the whole region as tourists had nowhere else to go but locally.

As a result of the pandemic, we handle less cash and we’ve followed the trend for many cellar doors and charge a tasting fee.

At Rivendell, it’s not just a tasting though, it’s a 40 minute experience where Celia takes patrons on a journey with shared anecdotes and cheese and crackers to enhance the wine.

If nothing else, the pandemic has taught us to slow down and enjoy what we have.

The grounds include two secluded gardens devotedly maintained by Darryn, including a walled garden intimately hugged by a manicured hedge perfect for creating dreamlike weddings. There is an open area perfect for both intimate and large functions and events (including a jazz concert planned for the following evening) and a function room with an adjoining deck overlooking the grounds.

Even if you’re not a wedding guest or staying in one of the nine villas, the cellar door is

When Celia and Darryn met, she had relocated from Norway and was working as a marine scientist for the oil and gas industry in WA, and Darryn was a financial planner in Perth. They married in Darryn’s homeland in Zimbabwe and laugh about their reception when a crocodile gate-crashed the dance floor.

Craving a sea change from Perth, Darryn says, “We bought our share of the 110-acre Rivendell property and became co-owners with my Mom and Dad in 2015.”

As the wedding flows as freely as the champagne, and shoes and inhibitions are shed, and with thankfully no sign of reptilian gate-crashers, there’s no denying that Rivendell is indeed a testament to love.

By Carmen Jenner

Rivendell Winery Estate 1172 Wildwood Road, Yallingup Siding Ph: (08) 9755 2000 www.rivendellwinery.com.au

Alfresco • Business • BYO • Casual • Family • Fine Dining • Functions • Funky • Live Music • Licensed • Romantic

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Verdant Delight Our second dish was Crispy Pork Belly served with lemon pepper baby squid, coleslaw, apple cider puree and star anise glaze. The pork was generous, with crispy crackling. Served alongside a punchy and crisp coleslaw, together they created an exciting flavour experience. An ideal wine to drink with this meal is the 2019 Reverie Rose. It is crisp and elegant with sweet notes and a clean finish.

Next we sampled the Salmon Curry served with steamed Asian vegetables. The salmon is marinated in the coconut curry sauce, infusing every part of the fish. On presentation, the salmon is lightly dressed in sauce, yet packed with flavour, and the aroma of the saffron rice is simply beautiful.

This dish was served with the 2019 Millbrook Sauvignon Blanc, which on its own is a lovely wine with a long clean finish. Yet in hindsight this dish best suits a draft beer.

We finished our meal with Banoffee Pie. A perfect balance of a thick, soft biscuit base and caramelised banana cutting through the sweetness of the caramel. A drizzle of chocolate sauce adds a decadent dimension to this classic dish.

Perhaps next time I return, I’ll try their signature dish of Lamb Shanks cooked in a root vegetable tomato red wine sauce and creamy mash potato.

When you are planning your next Perth Hills adventure, put Avocados on your list of places to visit. They are open seven days a week from breakfast.

They also offer a function space and onsite accommodation if you are looking to get away for a night or two.

WITH views over the Canning River and rolling hills, Avocados Bar

& Café in Kelmscott is just the place to relax with family and friends.

Head chef Ronald McCann and owner Brad Richards achieved their vision of creating a relaxing space to hang out while enjoying quality food and service. Avocados is even pet friendly.

Chef trained himself, Brad appointed Ronald as head chef in 2018 around the same time he took over ownership. Brad shares, “Being a chef is a young man’s game and not only is Ronald hardworking but he has plenty of passion and enthusiasm.” In time, Ronald plans on creating his own kitchen garden once a plot has been established.

On our visit to Avocados we were presented with four dishes. The first was the Lemon Pesto Crusted Barramundi, which at the time of review was one of the most popular dishes on the menu. In this elegant dish the barramundi nestles on a bed of broccoli, cherry tomatoes and chat potatoes with a delicate orange butter sauce and star anise glaze drizzle. The lemon crust delivers an arousing zing of citrus while the orange butter sauce brings a delicate sweetness to the plate.

The fresh clean finish of the 2019 Azahara Pinot Grigio provided a very complimentary pairing to this meal.

By Sarah Schmitt

AVOCADOS' COVID-19 IMPACT Hand sanitiser was rarely used in restaurants before COVID-19 and one thing that the pandemic has brought is a greater awareness and a heightened standard of hygiene practices.

Thanks to the government’s support, Job Keeper basically helped us keep our heads above water. We were able to adapt our menu, for example, we offered the salmon curry dish as a takeout option as it fits nicely into a takeaway container and is quick and easy to prepare.

Avocados Bar & Grill 2 Mount Street, Kelmscott Ph: (08) 6496 0138 www.avocadosperth.com

Alfresco • Business • BYO • Casual • Family • Fine Dining • Functions • Funky • Live Music • Licensed • Romantic

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profile CINNAMON VIC'S COVID-19 IMPACT At the start of the pandemic we closed down the hospitality venues from dine-in to only doing takeaways. We still received support from our regular customers, which helped us through the tough times.

Once we re-opened three months later, we found that our diners took precautions in following all hygiene protocols making it easier for us to run our business.

We’re looking forward to having Cinnamon Vic back as a venue for events and private functions where we used to serve 100 people. We also anticipate being a catering supplier for 500 people.

maintained their high standards. Their bryani is very popular as are their fish curries – for which they use Red Emperor or Red Spot Emperor – and Pannir’s favourite is the Goat Curry. Everything is cooked from scratch and made using fresh food with nothing frozen. They purchase fresh meat every few days and serve mainly local wines from Gingin and Margaret River to accompany their meals.

Spice up your life IF you like spicy food you should definitely visit Cinnamon Vic for a

delicious meal of traditional Malaysian and Indian curries. Indian food is all about spices and flavours and Cinnamon certainly delivers on this front. Cinnamon has been operating since 2004, and despite the 2020 difficulties, is still going strong.

We enjoyed a starter of five pappadums with four different dips while chatting with head chef and owner Pannir Ganesh. He started at Cinnamon as an apprentice chef in 2004 before becoming head chef and eventually bought into the business.

Pannir told us that they choose to support local businesses wherever possible by sourcing supplies from local West Australian companies, and in return, the locals have supported Cinnamon. During the COVID-19 lockdown, when they were forced to close their doors, they lost some of their staff, but managed to survive by doing take-aways. Pannir praised his staff for their loyalty and service and acknowledged the support from the local council through these difficult times.

We decided to begin with the Assorted Platter, which consisted of a good selection of vegetable pakoras, onion bhaji, samosa, tender and tasty chicken tikka, and seek kebab. A bottle of 2019 Willespie Semillon Sauvignon Blanc was a good choice and really brought out the spices in the seek kebab.

Moving on to the mains, we chose a Beef Balti on Pannir’s recommendation, and were not disappointed. The beef was delightfully tender and was stir-fried with lots of nice vegetables in a medium/hot tangy sauce. We also had the Mango Prawns, which were sweet and creamy and of medium heat, attractively presented on a thin pancake, and topped with chunks of fresh mango. The Chicken Kashmiri was mild in heat but full of flavour, consisting of tender marinated chicken with almonds and slow cooked overnight.

To accompany these curries we had some Cinnamon Special Herb Naan and Garlic Naan, as well as a dish of Kashmiri Pulao (basmati rice cooked with nuts and raisins). The 2019 Willespie SSB was a perfect partner for this meal.

Cinnamon sits on the Vic Park restaurant strip along Albany Highway, where there is plenty of street parking as well as on the side streets nearby. The interior of the restaurant is comfortable and intimate, the decor is tasteful, creating a traditional atmosphere without overtaking the enjoyment of the food.

While Cinnamon has always been known for its beautiful Indian food, with the opportunity for a fresh start, it is also a place for a quick and delicious food experience or to relax and kick up your heels for a night of fun and dancing.

By Georgina Goss

Now that they can operate as a restaurant again, they have

Cinnamon Vic 892 Albany Highway, East Victoria Park Ph: (08) 9472 0277 www.cinnamononthepark.com.au

Alfresco • Business • BYO • Casual • Family • Fine Dining • Functions • Funky • Live Music • Licensed • Romantic

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Subscribe & Win WIN A ESSSE GIUGIARO COFFEE POD MACHINE VALUED AT $140 Win one of 3 Essse Giugiaro S.12 coffee pod machines courtesy of VCM. A modern shape with a choice of four colours, its compact design means it can be placed almost anywhere. With an auto switchoff to save energy and improved coffee extraction, it is so user friendly that anyone can prepare an excellent Italian espresso.

Visit www.vcmperth.com.au for more information.

subscription To go into the draw to win any one of these prizes, all you need to do is subscribe to Menu Magazine, send us a picture of yourself at a café/restaurant, send us a letter or send us a receipt from one of our featured venues that you’ve recently been to. Feel free to enter as many times as you like. Good luck!

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Visit www.beefirm-nrg.com.au for more information.

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o o o WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO CURDS&WAY VALUED AT $70 curds&WAy is your local cheese festival – supporting the local Western Australian cheese and dairy industry in the best way possible. We have 5 double passes to give away so you can lose yourself in a world of art, cheese, wine, beer, cider, relishes, crackers, speciality cold meats and honey tastings. Celebrate and support local with your friends at the curds&WAy cheese festival in June as part of WA Cheese Week.

Visit www.curdsandway.com.au for more information.

The Essse Giugiaro Coffee Pod Machine Twelve pack of 300ml Bee NRG STILL variety and a cap curds&WAy double pass

Please post your cheque or money order (made payable to Eyers RockET) to Menu Magazine, P.O.Box 62, SCARBOROUGH WA 6922 Terms & Conditions 1. Instructions on how to enter, prize details and other information contained within the promotional advertisement form part of these terms and conditions. 2. Entries using the above original coupon, as well as photocopied versions of the above coupon will be accepted. 3. Entries close on Friday 4 June 2021 Winners will be drawn on Friday 11 June 2021. 4. The first entry drawn will be deemed the winner. 5. The prizes must be taken as supplied and cannot be transferred or exchanged as cash. Any additional costs or requirements involved are the responsibility of the competition winner. 6. If unclaimed, the prizes remain the property of the promoters. 7. Staff of Eyers RockET, Menu Magazine, their immediate families and associated agencies are ineligible to enter. Immediate family shall be deemed to include mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband or wife. 8. Menu Magazine, a division of Eyers RockET, accepts no liability for accident, loss, injury or damage to any individual or property arising out of or in conjunction with the competition, either during or after the competition. 9. A parent or guardian must accompany winners under the age of 18 years when claiming or collecting their prize. 10.

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news

By Carmen Jenner

Covert COVID CAST your mind back to when you first heard about COVID-19.

Initially, some of us thought it was far removed from our daily existence, myself included. Then as we started to hear the media reports and the pandemic hit our shores, reality set in.

As the great toilet paper debacle unfolded and the conspiracy theories spread faster than the virus itself, we braced ourselves for lockdown and stocked up on hand sanitiser. We accepted that many of us would be physically separated from family and friends, and travel was a definite no-no.

Weddings were postponed, luxury hotels became quarantine zones, and many of us retreated to working from home while faced with the challenge of home schooling.

Restaurants closed until further notice – although some used the time to restructure their businesses and focus on takeaway. What inspired this article was a story we heard about Funk Cider delivering a four-pack of cider for free to one of its clients in Rockingham.

Australia fared infinitely better than other countries and Perth outshone our Eastern States counterparts. As we snuggled up on our couches and thanked technology for the internet and Netflix we watched in dismay as COVID gripped the rest of the world.

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JobSeeker and JobKeeper saved the day for many Australian operators, although the fallout is that many business owners now struggle to find staff. As our Premier Mark McGowan stood tall while taking a hard stand on border closures, many of us felt cocooned – and maybe even a little smug – as Victoria endured a second wave. Given the rapidly changing nature of the pandemic, by the time this goes to print Western Australia might (hopefully not) even be facing another wave due to the easing of border restrictions.

Although the pandemic is far from over, and life will never be the same again for many people, life in Perth is experiencing some level of normality. The social distancing and hand sanitising rules are still in place and some restaurants will never open their doors again, particularly in the Perth CBD and Fremantle, while others have thrived.

We’re also noticing a trend of more local eateries popping up within the suburbs, often with people queuing up for their caffeine fix, at a safe distance of course.

Meanwhile, the team at Menu Magazine has been busy behind the scenes and launched our new look website at www.digital.menumagazine.com.au We asked some of our clients how they coped and this is what they had to say...

news

Funk Cider, Swan Valley Somerset Hill Cheddar

WA Champion Cheese 2020

Torndirrup Appenzelle

Aust Champion Semi Hard & Eye Cheese 2019

Torndirrup Native Herb

Aust Champion Flavoured Cheese 2019

Nullaki

Perth Champion Cheese 2019 Most Successful Best Small Cheese Maker Perth 2017, 2018, 2019

“If we could have predicted the pandemic happening, we would have invested in online sales and delivery systems at an earlier stage, which would have allowed for a seamless home delivery workflow all ready to roll. As soon as lockdown was declare d by the State Government, we launched an online store to allow for home deliveries. This was so successful that we were able to purchase two new properties, the Swanbrook Winery up the road from us in Henley Brook and the Bolgart Hotel, just north of Toodya y.

dellendale.com.au

The hospitality and tourism industries were one of the first to take the biggest hit from COVID-19. With lockdowns and restrictions forcing venues to close and then operate with limited capacity, businesses from small to large had no choice but to collaborate, take the hit and adapt. Unfortunately, some of our favouri te spots closed their doors permanently.

We don’t know what the long-term effects will be but it certainly has changed interactions. There is a demand for good workers with the loss of the temporary visa holders who returne d home and there are businesses that are still planning to reopen . Hopefully, we will see businesses operating in a much more preven tative way than before, always planning both strategically and financi ally for a possible crisis like the one we are currently experiencing.

The message we’d like to share with our diners is a HUGE BIG FUNKY THANK YOU. Our Funk Fans have been absolutely amazing and we couldn’t have got through it withou t them. They supported us by shopping online and greeting our deliver y drivers with treats and big smiles.

We are now open again seven days a week with limited capacity due to the restrictions, and we’ve updated our menu but luckily we haven’t needed to reduce it.”

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“We had only be en open a few mo nths when COVID it was for everyon hit. Just like e else, it was a hu ge shock, especia enjoyed a succes lly as we had sful launch in Febr uary. We were ex feedback and we periencing great re at capacity mo st nights and it wa time – until we ca s a wonderful me to a grinding halt.

We shut just lik e everyone else and used it as an refine our offering opportunity to s and to look at the business in ter new future migh ms of what the t look like. We br ought forward ou a takeaway wind r pla ns to open ow and joined Ub er Eats as a way offerings and rea to inc rease our ch our customers.

Since reopening, we have been humbled and ov the support show erwhelmed by n. Our regular cu stomers have ret bringing along the urn ed and are ir families and frie nds.

Together we ha ve all been throu gh a historical certainly has be moment and it en challenging, unprecedented What we have no and unexpected. ticed most are the changes in our cu come more frequ stomers. They ently, they order more and they are to be part of Furai so appreciative bo’s journey.

Ironically, the pa ndemic has brou ght us closer wi who are more lik th our customers e a family and for that we are so gr ateful.”

Furaibo, Perth C

ity

Han Palace, East Perth and after “We have definitely increased our hygiene practices the linen every customer we spray down the tables and change – plus we supply hand sanitiser. number of As part of social distancing, we have reduced the safe. feels ne everyo so space more tables and have created ce a One of the most exciting things we did was to introdu a receive people where takeaway special between 4.30–6.30pm d situate we’re As lves.

15% discount and collect the food themse r option so close to the centre of Perth’s CBD, this is a very popula te promo to helps also for people returning home from work. It g orderin to used e our takeaway menu so people becom we course of which takeaway just in case there’s a second wave, Steak, hope doesn’t happen. Our seasoned Black Pepper Fillet Squid and Sauce, Chilli Combination Fried Rice, Pork Chop with items. menu ay with Chilli Pepper Salt are very popular takeaw e changes To be honest, we haven’t really noticed any positiv support since COVID struck but we’re appreciative of the local to serve we have received and look forward to continuing ng.” followi loyal our to cuisine e Chines authentic

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Il Cibo Café, Fremantle ng from the “We’ve noticed a lot of other cafés learni either just by ble profita more pandemic and becoming . In the menu fied simpli sticking to a pure takeaway menu or a from away ng long term I predict a lot of venues will be steeri high rents and tourist precincts. takeaway menu We have created a more comprehensive works best. We and simplified our dining-in menu on what nce to reach our have also developed a better online prese ng times. openi our ed customers and have slightly reduc ds takeaway Many cafés seem to be adapting more towar their staff to sizing down and s menus, simplifying their system during the e surviv enable them to be more profitable or to opening hours downturn. A lot of venues have reduced their and are closing on certain days. , loyal and We survived the pandemic by having a strong situated in regular client base and, even though we’re market anymore.

Fremantle, we just can’t rely on the tourism costs, but we’re some We have had to reduce staff hours and warm community lucky that our regulars continue to create a spirit. and reset our During lockdown we were able to renovate opportunity to business through fresh eyes. It gave us the is something we experiment with takeaway options and this have continued with.”

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Rustlers Steakhouse &

Grill, Albany “During lockdown we made the hard decisio n to stay closed for approximately three months. This was based on the advice given to us by our accountant and we heard from some other venues that they wish the y had been given the same adv ice.

Our choice to stay closed was partly a financial dec ision but also because we are a specialised restaurant where steak doesn’t do well as a takeaway option. We wou ldn’t have done anything diff erently – it was an open and shut case for us.

Situated in Albany, we kne w that by offering our me nu as a takeaway option we wou ldn’t have covered our cos ts to open. As we’re known for our award-winning ste ak, we didn’t see the point in offering another meal pur ely for the purpose of takeaway.

However, we do offer a small amount of takeaway now from a condensed version of our menu which custom ers collect themselves.

While we were shut we use d the time productively to sort out all those things we never have time to do such as re-hashing the menu, win e and cocktail lists as wel l as looking at our costings.”

The Studio Bistro, Yallingup edented event “On the surface, the onset of COVID was an unprec if you look at er, Howev for. d planne or ed predict be that could not s that are out history there have always been events and circumstance negatively and of our control that have impacted on businesses, either that devastated sometimes even positively. Just look at the bushfires effect on the Yarloop in January 2016, which had a wide-reaching economy as property, livelihoods and lives were lost. database and The main resource we have at a time like this is our also sampled We . degree full the marketing ability, which we used to s were an offering ay takeaw Our new dishes almost every day. and, in them feed as much as ters opportunity to entertain our suppor day. our of ht some instances, this was the highlig as for a reality COVID is here to stay and you only need to look overse and the vaccine check as second and third waves are commonplace especially our WA seems light years away. Whilst our government, and we must all do Premier, have done a great job in protecting us so far, riate social our part in regards to cleanliness, sanitising and approp distancing, especially with the borders opening.

26

experience to a The impact for us has been to convert our entire dining conducive more is which , sharing for ideal complete small plate menu ll has Mitche Chris chef head new Our to what our customers want. even go can diners and bistro the to dining introduced this new style of chef the trust diners where menu Select one step further with the Chef with.” you es surpris he meal the with and can be thoroughly spoilt

news

White Salt, Sorrento “In the first couple of months of the pande mic it was very stressful because we didn’t know what the future held until we were able to open. It was scary at first but now I think we’re the luckiest people in the world.

When the pandemic first hit we dramatically dropped our prices by 20% and received such positive feedback that we have continued to keep the price point lower than before. We also simplified our menu. We have selected dishes from our a la carte menu and discounted them by up to 35% off our regular menu prices for takeaways ordered online – this is excellent value for our customers.

NEW!

CONVENIENT CLASSICS

When we were closed we spent the time wisely and gave the place a refresh, repainted and organised new furniture. We offered takeaway during lockdown, ditched Uber Eats and did our own deliveries, which we are still doing.

We think the borders opening is okay althou gh we would like them to remain closed for a bit longer.

One thing we’ve noticed is that the public have become more conscious about shopping locally and they are more likely to eat out locally and to shy away from the larger venues.”

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27

awards

Dusit Dheva Wins BIG WHEN

everything looked like it was going nowhere, events started cancelling and we were in the midst of a lockdown, it was surprising to hear that the Awards for Excellence were still going ahead.

How would the judging take place if we were in a lockdown? Just like the AFL and other events, resilience was shown and it did indeed happen and helped to build morale in an otherwise gloomy time.

The Awards for Excellence program provides deserved recognition to those restaurants and caterers that excel in their field.

The 2020 Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner for WA was held in October at Optus Stadium. We just had to share the news when we found out that Dusit Dheva By The Sea, who is featured on the cover of this issue, was judged Restaurant of the Year.

RCA AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

BEER CAFÉ/WINE BAR

STEAK RESTAURANT

Sponsored by Malt Shovel

Sponsored by Salena Estate

WINNER – Bistro Felix Wine Bar, SUBIACO

WINNER – Angel Falls Grill, PERTH

BREAKFAST RESTAURANT

THAI RESTAURANT

Sponsored by Entertainment Memberships

Sponsored by Menulog

WINNER – Bayside Barista, SAFETY BAY

WINNER – Dusit Dheva By The Sea,

CAFÉ DINING Sponsored by Deputy WINNER – Brother of Mine, BALDIVIS CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN RESTAURANT Sponsored by American Express WINNER – Chef & Co Restaurant, BEDFORD INDIAN / SUB-CONTINENT RESTAURANT Sponsored by Foodie Coaches WINNER – The Punjab Indian Restaurant, INNALOO

WESTERN AUSTRALIA WINNERS

ITALIAN RESTAURANT

RESTAURANT AWARDS

Sponsored by TheFork – A Tripadvisor Company

ASIAN RESTAURANT

WINNER – Nunzio’s Restaurant, FREMANTLE

CATERING AWARDS EVENTS CATERER Sponsored by Dwyer Durack Lawyers WINNER – Creative Catering, WANGARA SITE/INDUSTRIAL CATERER Sponsored by Perth Energy WINNER – Chartwells – Hale School, WEMBLEY DOWNS WEDDING CATERER Sponsored by Salena Estate WINNER – Rambla on Swan, SOUTH PERTH HOSPITALITY AWARDS APPRENTICE CHEF OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Hostplus

PIZZA RESTAURANT

Sponsored by American Express

WINNER – Tsunami Teppanyaki Bar,

Sponsored by Sanpellegrino & Acqua Panna

MOSMAN PARK

WINNER – Pappagallo Café Pizzeria,

WINNER – Clive Glauert – Odyssea, CITY BEACH

LEEDERVILLE

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HILLARYS

WA’s Best Producers CHEF OF THE YEAR Sponsored by PorkStar WINNER – Maverick Cuthbert – South of Perth Yacht Club, SOUTH PERTH EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Hostplus WINNER – Rebekah Williams – Chef & Co Restaurant, BEDFORD MAITRE D’/MANAGER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Hospitality Group Training WINNER – Yvonne Khan – Chef & Co Restaurant, BEDFORD PRODUCT SUPPLIER Sponsored by Restaurant & Catering Industry Association WINNER – Outré Social Media CONSUMER VOTE Sponsored by The Restaurant Gift Card WINNER – COSMIC Cocktails & Events, WANGARA HOSPO HEROES AWARDS AWARDED TO – Cherry’s Catering, MALAGA AWARDED TO – Gordon Street Garage, WEST PERTH AWARDED TO – Monggo Restaurant, MT LAWLEY PIVOT & INNOVATION AWARD Sponsored by Uber Eats AWARDED TO – Impressions Catering, PORT KENNEDY MAJOR AWARDS

Support your local food manufacturers. Available at selected local independant food outlets as well as selected cafes and restaurants.

LIFETIME ACHIEVER WINNER – Faith Nichols – Comestibles CAFÉ OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Alsco WINNER – Brother of Mine, BALDIVIS CATERER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Malt Shovel WINNER – Creative Catering, WANGARA RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Hostplus WINNER – Dusit Dheva By The Sea, HILLARYS

By Scott Arnold-Eyers

For more information go to www.crumpagencies.com.au 29

coffee

The Great Takeaway Caper CAST

your mind back to the strict lockdown restrictions during COVID-19. Now try to envision what life would have been like without the luxury of takeaway. Having to plan, risking potential infection at the supermarket, and preparing three meals a day really would have been an adjustment for many.

Thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of the owners of local cafés and restaurants, many altered their business structures to offer takeaway. Some already had their takeaway processes in place and those that did, made modifications to offer a personalised service by ditching mainstream food delivery service providers and making their own deliveries.

Meanwhile, certain high-end restaurants who mainly offered dining-in became creative with

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their takeaway options, often at a far reduced price.

Hillary’s Thai restaurant Dusit Dheva is a great example of adapting to the pandemic by reassigning their waitstaff to help out with the takeaway deliveries. Noticing that they are busier now than ever before, partly due to their takeaway menu reduced by 15% for selected suburbs, Chef Taweepong Sangsuriyapom said, “We received great local support during lockdown. Our customers still aren’t wanting to travel far but prefer to stay local. Our takeaway menu is fresh, fast and has the same high quality as always."

Tim Pullin from Open Plan Coffee in North Perth said that his general revenue didn't

change much but the demand for takeaway coffee went through the roof as well as coffee bean orders.

The option of having my favourite dishes dropped off instead of dining-out became a treat I began to look forward to. I explored the menus of many local restaurants I probably wouldn’t normally have frequented – and I’ve remained loyal to these. Surprisingly, there were even venues that launched during the pandemic, including the bakery that opened at the end of our street during lockdown.

Judging by the ongoing queues and traffic congestion on my street, this local favourite is still thriving.

coffee Our takeaway habit still remains strong.

Perhaps we’ve become used to it or are simply content with enjoying quality meals prepared by chefs while staying at home? Possibly it’s a habit that has been enabled by having our bank accounts propped up with the disposable income provided by government assistance. Speaking of disposable, with all these new takeaway options it’s interesting the many ways they are being delivered so your order remains fresh, intact and at the correct temperature.

If anyone would know about the challenges of transporting takeaway it’s Malcolm Sykes, Huhtamaki’s State Manager who, even with all of the food packaging resources readily available, is struggling to keep up with demand. Mal said, “Takeaway coffee cup usage is definitely up. And the delivery on QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) meals has risen sharply and has remained much higher than pre-COVID-19.”

With takeaway comes disposable packaging, which has the potential to become landfill and raise sustainability concerns. Mal agreed and said, “Environmental options are growing all the time. During COVID-19 this wasn’t such a priority but since emerging from the pandemic in WA people have returned to more sustainable options.”

Co-owner of Roasting Warehouse South Fremantle Ali Aziz said, “We’ve noticed that takeaway coffee is up by 20%.” He’s noticed another interesting trend with his customers becoming so used to using paper cups that they don’t want to use glassware anymore,

opting for paper cups instead. He said, “Some even request takeaway packages when dining-in for hygiene reasons. They also want sachets of salt, pepper and sugar instead of having these condiments in communal jars on the tables.” I have to agree with this last one, no-one enjoys discovering wet sugar lumps on their spoon.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Occasionally it happens in the most serendipitous of ways.

Way back in 2019 and as a promotion for issue 27, Menu Magazine purchased a heap of branded takeaway cups. Who knew how much of a hit they would become? During lockdown many cafés and restaurants supported us by purchasing these cups predicting a shortage of takeaway products. As it turned out, Western Australian suppliers were very well organised, but we were happy to be part of the solution for many venues.

So, the next time you order takeaway, take a moment to appreciate how it is delivered. Does your favourite café present your coffee to you in a single or double-walled paper cup with a cup carrier and lid for easy transportation?

Does your food arrive in a clam shell or a food container with a lid? Does your pizza arrive the right way up and not as a vertical mess?

Is the packaging environmentally friendly and decomposable?

Unit 3, 34 Prestige Parade WANGARA, WA www.dantescoffee.com.au Ph 1300 664 290

AWAKEN THE SOUL

SALES – SERVICE

SERVICING THE COFFEE INDUSTRY SINCE 2001

Unit 11/93 Hector St West, Osborne Park WA Office: (08) 9244 1900 E: service@vcmperth.com.au www.vcmperth.com.au

Not only are these important questions from a sustainable point of view, but all these factors contribute greatly to your dining experience – even if it is enjoyed from the luxury of your couch and pyjamas.

By Carmen Jenner

coffee

the

SPECIALIST

S

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 1986

Phone 08 9345 2255 www.zeroz.com.au

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beer

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BEER

enjoy, but it can get confusing when a style name can mean one thing in one country, and something completely different in another.

For example, the word ‘bitter’ appears on the labels of some of Australia’s most popular big brewery lagers, but in the UK, bitter is a type of (usually) cask-conditioned pale ale. XPA – a relatively new beer style – has also taken on a different meaning in Australia. Originating from the North American craft brewing scene, the XPA (standing for Extra Pale Ale) moniker was given to beers that fit somewhere between the Pale Ale and IPA styles. While this definition persists in the US, Australian craft breweries have kept the XPA name, but are using it for beers that are quite different.

Most Australian-brewed XPAs are ‘extra pale’ in colour with similar alcoholic strength and less bitterness than a standard pale ale. Little Creatures XPA is a good example of this – it is paler in colour and lower in both alcohol and bitterness than Little Creatures Pale Ale.

Rather than being named after its ingredients, beers are categorised by style. Beer style can be determined by a number of factors such as colour, flavour, strength, ingredients, production method, history and place of origin. The modern concept of beer style is largely based on the work of late beer writer, Michael Jackson in his 1977 book, The World Guide to Beer, where he classifies beers from around the world into style groups. At commercial beer competitions such as the Perth Royal Beer show, beers are judged against the style guidelines of the Brewers Association (BA). In their 2020 guidelines, the BA described 154 distinct beer styles.

While the systematic study of beer styles is a modern phenomenon, brewers have been distinguishing between different varieties of beer for thousands of years.

Shifting trends in beer can sometimes result in beers no longer fitting their style category. In 20th century England, heavy taxation resulted in brewers reducing the alcoholic content of their beers. This resulted in beers such as Greene King IPA – a moderately hopped 3.6% session ale that is an India Pale Ale in name only and is a perfect fit for another style – ordinary bitter. More locally, Swan Valley’s Feral Brewing Company released their Hop Hog IPA in 2008. At 5.8% with 48 bitterness units this was a big, hoppy beer for its time, well and truly worthy of the name IPA. Fast-forward to 2013/14 and you would find a little black mark on a Hop Hog bottle label, crossing through the word ‘India.’

While the beer had not changed, Feral had re-positioned it as a Pale Ale, reflecting the craft brewing industry’s shift towards bigger, hoppier beers.

All beer styles fit into two main categories: lager and ale. Until the 15th century, all beers were ales; brewed with ‘top fermenting’ yeast and fermented at relatively warm temperatures. Around the same time that European brewers first began adding hops to preserve their beer, brewers in Bavaria started the practice of storing beer in cool caves during summer to stop spoiling. These beers were the first lagers, named after the German word lagern meaning ‘to store’. The 2020 BA guidelines list 87 styles of ale, 33 lager styles and 34 ‘hybrid’ styles, combining the qualities of both lager and ale.

A little knowledge of styles can help consumers to select beers they are likely to

In today’s highly creative, fast-paced craft beer market, new beer styles are emerging at a rapid pace. Some come and go, like Brut IPAs, which were all the rage in 2018 and are now nowhere to be seen. Others stand the test of time and are eventually added to the BA guidelines – a recent example is the New England IPA, also known as Juicy or Hazy IPA. The only things we can know with certainty is that beer styles are not static. Who knows what the next big trend will be – a new beer style, a re-creation or modern interpretation of a historic beer style? Only time will tell.

By Jeremy Sambrooks

29/51 LANCASTER RD, WANGARRA, 6065

INSTAGRAM.COM/IMPIBREWERS

is more complex than wine. No doubt I have angered some wine buffs with that bold opening statement; but hear me out. Determining whether wine or beer is the more nuanced or flavourful drink is an impossible exercise, not to mention highly subjective, but it’s hard to deny that beer is a more complicated beverage. Discounting yeast, which is needed for the fermentation of all alcoholic beverages, beer is made from (at least) three ingredients – water, malted grain and hops – while wine is made from just one: grapes. This makes the classification of different wines quite simple – they are named after the grape variety from which they are made, eg Shiraz, or varietals in the case of blended wines, eg Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.

Try doing that with beer’s ingredients and it does not go so well: “I’ll have a pint of the Pale, Munich, Carahell, Dextrose, Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic with filtered H20 and Calcium Chloride please!”

www.14kbrewery.com.au

FACEBOOK.COM/IMPIBREWERS

Drinking with Style

beer

WWW.IMPIBREWERS.COM.AU

BAR NOW OPEN TUESDAY TO FRIDAY 10AM - 8PM SATURDAY 10AM - 8PM All opening hours subject to demand

BREW ON PREMISES OPENING HOURS

TUESDAY TO FRIDAY 1PM - 7.30PM SATURDAY 8AM - 1PM

Come in and make your own beer For extended hours call (08) 9317 2940

72a McCoy St Myaree www.billabongbrewing.com.au 33

beer

Beer News 2020 has been a tumultuous year for everyone and the craft brewing industry is certainly no exception. Brewpubs were the hardest hit, as their entire source of income was lost when they were forced to close in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With taprooms and pubs closed to the public, the only outlet for breweries to make money was in retail sales. This saw several brewpubs packaging their beer for the first time and others keeping their doors open for takeaway growler fills. In a trend seen across the world, several breweries and distilleries shifted their production to hand sanitizer, including Spinifex Brewing and Black Brewing Co (in collaboration with Dune Distilling).

In response to the economic threat of the pandemic, a couple of brilliant initiatives were launched to encourage beer drinkers to support their local craft breweries. ‘Keeping Local Alive’ is named after an article written by James Smith for The Crafty Pint and focuses on helping people find ways to support their local breweries and help local businesses make it through. More locally, the Western Australian Brewers Association introduced the ‘Drink West, Drink Best’ campaign.

The idea behind #drinkwestdrinkbest is to unify and strengthen WA beer and encourage West Australians to think local and support WA breweries when selecting beverages.

Several new breweries opened in the past year – some before lockdown and some after. In Karratha, North West Brewing Co. first opened its doors to the public in November of 2019 – slightly too late to be included in the WA brewery guide in Issue 27 of Menu. The brewpub is run by two local families and is open daily from 11am to 10pm. North West recently had a canning line commissioned and three new fermenters installed, enabling the brewery to double its brewing capacity.

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Also launching in November 2019 was Terra Forma – a nanobrewery based in West Leederville. You can find Terra Forma beers at a select few bars and bottleshops around town.

Kook Brewing Co released its first commercial beer – Kook Pale – in January 2020. The three self-titled ‘Kooks’ behind the brewery – Chris, Luke and Pete – are surfing mates who share a love of the ocean and good beer. They have been brewing together for about seven years and made the move to share their passion for craft beer with the public. As a contract brewery, Kook’s beers are currently brewed at Impi Brewers in Gnangara.

Fat Bull Craft Beer is another local contract brewery, who launched their first beer – Welcome Pale Ale – in August 2020. Fat Bull originates from south Brazil, where a microbrewery was started by three mates who are passionate about craft beer and dogs (the brewery is named after a fat pit bull named Kyra). The Fat Bull brand and recipes were then brought to Australia by Cristiano – a friend of the brewery’s founders.

Bailey Brewing Co. opened in the Swan Valley in November 2020.

Head Brewer at Bailey is Damien Bussemaker, who previously brewed for Mash and Ogden’s. The family friendly brewery has a large nature playground, plenty of lawn to kick the footy on, and a sessionable range of beers that includes a Summer Ale, Pale Ale, Red Ale, Mid Strength, a couple of IPAs and a Cider.

Shelter Brewing Co. launched their 650-capacity venue on the Busselton foreshore in November 2020. Director and Head Brewer is Jason Credaro, formerly of Little Creatures and Brick Lane Brewing Co in Victoria. The Shelter beer line up at launch comprised a lager, IPA, XPA, red ale and a sour – all easy drinking beers that should appeal to many.

Impi Brewers has moved from its original home in Gnangara to a new facility in Wangara. The production brewery has also added two news beers to their core range. Impi Guava Berliner Weisse is a light and refreshing beer with subtle guava notes, balanced lactic sourness, and a dry finish. Impi Russian Imperial Stout is a big, jet black beer that is brewed with eight different malts and boasts flavours of bittersweet chocolate and dark fruits. Both beers are available in kegs and 375ml cans.

In a bit of good news for the Coeliac-suffering hop heads out there, Billabong Brewing has released a gluten free New England India Pale Ale. Simply named, ‘Gluten Free NEIPA’ the beer weighs in at 6% alcohol-by-volume and is hopped with four of the juiciest American hops on the market – Idaho 7, El Dorado, Mosaic and Simcoe.

Billabong Gluten Free NEIPA is brewed with a selection of non-gluten containing grains which, combined with the liberal dose of hops, creates a beer with a pleasant, fruity sherbet-like character.

2020 Champion Independent Brewery ( WA)

Champion Small / Medium Brewery Multi Award winning brewery, beerhall dining & stunning alfresco

OPEN 7 DAYS 7AM - LATE

By Jeremy Sambrooks

#homeinonblasta 35

beer

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Australia’s best beer is a triumph for WA JUDGES at the Perth Royal Beer Awards have lifted the lid on their Champion brew for 2020 and it’s good news for Perth and WA.

Blasta Brewing Company in Burswood took home six medals and four trophies in total, including the coveted Cryer Malt Trophy for Champion Beer, won by their Chainbreaker IPA. The prize is the highest award available to commercial brewers at the annual event, in which a panel of experts scrutinize hundreds of beers from across Australia.

Other wins for the metro-based microbrewery included The Sail and Anchor Trophy for Champion Small Brewery and an award for their sour-style The Rampant Raspberry (Trophy for Best Hybrid & Speciality Beer).

This year’s judging team, led by Will Irving – formerly of Feral Brewing Co. – worked through 395 entries across 104 separate classes. Each beer, identified only by a catalogue number and served in its own standard, non-descript tasting glass, was judged according to international judging criteria, considering appearance, aroma, flavour, technical quality and style.

Sydney-based Lion Beer Australia won Champion Large Brewery while the Little Creatures Trophy for Best New Exhibitor went to King Road Brewing Co. (Oldbury, WA).

The ever-popular Best Draught Lager category was hotly contested, with Lucky Bay Brewing Co. (Esperance, WA) taking home the trophy for their aptly named Lockdown Dark Lager, launched earlier this year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was also a successful year for Boston Brewing Co. (Denmark, WA) who walked away with seven gold medals. Margaret River Brewhouse was awarded five golds.

Speaking ahead of the competition’s awards evening in August, Chief Judge Will Irving said that the competition across all categories had been incredibly strong.

“We’ve seen big growth in the number of Pale Ale and IPA entries winning gold medals this year. It shows that hops are still king and there is still a huge drive across all brewers in producing those great hop-driven styles.

“We’ve also seen a steady increase in the number of sours being entered, though not the huge boom that many were expecting.

“All in all the quality and consistency across categories in 2020 has been pretty exceptional, especially when you consider all the challenges the industry has been facing this year with COVID-19.

“Blasta has had an incredible year. They’ve walked away with four trophies – and that isn’t just confined to one style of beer. The quality

is there throughout all their entries and their success this year shows it.

“Boston Brewing Co. was hot on their heels this year and deserve the recognition they’ve received for their three trophies and five gold medals across a wide spread of categories.

Perth’s leading artisan grocer Fresh WA Produce • Gourmet Grocery • Chef-made Meals • Artisan Salads • Barista Coffee • Delicatessan • Desserts • Butcher • Florist • Seafood • Toilet Paper

“Otherside has also had a great year, particularly with their stout. That beer was a single batch release so winning a gold award and a trophy is outstanding.

“While this is very much a national competition, it’s great to see WA brewers being so competitive. We have seven trophy winning breweries in our metro area this year and a further seven in our State’s South West.

There’s certainly no shortage of great beer to choose from on the West Coast.”

The annual beer competition – an initiative of the Royal Agricultural Society of WA (RASWA) – is part of the Perth Royal Food Awards program, celebrating exceptional produce and producers from across Australia.

RASWA President, David Thomas, said: “Australian brewing continues to go from strength to strength and the quality of the entries just keeps getting better every year.

“Aside from being an excellent opportunity for entrants to measure themselves against the competition, the Perth Royal Food Awards gives winners a tool by which they can promote their product to the general public – the Perth Royal Food Awards medals.

“Winners earn the right to use their gold; silver; bronze and champion/trophy medals on their award-winning product, thereby demonstrating to the buying public that it is among the best products available in Australia.”

For more information about the Perth Royal Food Awards and a full list of winners from the 2020 beer category, visit perthroyalfoodawards.raswa.org.au.

The Perth Royal Food Awards is WA’s premier food and drink competition, identifying and celebrating the very best producers through rigorous judging and tasting before marketing the standard of excellence through the Perth Royal Food Awards medal system.

The Perth Royal Food Awards is the largest, independent food and drink competition in Western Australia and RASWA works closely with winners to help improve their business profile, positively impact sales and increase brand recognition.

For more information, visit: perthroyalfoodawards.raswa.org.au

By Robert Davies

www.theherdsman.com.au 9 Flynn Street, Churchlands WA 6018 (08) 9383 7733 Open 7 days, 7am-8pm

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food

By Scott Arnold-Eyers

Gourmet Delis get CHEESY WA Cheese Week proudly supports the local Western Australian Cheese Industry.

Individuals from different cheese focused businesses volunteer to help promote true local West Australian cheese from milk to shelves.

2021 will open with the annual curds&WAy festival on 21-22 May and run events from 24-30 May. We decided to showcase the local gourmet delis that bring these local cheeses to you. For more information go to www.wacheese.com.au or www.curdsandway.com.au

BASIL’S FINE FOODS IT’S been rumoured that locals frequent

Basil’s several times a day for their expansive fruit and vegetables, instore made meals, renowned guacamole dip, Barista made coffee, traditional Italian desserts and one of the biggest cheese fridges in Perth stocking around 150 local and imported cheeses available at any one time.

Basil’s is one of the first gourmet providores to offer vegan and plant-based foods as part of their staple lines. Customers committed to health and wellness who read everything on their food labels flock to stock-up on an array of raw and fermented gut foods, dairy-free cheeses from Sprout and Kernel, Botanical Cuisine, dairy-free cheese from Demona, Symons and Green Vie Foods.

Local WA Cheese we stock: •

Borrello Cheese

•

Dellendale Creamery

•

Harvey Cheese

You can do lots of things with cheese. You can melt it, cook it, enjoy it with wine, salads, fruit or whatever you want. You can even have it on its own and make a cheese platter. That’s what we love about cheese. www.basilsfinefoods.com.au

BLACK PIG DELI & CO. Black Pig Deli & Co. is an artisan deli in Inglewood focusing on small-batch charcuterie, local and international cheeses, housemade goodies, native flavours and amazing products made locally, nationally and internationally.

We have had a strong cheese program since opening four years ago, stocking favourites from around the globe as well as shining a spotlight on new and established local cheesemakers.

Local WA Cheese we stock:

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•

Cambray Cheese

•

Dellendale Creamery

•

Halls Family Dairy

•

Harvey Cheese

•

La Delizia Latticini

•

Local Goat

Cheese tends to be a bit of an obsession for our staff. Even those staff who start with us with little to no knowledge tend to become total enthusiasts in no time at all just through having the opportunity to taste all that deliciousness. www.blackpigdeli.com.au

BOATSHED MARKET The art of great cooking is using the finest and freshest ingredients and the Boatshed Market is your ultimate food and lifestyle destination. The Boatshed is renowned for its commitment to the pursuit of excellence in the provision of Australia’s finest, freshest seasonal produce, fish, meat and flowers.

food The Boatshed is the gateway to the great yet simple pleasures of cooking and eating - the place to indulge in your passion for fine food.

Local WA Cheese we stock: •

Borrello Cheese

•

Dellendale Creamery

•

Halls Family Dairy

•

Harvey Cheese

•

Yallingup Cheese

One of the oldest foods known to man, cheeses have been around for centuries and we love them. We stock a selection of over 250 varieties to offer you the biggest selection of local and imported cheeses. www.boatshedmarket.com.au

BUNBURY FARMERS MARKET Although the Bunbury Farmers Market has moved and grown over the years, its philosophy has remained the same – to provide extreme value and freshness while supporting generations-old local growers, farmers and producers.

Their market-made meals cater for everyone, from the hands-on home cook looking for the finest fresh produce and ingredients, to busy families who need a nutritious meal with most, if not all, of the hard work already done.

Local WA Cheese we stock: •

Borrello Cheese

•

Brownes Dairy

•

Dellendale Creamery

•

Harvey Cheese

We love that no two cheeses are the same each cheesemaker brings their own expertise and unique techniques to their product.

Cheese is so versatile in its uses, whether you eat it as it is, combine your favourites together to make an ever popular cheeseboard, or use it in the kitchen to add texture and flavour to any dish - the possibilities really are endless. www.bunburyfarmersmarket.com.au

EUROPEAN FOODS European Foods was created and established from the Re family’s existing retail outlets which traded as The Re Store. The Re family sold the business to the Yukich family in June 2018, and since the purchase, Perth’s iconic European Foods is central to an ambitious shift to a custom designed wholesale space in Osborne Park, placing the food experience at its heart. The European Foods Marketplace is a modern continental market offering a vibrant experience for food lovers as well as the hospitality and food service industries alike.

Local WA Cheese we stock: •

Brownes Dairy

•

Dellendale Creamery

•

Harvey Cheese

We love cheeses for many reasons but best of all because it’s a wonderful shared food experience which brings people together.

There is nothing better than relaxing over a glass of wine enjoyed with a cheese board and a great conversation – it’s a complete meal. www.europeanfoods.com.au

FRESH PROVISIONS The Gotsis and Barrat-Hill families became involved in a fresh produce and delicatessen store in Perth’s northern beaches in the 80s. In 1989 an opportunity came about to bring a great quality fresh produce and smallgoods business to the inner-city suburb of Mt Lawley – and Fresh Provisions was born. In a substantially larger store, more fresh food and gourmet products were introduced.

The business was also one of the first to trade 24 hours a day in the early 90s and has now become more family friendly for the team and operates during extended trading hours only.

Fresh Provisions celebrates its 31st anniversary this year and has experienced lots of changes over this time.

Arguably

THE BEST FRESH FOOD STORE IN WA

Local WA Cheese we stock: •

Borrello Cheese

•

Cambray Cheese

•

Dellendale Creamery

•

Halls Family Dairy

•

Harvey Cheese

We pride ourselves on our large selection of cheeses specialising in French and Italian cheese while strongly supporting WA cheesemakers. Our love for cheese comes from one of our owners who has travelled to different dairies around Australia and

Home of 100% MARKET MADE

2 Vittoria Road Glen Iris

www.bunburyfarmersmarket.com.au

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food overseas. It’s more of a hobby than a chore and of course you get to try all different types of cheese as well as meet the wonderful cheese makers and their history.

home delivery and click and collect to match community trends.

www.provisions.com.au

•

Borrello Cheese

•

Brownes Dairy

LA DELIZIA LATTICINI

•

Dellendale Creamery

Owner Domenic (Dom) Boccia was born into a family of cheesemakers in the Italian city of Naples. His childhood was filled with daily servings of oozy and melty mozzarella handmade that morning.

•

Harvey Cheese

Creamy dreamy local cheese, Yes Please!

We love the versatility of cheese as it can be eaten with just about anything.

At La Delizia Latticini, the cheese is made behind glass walls showing people how real, fresh cheese is made. The team churns through over 1000 litres of milk delivered fresh from WA’s South West and makes over 100 kilograms of cheese, every day. The range includes fior di latte, ricotta, stracciatella, burrata, scamorza, provola and mozzarella, and is sold from the cheese lab and delivered fresh to select local retailers. Many of Dom’s cheeses have also become firm favourites on restaurant menus across WA. Local WA Cheese we stock: •

Dellendale Creamery

•

La Delizia Latticini

We love mozzarella the best. In Italy we will eat mozzarella fresh almost every day. www.ladelizialatticini.com.au

Local WA Cheese we stock:

www.malibufresh.com.au

Malibu Fresh Essentials understands the trend of people being more conscious of their health and the food they choose to eat. The store has been thriving since it was first opened in 2000 and with a commitment to always supply the highest quality products, they try where possible to support local and Western Australian suppliers. It’s been a trying year for the community and donating to the underprivileged is still a focus of theirs as well as introducing key changes such as

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Passione Gourmet brings a little taste of Italy to Kingsley. They have been sharing their love for outstanding coffee and the finest smallgoods and cheeses for the past 10 years. It’s normal to bump into their regular customers three times a day: in the morning for their coffee fix, lunchtime for a Continental roll and maybe a little dolce, then again in the afternoon for the “beer essentials” of cheese, salami, olives or a dinner deal with homemade salads, pastas and quiches. At Passione Gourmet they stock some of the finest food delicacies from around the world – and are always looking for local WA produce first.

Local WA Cheese we stock:

NAPOLI MERCATO Proud to be a 3rd generation providing quality food and fresh produce in WA, they are a family of gourmands, connoisseurs and foodies who are passionate about food and the community. Napoli Mercato was devised because they want to share the high-quality and speciality imports, smallgoods and an eclectic selection of international locally sourced cheeses not normally found in the supermarket.

Napoli Mercato is part specialty Italian grocer and part meeting place for people to share a cup of coffee and a cannoli at the espresso bar.

MALIBU FRESH ESSENTIALS

PASSIONE GOURMET DELI

•

Dellendale Creamery

•

La Delizia Latticcini

Who doesn’t love cheese. It is diverse and great for bringing families together. Food is life and cheese is a great food. Love food, love life. www.passionedeli.shop

PEACHES FRESH FOOD Located on busy South Fremantle’s Hampton Road, Peaches is one of the largest green grocers in Western Australia. Stocking all fresh and organic produce – from kombucha, to gourmet cheeses and to pristine fruit and vegetables. Peaches thrives on supporting local growers and suppliers and the family-owned business gets involved with community activities however they can.

Local WA Cheese we stock:

Local WA Cheese we stock:

•

Bookara Goat Dairy

•

Borrello Cheese

•

Halls Family Dairy

•

Dellendale Creamery

•

Harvey Cheese

•

Harvey Cheese

•

Rose Valley Cheese Company

•

Rose Valley Cheese Company

All Italians love cheese. It goes great with wine and friends.

We know all food lovers appreciate good quality cheese. And with over 5,000 pieces, you’ll find an extremely large variety of delicious Australian and specialty cheeses to choose from. We source our cheese from as nearby as Oakford and as far away as Italy, France, England and beyond. www.napolimercato.com.au

peachesfresh.com.au

food

THE CHEESE SHOP PERTH HILLS The Cheese Shop Perth Hills is a familyrun business that grew from a local market beginning. After running cheese market stalls in Kalamunda, North Perth, Subiaco and the Swan Valley for a number of years, they finally decided to set up shop.

They carry an extensive range of cheeses from across Europe including many UK favourites, as well as delicious Australian and WA artisan cheeses. Currently they are featuring cheeses by artisan cheesemaker Chris Vogel called Nullaki – a flavoursome cheese coated in roasted wattle seeds, a fine raw milk WA Gruyere and a washed rind Appenzeller with a centre layer of native herbs with a rich flavour and floral aromas.

Local WA Cheese we stock: •

Dellendale Creamery

We love cheese because they are truly crafted and each cheese has its own story, unique flavours and character. We take the time to know all our cheeses and never stop being amazed by the creativity of the cheesemakers.

This is why we love cheese. What other product is this interesting and delicious? www.thecheeseshop.com.au

THE DELI KING In June 2019, Esperance locals Nicole and John King opened The Deli King. They wanted to bring their passion for food to the coastal town and stock mostly produce from WA and Australia, with a few specialty items from overseas such as Italian pasta. The Deli King stocks gourmet meats, including nitrate and gluten free lines, and inhouse dry aged meat. Also available is WA’s Blacklist Coffee and Infuse Tea from Canningvale and so many more gourmet treats from the South West.

Nicole and John have given the old shoe shop a major facelift and have added a gourmet sandwich bar, using bread baked on the premises, as well as take-away grazing platters of cheeses and meats.

Local WA Cheese we stock: •

Dellendale Creamery

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Harvey Cheese

We love how universal cheese can be - sweet and savoury you name it, you can get it and you can add it to any type of cuisine. Cheese can be used for any occasion whether it is a casual snack or an addition to a gourmet

platter to entice your guest taste buds. The secret ingredient is always cheese.

Find them on Facebook.

THE HERDSMAN MARKET The Herdsman Market has been working directly with farmers to source WA’s best produce for over 30 years. With humble beginnings as a grower’s shed in Churchlands, The Herdsman Market has evolved into a true modern market with seasonal local produce, a gourmet butcher, an artisan bakery, fresh cut flowers and barista-made coffee all under the one roof.

BRINGING THE FRESHEST LOCAL PRODUCE. GOURMET | ORGANIC | KETO GF | VEGAN @PEACHESFRESHFOOD 195 Hampton Rd, South Fremantle WA 6162 (08) 9430 5025

Local WA Cheese we stock: •

Borrello Cheese

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Dellendale Creamery

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Harvey Cheese

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Kytren Goats Cheese

We are constantly falling in love with cheese because there is so much variety and always some new taste or texture to discover.

Whether it be a Persian feta or truffle infused Camembert, white or blue, sharp or wellrounded there is a cheese to suit every taste bud. www.theherdsman.com.au

Fresh seasonal fruit and Vegetables, Organics, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gourmet and Multicultural products. Ready made meals and Salads Open 7 Days.

110 Malibu Road, Safety Bay www.malibufresh.com.au Home Delivery and Click and collect

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food

LOCAL PRODUCERS BOOKARA GOAT DAIRY They built the dairy themselves by converting an old hay shed into a dairy and processing room. The equipment came from existing dairies in Western Australia and the design of the dairy is based on other successful dairies in Western Australia and in the Eastern States. www.bookaragoatdairy.com.au

BORRELLO CHEESE

TWO BIRDS FROMAGERIE

URBAN SOUL FOODS

Fiona Fanchette and Katrina Lanigan realised they shared a similar vision to create a new dining experience called Two Birds Fromagerie.

Urban Soul Foods was born in 2019 from a love that chefs' Paolo and Aimee Butto had for delicious honest food. With Paolo’s Italian background and both chefs' recipes collected from their travels around the globe, Urban Soul foods is the ultimate haven for every foodie. Nothing fancy. Just Love.

Their business is a little more than a deli. Not only can you purchase from their extensive range of Western Australia and Australian cheeses, you can also indulge in cheese platters in the café with goodies that rotate with what is ripe, seasonal and new. Their aim is to be the artisanal cheese destination in the greater Perth area with over 2.4 metres of cheese and smallgoods.

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Cambray Cheese

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Dellendale Creamery

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Halls Family Dairy

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Harvey Cheese

Local WA Cheese we stock:

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La Delizia Latticcini

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Cambray Cheese

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Local Goat

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Dellendale Creamery

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Yallingup Cheese

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Harvey Cheese

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Kytren Goats Cheese

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Local Goat

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Rose Valley Cheese Company

We have a pure unadulterated love for cheese. A food that can give you pleasure at breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s a constantly evolving love affair that we don’t have to feel guilty about.

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Yallingup Cheese

www.urbansoulfoods.com.au

What we love about cheese is its everchanging flavours and each cheesemaker brings their own interpretation and eccentricity to their craft. Cheese offers many dimensions in colour, flavour, texture and its versatility in its uses in food. Cheese evokes a sense of home.

It ignites fond memories of times where family and friends have been brought together. www.facebook.com/twobirdsfromagerie

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Local WA Cheese we stock:

Manufacturing award winning, traditional Italian style cheeses, their products use traditional methods with a strong focus on quality. All their cheeses are produced from cow’s milk, which is sourced from local dairy farmers. Their range can be found in selected Coles, IGA and Farmer Jack’s supermarkets and delicatessens across Perth, as well as many food service and wholesale outlets, and direct to the public. www.borrellocheese.com.au

BROWNES DAIRY As WA's oldest dairy, Brownes Dairy has a long history of cheesemaking, since the 1930s. Their master cheesemaker started making cheese at 15 years of age and 45 years later continues to be a craftsman with the exceptional experience and expertise you can taste. They create cheese honouring the same authentic recipes and tastes enjoyed for generations and are delighted to bring back a local product that WA families have missed in recent years. The Brownes Dairy Mature and Vintage Cheddars were launched at an exclusive event in WA’s home of premium cheese – European Food’s Cheese cathedral. www.brownesdairy.com.au

CAMBRAY CHEESE Cambray Sheep Cheese is a small familyoperated business which has achieved remarkable success since opening in 2005. The unique range, all awarded gold medals, includes soft white-mould cheeses, a traditional Greek style feta, and a variety of matured cheese including the famous Farmhouse Gold. All Cambray cheese carries the official “Farmhouse” status identifying that every stage of manufacture happens entirely on the farm; only milk from a specially selected flock is used to produce the range of artisan handmade cheeses. Cambray sheep

graze on lush pastures enclosed by native bushland and drink from natural springs, ensuring a pesticide-free environment of exceptional purity. www.cambraycheese.com.au

DELLENDALE CREAMERY Dellendale Creamery has a long history in the dairy industry and Chris Vogel started producing small batches of cheeses in 2010 as a weekend project. Chris enjoys the challenges and complexity of making consistently yummy cheeses in the face of seasonal changes to milk features, linked to the grass and feed of his neighbour’s cows.

He appreciates the diversity in how artisanal cheesemakers bring their own style and new ideas to the making of old-style cheeses.

Chris has been experimenting with different bacterial cultures and moulds, which break down proteins and ripens cheese, and using Australian native herbs and spices as washes within his semi-firm cheeses. www.dellendale.com.au

HALLS FAMILY DAIRY At Halls Family Dairy they make artisan dairy products using only fresh milk from their beautiful cows who spend their days grazing on lush green grass. www.facebook.com/HallsFamilyDairy

HARVEY CHEESE Harvey Cheese makes premium quality boutique cheeses. Located in Harvey WA, it is family owned and operated, specialising in making cheese to time-honoured methods using only the freshest and creamiest milk.

Handcrafted, its clean, fresh creamy flavour, soft, moist texture and low salt content has made it a popular WA cheese.

All the cheeses are made using 100% goat’s milk with the addition of salt, oil and herbs.

LA DELIZIA LATTICINI Locally owned, delicious hand-crafted cheese is our family passion. www.ladelizialatticini.com.au

LOCAL GOAT Handcrafted goats cheese, made in Gingin WA.

Basil’s is the food lovers choice

www.facebook.com/LocalGoatCheeses

Basil’s Fine Foods is undeniably ‘the food lover’s choice’ when it comes to finding fresh, quality fine foods. With a comprehensive selection of local and internationally sourced gourmet foods, your visit to Basil’s will delight each and every one of your senses.

ROSE VALLEY CHEESE COMPANY Rose Valley Cheese Company was established in 1977 with owner Loreta Giura’s dream to turn the business into what it is today by bringing her knowledge of cheese making from her small home town of Barrea in Italy. She applies the cheese making profession she continued on from her father, who was the sole provider of cheese in Barrea. www.rosevalleycheese.com.au

YALLINGUP CHEESE Yallingup Cheese produces a range of small batch, hand crafted goat and organic cow milk cheeses. They are passionate about working with local dairies to craft their artisan cheeses and are fortunate enough to have Scapegoat Dairy and Margaret River Organic creameries as main suppliers. They receive three batches of cow’s milk and one batch of goat’s milk per week and all of the milk received is used for cheese production on that day, which helps preserve the fresh milk flavours. www.yallingupcheese.com.au

www.harveycheese.com.au

KYTREN GOATS CHEESE Established in 1996, Kytren Goats Cheese is a West Australian producer located in Gidgegannup. The Kytren brand is celebrated among Perth foodies and is used in the food service industry with all their cheese varieties having won both national and local awards.

Open 7am - 8pm 7 days a week 5/36 Anchorage Dr, Mindarie WA 6030 (08) 9407 7244 • www.basilsfinefoods.com.au

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industry

Smart Kitchens WE’RE entering a really exciting time in the world of commercial food production, ranging from small restaurants all the way up to the largest remote site food producers. Internet of Things (IoT) is now starting to roll out into commercial kitchens in the same way our smart phones have become integral to our lives.

Imagine having the option of creating the perfect ambience and environment using smart technology where the music and aroma of your restaurant is controlled to suit your customer. For example, the aroma of fresh basil has been proven to lift sales of salads at lunchtime.

Likewise, a wood smoke smell will increase the sale of steaks and grills in the evening. Equally, having music to match will enhance the customer’s subliminal experience helping them to relax and ultimately indulge.

I work in the field of commercial catering equipment and since my early days as a chef in London, never for a minute did I think that my systemised food production on every level could be managed

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remotely. Embracing the change is a challenge for us all, however using the technology in the progressive formats available, and securing buyins from the operators, can lead to a significant increase in profitability.

The old working model of 30% in food costs, 30% in labour, 30% in overheads leaving only a 10% margin is exactly that – old and outdated.

IoT is great for speedy customer service and equally appealing for the operator. Diners can place orders from smart devices at the table with the order going directly to the kitchen. The meal is then prepared in equipment pre-programmed to produce the perfect result and served to the table in under eight minutes.

Think about the money a restaurateur loses when his customers are waiting 40 minutes for food, bums on seats is real estate. At the end of your meal, you will then pay for your food using your smart phone and will be able to provide feedback directly to the owners on your experience.

From a design and layout perspective, using IoT will significantly reduce the amount of real estate required for the back of house operations and in turn, will increase the revenue space for customers.

Operationally the chef will be able to monitor all their cooking remotely.

The lamb shanks can be set to a slow overnight cook or a new menu item can be easily controlled. Imagine enjoying an extra hour in bed on a Sunday morning by remotely starting the cooking process on the Sunday roast?

IoT allows food to be monitored from the point of receipt to the plate with full HACCP compliance and temperature monitoring. The fridge, freezer, prep room, cooking appliances, blast chiller, re-thermalising equipment and the service system can all be managed with IoT. Slow cooking and sous vide cooking are all the buzzwords currently, but how do you really monitor something that cooks for in excess of 12 hours?

Easily when your equipment is Wi-Fi compatible with reliable cloudbased platforms for management.

The operator will receive live time updates on error codes or defaults and these can be fed directly to the people responsible for the service and maintenance. A reduction in downtime is essential in delivering consistent performance in a restaurant’s unique offering. IoT also has the ability to measure consumption costs on resources ranging from the chemicals you use in your dishwasher to the power consumption required to cook 200 chicken breasts.

We have been helping Australian hotels throughout uncertainty and into recovery.

For a FREE Super Health Check for you and your business, contact our service team: service@intrust.com.au 0408 196 283

As we move forward into a greener and more sustainable world, efficiency or being able to do more with less, is key to making a difference.

Increasing efficiency in your business can only enhance the dining experience. Waiting over a glass of wine for your meal to be carefully prepared is all part of the anticipation. Many diners enjoy the banter and personalised customer service where you can ask your waiter for their opinion on the menu items and request for variations on the dishes.

Having more IoT integration can mean more or less time engaging with your customer depending on the type of business.

Nonetheless, there was a time when our smart phones were not really very smart. I know, it’s hard to imagine such archaic times where our phones were only used for making phone calls – ironically, a concept many of us now try to avoid. It’s unlikely we will ever go to a restaurant and not want to dine, but we will adapt to the notion of limited face-toface service. Perhaps this isn’t such a weird concept for hospitality and food production in this brave new world.

By Clive Gilbert

The Super Health Check service is available even if you’re not an Intrust Super client.

Issued by IS Industry Fund Pty Ltd | MySuper Unique Identifier: 65704511371601 | ABN: 45 010 814 623 | AFSL No: 238051 | RSE Licence No: L0001298 | Intrust Super ABN 65 704 511 371 | SPIN: HPP0100AU | RSE Registration No: R1004397

health

Spirit in a bottle THERE are moments in life when an event

COVID-19 changed the landscape overnight.

forces us to decide who we want to be in the world. This is the story of how communities pulled together and our liquor industry stepped up during the pandemic and made hand sanitiser.

The news reported mayhem in hospitals and supermarket aisles. Businesses struggled to find hygiene supplies so they could stay open and people were panicking. For the alcohol industry, requests to make hand sanitiser became overwhelming. Wade Willcocks from Wandering Distillery said, “This wasn’t a business decision about needing to find a way to keep the income coming in, but more about helping if we could.”

“We’re not here to help humanity, we’re here to make whisky,” Jimmy McKeown from Whipper Snapper initially said. But mateship is our Aussie legacy and his team soon committed to making hand sanitiser for the essential services industry. Many others also answered the call for hand sanitiser in those initial few months of the pandemic when the community was in desperate need.

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Codie Palmer from Illegal Tender heard heartbreaking stories from his wife working on the frontline. Meanwhile, his staff received

constant emails and phone calls while keeping the still running as many hours a day as they could manage. “It was honestly like we were under attack,” he said.

Cuprum Distillery only had their liquor licence for about two weeks when the Bunbury Port Authority asked them to make hand sanitiser.

They said they’d give it a go but weren’t keen to keep going with it as they just wanted to get busy making gin and rum. Distiller Rory Binnie said he was naïve, “In my head I was like, this will blow over, how bad can it be?” But once word got out, people started queuing up and the phone didn’t stop ringing. It was from talking to the older members of his

“WE CAN HOLD OUR HEADS UP HIGH KNOWING WE DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO HELP EVERY PERSON THAT CAME TO OUR DOOR.”

RUSTIC & RELAXED

Codie Palmer, Illegal Tender community, and hearing their stories, that they decided to keep making their product.

began working together. Businesses with laboratory facilities also got involved.

In March, Prime Minister Scott Morrison made a call to action saying we needed a ‘wartime-style shift in manufacturing’. He asked companies to ‘retool to see what else they could make during this crisis,’ and this included hand sanitiser.

Within six weeks the demand ended as quickly as it began leaving some distillers with excess stock.

But the Federal Government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) detailed guidelines held up production and alcohol tax caused concern. Supply chain issues for packaging meant companies used their own bottles, which was a safety issue.

Eventually the TGA relaxed regulations on the manufacture of medical-grade hand sanitiser. Providing they followed the World Health Organisation’s recipe and follow strict labelling protocols, distillers could produce ethanol without being taxed. This made the process more accessible prompting businesses to look at how they could produce hand sanitiser in bulk.

Collaboration became essential for production as not everyone had the right equipment or ingredients. Wineries donated their old stock to distillers who broke down the ethanol for use, and distillers, brewers and wine makers

The phones stopped ringing and companies negotiating bulk purchases also stopped calling. The industrial suppliers were back and small distillers couldn’t compete. There was no way to produce ethanol at the same level as the big guys and this was reflected in the cost.

Open air tastings, over 40 styles to choose from

After signing a large manufacturer, the WA Government said they’d work with other agencies to streamline the engagement process with other potential suppliers of hand sanitiser. Yet after receiving the paperwork to do this, Illegal Tender were told by the government they wouldn’t buy their product because it was too expensive.

But the story doesn’t end there. “It’s great to see the support we are getting locally,” Codie from Illegal Tender said. Communities have rallied and shown their appreciation to the industry by purchasing leftover hand sanitiser as well as their spirits and wines. Local media gave promotional opportunities through their coverage while brands like Spinifex Protect has gone on to expand from its success.

Picnics & platters to share

So many businesses in the WA liquor business contributed to making hand sanitiser that it is not possible to name them all. It is fair to say that anyone who was able to help, did so.

We can show our appreciation by supporting our local liquor industry by asking our bottle shops to stock these brands. Let’s celebrate the people who stepped up and helped us when we needed them most.

By Sarah Schmitt

Gallery & Potters in Residence Open 7 days 10.00am-5.00pm Visit us @ 575 Commonage Road, Dunsborough

www.happs.com.au51

travel

Nature's Window TRAVEL

has truly changed during 2020 both domestically and internationally. We may never see a return to the pre-pandemic way of travel again but in Western Australia we’re so lucky that our choices are vast.

sandy beaches were the perfect spot to stop and take a walk around.

After seeing rocky outcrops, wildflowers, sheoak and rivergum trees, we were all amazed when we saw a horse tour casually crossing the river.

We chose to go north to Kalbarri as it had been decades since we’d explored this coastal town. I won’t lie – the thought of driving all that way with two kids in the back seat was a little intimidating but it actually went faster than I thought.

Grant did his best to educate all his passengers on Kalbarri and The Murchison River, but it was the crayfishing industry and how it has changed since the pandemic that really grabbed my interest. We went past a few outliners, otherwise known as Snapper Boats, to see how most of them now are used recreationally and not for crayfishing. This is due to the crayfishermen of WA being the last state to have restrictions on commercial crayfishing and they can only fish on a certain number of days. Kalbarri used to have around 15 boats and now they are down to only four in operation.

We were all excited to stretch our legs and check into our selfcontained two-bedroom apartment at the Kalbarri Edge Resort, which consisted of a one-bedroom spa apartment and an interconnecting studio apartment. We highly recommend this configuration for a family and our kids loved the independence of having their own bathroom and kitchenette. After they unpacked they Facetimed their grandma and took photos for their friends.

The resort has a pool and a nearby giant game of chess along with a fully licensed a la carte restaurant and cocktail bar. Since COVID they offer just dinner, as their buffet has paused due to the pandemic.

Melissa Daniels, the manager of the Kalbarri Edge Resort, strongly advises booking ahead for reservations. Since the pandemic Melissa noted that the town has experienced an influx of tourists and it has been challenging for staff and business owners to keep up with the demand.

The following day we relaxed on a two-and-a-half hour morning cruise along the Murchison River with Kalbarri Wilderness Cruises. The Murchison River is the second longest river in WA and cruises run daily.

We were fortunate that the river and weather conditions were ideal with calm and flat waters and a high tide accompanied by a cool breeze.

Our tour guide Grant Ward from Kalbarri Wilderness Cruises provided commentary throughout the cruise with his informative humour. His assistant Andrea greeted us with a warm and welcoming smile and mugs of tea, coffee, warm Milo and a chocolate chip biscuit or two.

Along the way we experienced how popular fishing is on the river.

Picnic tables sheltered from the southerly winds, along the riverside

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This is mainly due to the wet lining industry dropping the catch rate to improve sustainability, which went from 25 boats to five boats to become one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world.

What was really interesting and should come as no surprise that preCOVID, crayfish sold between $75 to $100 a kilo, exporting up to 95% of live crayfish to China. The market in China is slowly recovering but the price has dropped.

Because of this decline in China’s market you can now buy crayfish off the back of the boat. This scenario has not been ideal and most crayfisherman are still not keen to operate this way, hence you also need to pre book your order for this. Keep in mind they won’t accept cash and the prices China pays are the same for locals.

After the morning cruise on the Murchison River we went on to explore Kalbarri National Park. As with most people it was important for us to get to Nature’s Window and take that all too familiar picture. The rock formations along the way to Nature’s Window were worth the walk and wait for photos. Other places we visited for breathtaking views and 'must have' pictures included The Loop, Z Bend, Hawkes Head and Ross Graham lookouts, Red Bluff and Pot Alley.

Finally, to end a day of sightseeing we visited the new Kalbarri Skywalk, also located within the National Park. The view from both of these skywalks was amazing, capturing the Murchison River Gorge’s rust-red cliffs, flowing water and bushland from a very high vantage point as they project beyond the gorge rim more than 100 metres above the river below. The kids not only loved walking around these skywalks but along the way there were interactive statues of local animals for them to engage with and read about.

After all this exploring around Kalbarri we all needed a good feed and a chance to sit back and relax. Thankfully, we had a booking at Finlay’s Kalbarri to experience their microbrewery and restaurant for dinner. We sampled their craft beers, ate some great seafood and watched and listened to live music. The kids were entertained with outdoor games and interesting ornaments like a shark made out of old boat rope and the upside-down boats used for shade. Their favourite part of the night however was toasting marshmallows over an open fire.

Dianne Arnold-Eyers was a guest of Tourism Western Australia. For more information go to www.australiascoralcoast.com

By Dianne Arnold-Eyers

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celebrity chef

By Scott Arnold-Eyers

Don is Good A long-time chef, radio personality and TV presenter, Don Hancey is

WA’s Food Ambassador through his continual support and dedication to WA food producers.

Don’s recent trips to China have re-affirmed that Western Australia’s clean and green produce will be increasingly sought after in the rapidly growing markets of India and China.

Don loves working with local producers to help grow their business, their opportunities and create innovative ways to present, showcase and market their produce.

He has a holistic view on food production and is interested in the process from soil to the plate, to the consumer and back to the soil.

Described as a “chef with soul”, away from the kitchen Don is heavily involved with charity organisations in WA. He’s a founding Board Member of the Chefs Long Table Charity Lunch in Bunbury which now in its 15th year has raised more than one million dollars for charity.

Don also supports and mentors families and organisations in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar (Burma) with a focus on health and youth education via hospitality training.

His charity work is something that gives him great satisfaction and Don continually works to make a difference both locally and globally.

What encouraged you to become a chef?

When I was 16, a mate of mine was working at a new hotel in Bunbury and told me there was a job in the kitchen as an apprentice cook. I just fell in love with it. I was good at it too, so that made my life easier.

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My team from Leeuwin Estate won the first ever Australian Regional Culinary Competition in 1997.

I also met a lot of great people from around the world at that event, which ended up with an invitation to cook an Australian-themed dinner at the James Beard Foundation in New York. James Beard was a prominent food journalist who, when he passed, left his building as a place for chefs from around the world to come and cook at. I took a few chefs with me including Dave Gilmour and Peter Manifis, who is a great seafood chef, and we used 100 percent WA product.

We also did a TV show cooking demo - barbecuing marron and yabbies from WA on Fifth Avenue - where we had 11 million viewers.

You are the WA Food Ambassador. When did this start and what motivated you to the cause?

‘WA Food Ambassador’ is a title that was actually given to me by the media because I was always talking about and promoting WA produce.

So I thought, “I'm going to trade off that” and registered the name.

In my first three restaurants I promoted WA products in the menu by naming where they were from. I didn't realise it at the time but what I was doing was regional branding.

I did some TV advertisements with Liquor Barons, which is an independently owned WA company, and for my title they used WA Food Ambassador on the screen. Some compliance group even wanted to know if it was a self-given title!

Who is your favourite food personality or celebrity chef you have worked with?

You've been involved in many events. Which ones stand out?

Rick Stein

There was an amazing event in 1997 called Tasting Australia which was managed from Perth, but held in Adelaide. It was a celebration of Australian regional produce and wines and chefs from across the nation. The event brought in awesome people like Rick Stein from the UK. It was a bit like Gourmet Escape but more organic and focused.

You have won many awards and had many recognitions in the hospitality industry. Can you name those that stand out for you?

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Winner WA Seafood Promotion Award in 2019

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Gascoyne Food Hero Award in 2019

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Governor’s Award for Charity and Philanthropy in 2013 from the then WA Governor Malcolm McCusker

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Gold Plate Awards for Best Country Restaurant at my first restaurant The Colonial in Augusta and for when I set up the first restaurant at Leeuwin Estate in the 80s

What was your toughest cooking challenge and how did you cope with it?

It was a 100% WA-focused dinner I orchestrated in Shenzhen China a few years ago for The EastWest Conference, which was the brainchild of Bruce Cheung who is developing an awesome range of Wagyu beef from his Pardoo Station in the Pilbara.

The menu featured over 54 WA products, including 10 species of WA seafood, craft beers, WA wines, whisky and olive oils.

I had to pre-order and fly in all these products and was planning on catering for a sit-down banquet for 200 people. The four days prior to the dinner, guest numbers kept on increasing, with the final number seated being 354.

Luckily it was in my brief NOT to under order so I am glad I had over ordered. It was immense pressure as some of our foods were delayed in Hong Kong, only arriving on the morning of the dinner. The dinner was absolutely amazing, as was the stress. How did I cope with it? ... a long, long bath at the end of the night with champagne and room service.

What is your favorite cooking style?

Casual cooking and home BBQs. What do you like to do away from the kitchen?

The great tasting, natural alternative energy drink.

Produced 100% in WA, using sustainable and environmentally responsible processes, we’ve combined 100% Australian Redgum Honey, Kakadu Plum (Gubinge), Guarana and Ginseng to make an amazing tasting, chemical free alternative healthy energy boost.

I have created a little oasis at home around the pool. There’s nothing like reading a good book or the Sunday papers by the pool as it feels like I am on holiday and is a great way to de-stress.

What are some of your favourite restaurants in Perth?

There are a few that I like and I enjoy, not only for the great food but for the different atmosphere: Clarke’s of North Beach, Quay Perth HQ/ Kitchen, Emily Taylor Fremantle, Clancy’s Fish Bar City Beach, Odyssea City Beach, The Cabin Mount Hawthorn, Pinchos Leederville, and El Peruvian via Uber Eats.

Do you have a favourite ingredient in your cooking?

Lake Deborah Salt from the ancient salt lakes on the edge of the Goldfields, lemon myrtle, and some of WA’s stunning olive oils.

What would you whip up for a romantic candlelit dinner at home?

Shark Bay prawn cocktail with a bottle or two of Roederer Crystal.

What drink do you reach for after a hard shift at work?

The first one closest to my hand.

How do you like your own steak cooked?

Medium rare.

Do you ever eat fast food?

A good burger and fries was my go to meal after a BIG night out … now I don’t have big nights out, but I still love a good burger.

What would be the most exciting thing you have done?

I was 20 years old and had only finished my four-year chef apprenticeship the week prior to going on the journey of a lifetime. I visited over 20 countries in Europe including Russia, Poland and Scandinavia, and ended up working at the Athol Palace Hotel in Pitlochry Scotland where I celebrated my 21st birthday with locally distilled whisky and beer chasers. To me, travel is the University of Life.

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food

The future of buffets

WHENEVER

confronted with the buffet experience, I have in my head a small choir of children from the musical Oliver, singing Food, Glorious Food.

I always survey the entire offering, planning each corner of my appetite’s capacity and never forget the dessert table. When I moved to living in hotels in Asia, daily buffets were fun at first, but observing a buffet on a daily basis I did start to wonder about all that food and how long buffets would be a part of world culture.

In November 2020 when the Sizzler chain drew its last breath, I couldn’t help but wonder if its closure was caused by COVID-19? Or had other complications killed the buffet chain?

Buffets in a commercial sense in Perth really took off in the mid-80s, with the opening of Sizzler. Prior to that, you had more boutique experiences such as the smorgasbord at Miss Maud, which opened in 1973 and was a childhood highlight for the endless helpings of the bright mint-green princess torte.

Alternatively, there was the Sunday buffet at a hotel in the city such as the Adelphi Grill at the Parmelia Hilton Perth.

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I BELIEVE, OR AT LEAST WOULD LIKE TO, THE REAL REASON IS SUSTAINABILITY. ITS AN OUTDATED NOTION THAT HOSPITALITY VENUES NEED AN OSTENTATIOUS DISPLAY OF FOOD TO CONVEY LUXURY. WHILE INITIALLY IMPRESSIVE, FOOD SERVED THIS WAY NEEDS TO BE TURNED OVER AND THROWN AWAY AFTER TWO HOURS OF EXPOSURE. Back in the 90s, Pizza Hut’s dine-in restaurants used to offer The Works – a buffet with several different kinds of pizza, pasta, a salad bar and a dessert bar. As time passed, we preferred pizza as a take-away option and as of November 2020, only 14 dine-in stores remain out of more than 270 Pizza Huts Australia-wide.

Some notable offerings in recent times have been Eat Greek, as well as Annalakshmi on the Swan, with their former famed Indian buffet now served at the table as a Thali Set Meal at $15 per person.

At Crown Towers, the Epicurean buffet is now operating normally. The problem with buffets in a COVID-19 society aren’t just

physical, there is the anxiety of patrons and the practical management of all that extra cleaning.

Personally, as one trained in food handling, I’m selective with my buffets. With the knowledge of temperature danger zones and high-risk foods, it’s always a careful dining experience for me.

The underlying causes I believe to the death of buffets is a mixture of changing tastes, an increase in intolerances and widening dietary choices such as gluten free and vegan diets.

Plus our habits, with meal delivery services bringing restaurants to your door, why dress up when you can stay in for a quick family meal fix?

THERE IS MORE TO US THAN JUST GREAT PRODUCE & GREAT SERVICE

I believe, or at least would like to, the real reason is sustainability. It is an outdated notion that hospitality venues need an ostentatious display of food to convey luxury. While initially impressive, food served this way needs to be turned over and thrown away after two hours of exposure.

Even if food makes it to someone’s plate, just how big are diners' eyes compared to their bellies? The food wastage is astronomical and in these increasingly conscious days, both the environmental factors combined with consumer awareness and the economic viability of this level of waste is no longer in vogue. What is the true expense whilst justifying savings on staffing and time?

Where to now?

A few concepts come to mind and IKEA is probably the most well recognised cafeteriastyle eating, its not quite a buffet but it does offer an alternative. The single serve buffet where portions are assigned to small dishes reduces the risks posed by touchable surfaces, and if you touch it, it’s yours.

I am partial to dim sum and the prompt pleasure provided by a roving trolley of delectable offerings also satiates my impatience in waiting

for my meal’s preparation. That is one benefit of buffet dining, which could be addressed in this way. Imagine the different sections of a buffet served off a cart rather than a la carte?

Moving from carts to trains, the Japanese sushi train concept offers an answer to the satisfaction of immediate food in this instant gratification society, where it is more of an expectation than a convenience.

Each local government in Western Australia is currently scrambling to keep up with this changing landscape, so the research I did into the new guidelines was not conclusive enough to print.

It’s a brave new world. I can’t wait to see the creativity applied to the changing needs of society shaping dining experiences while serving our habits, health requirements, tastes and environment.

By Natalie Bennett

Over 30 Years supplying to the Hospitality Industry

TEL: 08 9443 6200 orders@expressfresh.com.au www.expressfresh.com.au 100 Guthrie Street Osborne Park WA 6017

RED

our top drops

2016 HARRIS ORGANIC SHIRAZ Region: Swan Valley, Western Australia Venue: Limones Restaurant Web: www.harrisorganicwine.com.au Tasting notes: Our carefully tended non-irrigated organic shiraz is handpicked and basket pressed and aged in French oak for 20 months. It has a palate of excellent smoothness and berry flavours.

We said: This paired nicely with a floral nose and matched the intensity of the Goats Cheese pizza.

2019 REVERIE ROSE Region: Loire Valley, France Venue: Avocados Bar & Grill Web: www.reveriewine.com Tasting notes: Fragrant peach and strawberry aromas intermingle with musk and faint spice notes. Supple palate entry with delicious peach, strawberry and musk flavours entertaining the taste buds over subtle wet stone elements. Clean dry finish with vibrant acidity and a medium length aftertaste.

We said: The 2019 Reverie Rose is crisp and elegant with sweet notes and a clean finish. The Crispy Pork Belly was awesome and although I thought this wine might be too sweet, it was subtle enough to reset my tastebuds.

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2018 RIVENDELL EX FIDE FIDUCIA CABERNET SHIRAZ Region: Margaret River, Western Australia Venue: Rivendell Winery Estate Web: www.rivendellwinery.com.au Tasting notes: The simple philosophy of this wine is fruit richness, flavour and soft tannins. It abounds with rich red fruits, blackcurrant, cocoa, chocolate and spice.

We said: We thoroughly enjoyed a platter of goats cheese gouda, blue Danish, Margaret River Brie, Margaret River English Cheddar, coppa and salami all washed down beautifully with the rich red fruits of this wine.

2017 BRASH VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON Region: Margaret River, Western Australia Venue: Tiller Dining Web: www.brashvineyard.com.au Tasting notes: The palate is bright, pure and elegant on entry with undertones of blueberries, brambles and coffee grounds. Classic aromatics of Ribena, cedar, dusty oak, licorice and a subtle herbal leafiness.

We said: This wine is a well-balanced drinking red that would go well with most red meat, especially with George’s beef short ribs served in a luxurious and sticky BBQ sauce infused with Japanese soy sauce, which was further emphasised by the wine’s rich cherry notes. It also went surprisingly well with the Exmouth prawn dish imparting a delightful light taste.

WHITE

our top drops

2018 KUKU SAUVIGNON BLANC Region: Marlborough, New Zealand Venue: Dusit Dheva By The Sea Web: www.fww.com.au Tasting notes: An intensely varietal wine that has strong gooseberry, lime and apple flavours that linger on your palate.

We said: We couldn’t get enough of this medium bodied and dry wine with all the dishes we tried, especially with the fresh Shark Bay Scallops where the freshness of the herbs and lime complimented the citrus notes in the wine. It also emphasised the watermelon in the Soft Shell Crab dish.

2019 DOMAINE NATURALISTE ARTUS CHARDONNAY Region: Margaret River, Western Australia Venue: Tiller Dining Web: www.domainenaturaliste.com.au Tasting notes: This complex wine exudes flavours of fresh nectarines and candied pecan nuts supported by aromas of poached pears and marzipan.

We said: The deconstructed Bacon, Eggs, Chips and Peas dish has real smoky flavour about it and this wine helped to smooth out all the flavours.

2019 WILLESPIE SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC

2019 AZAHARA PINOT GRIGIO

Region: Margaret River, Western Australia Venue: Cinnamon Vic Web: www.willespie.com.au

Region: Mildura, Victoria Venue: Avocados Bar & Cafe Web: www.azahara.com.au

Tasting notes: A dry style with fresh herbal notes and a citrus freshness running through the core of the wine. The semillon component is holding this wine together and developing some lovely toast and lemon grass flavours.

Tasting notes: ‘Azahara’ is Spanish for orange blossom and this wine is light and has fresh fruit notes of pear with a touch of nectarine. A rich, smooth mouthfeel with weight and complexity.

We said: This wine was a great match with the Assorted Platter and really brought out the spices in the seek kebab. We also enjoyed this wine with the Beef Balti curry, Mango Prawns and Chicken Kashmiri and it paired well with all these flavours.

We said: The Lemon Pesto Crusted Barramundi had a touch of sweetness about it delivered by the orange butter sauce and this wine was a complimentary pairing with the dish and also served as a palate cleanser.

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cover recipe

Tasting room now open

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Seared Scallops with Thai Herb Salad INGREDIENTS 1 finely chopped Thai chilli, or to taste 1 tbsp nam prik pao (roasted chili paste) 2 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp lime juice 1 ½ tbsp sugar 1 tsp lemongrass, very thinly sliced 1 shallot, thinly sliced ½ cup Thai basil, finely chopped ½ cup coriander, finely chopped ½ cup mint leaves, finely chopped 1 cup of apple julienne 4 scallops oil

METHOD 1. In a large bowl, mix the Thai chilli with nam prik pao, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Taste and adjust to the desired hot, sour, sweet and salty combination. The sauce should be intense in all respects.

2. Place lemongrass, shallot, Thai basil, coriander, mint and apple julienne in the bowl and mix into the sauce.

3. Sear the scallops for about 1 min, then turn over and cook scallops until medium or medium rare.

4. Plate scallops and place herb salad mix on top of the scallops.

By Chef Taweepong Sangsuriyaporn of Dusit Dheva By The Sea

More than an apple a day

YOU know what they say about an apple

a day? Imagine the benefits of enjoying more than one apple a day! With staying healthy at the forefront of our minds in light of the global pandemic, there is no better time to add fresh juice to your diet.

The antioxidants in apples have healing powers, including cushioning joints, improving lung capacity, preventing constipation, protecting your heart and even slowing down the ageing process. Naturally, organically grown apples have greater health benefits due to less exposure to pesticide sprays and other contaminants. Look for non-waxed apples or wash them in your kitchen sink filled with water and ½ cup of apple cider vinegar to remove the wax.

When you whip up this juicing recipe there is the added bonus that the beetroot, lemon and ginger will stop the apples from going brown and stay fresher for longer.

METHOD 1.

Cut the beetroot in half and then into quarters or slices to make it easier to press.

2.

Remove the stems and any stickers from the apples and cut in half (or quarters if needed to fit into the chute), leaving the skin on and seeds.

3.

Cut the ginger into thin slices, leaving the skin on.

4.

Cut off the hard end points on the lemon, remove any sticker and slice into rounds with the skin on to give more flavour and to get more juice from each lemon.

5.

Start this juice with the beetroot to get the maximum amount of colour into the juice. Always go slowly with beetroot and juice 2 or 3 pieces at a time.Â

6.

Next, juice the apples one by one with slices of ginger in between. This will help add more ginger flavour into the apple juice.

7.

Finish the juicing with the lemon slices.

RED APPLE, BEETROOT, LEMON AND GINGER RECIPE Makes 1.5 litres Ingredients: 9 red apples 1 beetroot 1 lemon 2cm piece of ginger

By Andrew Kelly of Kuvings Australia

finance

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has highlighted some of the financial issues faced by hospitality workers, many of whom turned to their super for financial support. Financial security will become a big consideration for jobseekers in a post-COVID world.

and to support them through some really difficult circumstances.

A recent survey conducted by Intrust Super found that almost half of hospitality employers had to reduce staff hours by at least 20%. 60% said their staff levels may not return to normal until 2021 or later.

More people are beginning to recognise the importance of super as a financial asset, especially after the early release scheme.

Between January and July 2020 super contributions for hospitality staff at Intrust Super dropped by 61%.

The earlier they capitalise on this and start to look at strategies to accelerate their savings, the more opportunity their savings will have to grow thanks to the magic of compound interest.

That’s a pretty clear indication that people in the hospitality industry are currently doing it tough. So, it’s understandable that financial security has jumped to the top of the priority list for a lot of people in the industry.

If young people have access to educational services and simple financial tools to help them grow their savings, they will have more opportunities to consider the various catchup strategies available to them.

Working on improving financial health of staff should see positive results in staff loyalty and commitment.

By Debra Watson of Intrust Super

A workplace that helps staff feel safe, valued and fulfilled can result in improved staff retention, less sick days and better company culture.

the

Addressing financial concerns can also help with these areas. That was true even before COVID-19.

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Phone 08 9345 2255 www.zeroz.com.au

A significant drop in super contributions could have a huge impact on retirement savings – an impact that would only be compounded by any withdrawal of super under the Government’s early release provisions.

As we move towards what is hopefully the recovery phase of this pandemic, it’s important that young hospitality staff are aware of the contribution strategies that can help them rebuild their savings.

It is important that staff think about what’s next for their super and they should check with their providers to see if they offer a review service like Intrust Super’s free Super Health Check.

It’s a critical time to provide financial education and assistance to hospitality staff,

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The pandemic’s financial impact on the Australian economy has already prompted young people starting to consider their longterm financial security.

Blood.

Sweat. Tears.

Supply & Demand WHY

is fresh produce in short supply?

During COVID-19 and when venues were closed, growers could not forecast the volume of seedlings to plant. This resulted in the much later planting of crops in cooler conditions. The lack of warmer weather and sunny days caused a much slower growth of produce, such as tomatoes with less ability to ripen on the vine.

As a result, many growers are picking crops earlier to keep up with the supply and demand. Yielding their produce before reaching full maturity in size results in smaller produce, and this is evident in honeydew melons and lettuces.

What was normal is no longer, so everyone needs to be re-educated.

Many suppliers are self-ripening pallet loads of avocados and tomatoes to ensure there is enough ready to use product available to their customers. Suppliers are also encouraging chefs to order extra and to self-ripen produce in-house.

Why is everything so expensive? It all comes back to supply and demand.

The cost of fresh produce to suppliers has surged between 30-50% as the impact of the border closures threaten to suffocate Australia’s food supply chain. With the country facing a shortage of around 70,000 workers, travel restrictions forced backpackers to return home and have temporarily prevented any new travellers from arriving.

Australian growers pleaded with the Government to introduce a ‘permit for farming’ to allow workers to bypass some lockdown restrictions to ensure they could care for their crops. Unfortunately, for many growers, the situation became untenable forcing them to plough their paddocks.

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Industry experts claim these huge shortfalls, plus an increase in freight and shipping costs, will see suppliers and the hospitality industry paying massively inflated prices for fresh produce. There is no end in sight until the issue of supply and demand corrects itself.

Some business owners have reported revenue growth by up to 500% and this may be largely attributed to consumers being conditioned to spend their hard-earned cash. This coupled with restrictions on interstate or overseas travel, and an increase in intrastate travel, may be driving a higher demand for chefs to bring local flavours to the plate.

The hospitality industry has responded well to consumer demand and chefs have become more creative in enticing foot traffic into their venues. They are using exotic flavours to enhance their dishes, with many experimenting with Australian native produce and herbs such as ice plant, karkalla, native thyme, samphire, saltbush, finger limes and Davidson plums.

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By Sharon Gilchrist of Express Fresh

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industry

What happens in the future?

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Phone 08 9345 2255 www.zeroz.com.au

2020

has presented so many obstacles towards the hospitality industry, especially in Victoria. Numerous lessons have been learnt from this pandemic including what action businesses can make to ensure they not only survive, but prosper during these uncertain times where rules and regulations can change daily.

Moving forward, what are the challenges, changes and considerations we need to make in our food service businesses if this situation occurs again? We need to plan so in the future we limit the disruption to our industry and in our community.

The biggest challenge is to ensure we implement procedures to ensure we limit the spread of any bacteria or virus. This is common practice in our industry, particularly with the legislation, but we now need to be more vigilant.

Some options may include face recognition temperature monitoring during food production or basic temperature checks for café or restaurant operations - but it is not limited to just your customers or employees – it’s also about you and your business reducing the risk. More than ever we need to consider our equipment choices to ensure these items offer the maximum protection for you, your customer and the longevity of your business.

The biggest and most important area we can assist in is reducing the growth and cross contamination of viruses and bacteria.

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Here are some areas of consideration: ICE MACHINES – Do they have inbuilt protection, such as Agion coating, UV stabilisation, auto water and ice dispensing?

Scotsman machines are a market leader and offer the X series.

UTENSIL AND GLASSWASHERS – Do they come with a guaranteed rinse cycle, selfcleaning and are there options to connect, download or visualise critical temperatures and data during operation?

COOKING EQUIPMENT – Does the unit come with auto cleaning? Are there options like Agion or silver ion technology to reduce bacteria transfer, options for HACCP data or programmed cooking for monitoring to reduce the interaction to the cooking process by your staff?

COOLING AND REFRIGERATION – Ensure you use blast chilling, but does the refrigeration have remote monitoring for breakdowns? Is the fridge or freezer actually a food specific unit and capable of working within the legislated temperature range?

Simple changes in your business can make a big difference in the long run. It pays to consider all the options available on the market and to seek the advice of professionals.

By Brian Garcia of Moffat

A Waste of Peel

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HOSPITALITY • • •

WE all know that eating fruit and vegetables

is good for us. However, there is a huge amount of waste generated from the peels and seeds of much of the fruit and vegetables that we consume. In most instances this waste can be avoided without composting and there are numerous ways of preparing and consuming these ‘inedible’ parts.

Not only that, in many cases the parts usually thrown away are more nutritious than the bits that are usually eaten. For example, citrus zest contains an array of health benefits with numerous scientific studies hailing its virtues.

Simply using the zest in your cooking, yoghurt or in smoothies is tasty - but there is so much more that can be done with it.

Submersing whole peels in white vinegar for a week will make a powerful and natural cleaner, however, there are more interesting vinegar infusions. Orange, mandarin and cumquats can all be used to make drinking vinegar and it is best to use organic fruit when using the skin as this is where chemical residue can collect.

Simply wash and remove as much pith as you can (the pith and seeds can be used to make

pectin for jam making), slice into 5mm wide strips and then put the rind into a glass jar, cover with apple cider vinegar with the lid on.

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• • •

Multi store Wineries Cafes

CASH REGISTERS

Leave for a few days.

Pour off the flavoured vinegar, sweeten to taste and use a few teaspoons in soda water for a refreshing summer drink – these drinks go back hundreds of years and are called Shrubs.

This doesn’t have to be the end of the line for the peel either. The rind can then be boiled in simple sugar syrup, using equal parts of rind, sugar and water to make a fabulous sweet syrup or cordial and it’s also a great alternative to soda stream flavouring. Add other flavours to the syrup or vinegar, like cinnamon or lavender flowers to step it up.

Thoroughly drain the rind after using to make the syrup, let it dry a little, coat it in sugar and put it into the dehydrator to produce tasty candied peel - great for garnishing your gin cocktail or just to crunch on. Candied orange rind can also be pulverised to make an orange sugar and add cacao to make jaffa powder.

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By Araluen Hagan of 14K Brewery

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products

Products &Supplies CRYSTAL CLEAR You can really make your glassware sparkle with the Classeq Undercounter Glasswasher range. Warewashing plays a vital role in delivering a service that meets the high expectations of diners. These simple to use undercounter glasswashers feature clever software, water usage monitors, temperature controls, chemical levels, simple button controls and valuable data used to improve operational efficiencies. For more information go to www.perthcommercialfridges.com.au

WANT FRIES WITH THAT? With such a high demand for takeaway in Perth, how food is delivered is becoming as important as the dishes themselves. Not only that, sustainable options are becoming equally crucial. Huhtamaki’s Future Friendly catering range includes sustainable paper board burger boxes made from corrugated kraft board that’s strong and durable and suitable for hot, savoury, sweet or greasy food.

Plus, they’re fully recyclable and compostable to Australia Standard (AS4736). For more information go to www.huhtamaki.com

A NEW FRAPPE SENSATION Frappoz is made right here in Western Australia and as they continue to develop their frappe range, they have released their new Cappuccino Frappoz frappe mix. With its strong coffee flavour that certainly doesn’t need enhancing, it’s a smooth, velvety and refreshing blend. They can be used in a mocktail or cocktail or simply blended with ice and milk. For more information go to www.zeroz.com.au

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SWEETENED WITH AGE The Great Southern’s stunning Peaceful Bay deservedly has a Dellendale Creamery cheese named after it. Sweetened with age, this hardcooked raw cheese is slightly salty and exudes nutty aromas with a hard and faintly grainy texture. Dellendale source their raw cow’s milk from their neighbours in Denmark, which is cultured and cured with traditional European methods to produce this timeless classic aged for 12-18 months. Deliciously paired with fruit or wine, this delightful cheese can also be enjoyed on its own. For more information go to www.crumpagencies.com.au

products

VESTAL WATER Amazing how something that falls so freely from the sky causes such a staggering amount of waste. Vestal has provided a sustainable alternative to bottled water by providing many of Australia’s most iconic hospitality venues with their filtration on-tap water systems. Vestal’s logo was inspired by the Roman priestesses of Vesta and features the female form holding an urn pouring water.

Water is the one of the most sacred commodities on earth, and Vestal’s Zip system provides consistent, clean, efficient and pure tasting water solutions. For more information go to www.vestalwater.com

INTO THE FRYING PAN The Waldorf JUMP Multipan is a versatile and multi-functional piece of cooking equipment with the option of operating as a tilting Bratt pan, kettle, grill, deepfryer, sous vide or used for overnight cooking. Fitting into any segment of the food service, it saves on space in the kitchen as well as on water and energy usage compared to traditional cooking equipment. With its intelligent control system, it helps serve high volumes of meals to the highest standard in the shortest amount of time. For more information go to www.moffat.com.au

PERFECTO ESPRESSO In 1938 Italian barista Achille Gaggia almost started a revolution in the way the aromas are extracted from coffee and perfected the art of creating espresso coffee with crema. Sophisticated in design and technology, the La Guista combines style and technology with an elegant keypad integrated with a glass console, angled filter holders, a steam knob with a 0-90° rotation and two steam wands with cool touch technology. For more information go to www.vcmperth.com.au

BLONDES AND THEIR FUN The public had so much fun with this Ash Blonde (which we featured in Issue 23) that Harvey Cheese has released it again, but this time with lemon myrtle. Although initially made with a similar process as Camembert, it’s made with a fine layer of vegetable ash beneath the white mould rind, which slows the proteolytic activity of the moulds and enables the cheese to ripen more from within imparting a mild flavour. For more information go to www.crumpagencies.com.au

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products THE ULTIMATE SEASONING Created by chef Caleb Azuka from Subiaco’s Caleb Restaurant & Bar, this allin-one seasoning is gluten free, dairy free, has no MSG and is vegan friendly.

It doesn’t get any purer than this with hints of star anise, fennel seeds, mixed Italian herbs and natural vegetable flavours. Perfect for meat, seafood, pastas, sauces, rice and vegetables and, whisked with water, it also makes a delicious stock. For more information go to www.calebspecialities.com.au

y t i l a t i p s e o m o H H r u o Y in

GROWNUP DRINKING STINGS LIKE A BEE The benefits of honey are world renowned and Bee NRG is a natural honey drink harnessing its natural ingredients and taste. Produced in Western Australia and using 100% Australian honey, it features no processed sugars, taurine or caffeine. Using sustainable and environmentally responsible processes, they have combined Australian honey, Kakadu plum (gubinge), guarana as well as ginseng known to help mental alertness. Newly packaged, this carbonated version is sure to keep you buzzing like a bee.

For more information go to www.beefirm-nrg.com.au

Having an alcohol-free day? Or do you want to give your cocktails a boost? Pavlova Shrub Syrup is made using apple cider vinegar infused with locally grown fruit and enhanced with Australian native plants. Consider it a grownup alcohol-free choice and a great way to get your daily dose of apple cider vinegar. For more information go to www.14kbrewery.com.au

A CLASSIC CHEESE FAVOURITE Perth wasn’t always a gourmet paradise, but you could always count on Brownes Dairy for their milk and cheese. There’s something so comforting about returning to an old classic and Brownes has brought traditional cheddar cheese, made from all natural and unprocessed ingredients, back to local supermarkets.

Their Vintage Aged Cheddar aged between 24-36 months has a sharp and slightly fruity taste with a well-balanced flavour and a characteristically crumbly texture. For more information go to www.brownesdairy.com.au

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products WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER Mt Barker Chicken has released their meal options with the launch of their new Convenient Classics. Each internationally inspired dish features a generous 70% serving of premium Mt Barker free range chicken in tasty options such as French Chicken & Mushroom with bacon in a rich white wine sauce. Perfect for two people, just add rice, pasta or pair with vegetables for a healthy, gourmet meal. Available from Coles, Woolworths and independent supermarkets. For more information go to www.mtbarkerchicken.com.au

A WANDERING ODYSSEY One positive outcome of COVID-19 is Wandering Distillery’s latest Odyssey Gin. Conceived in Victoria and refined when the distillery re-opened in Western Australia, this gin features a beautiful balance of nine botanicals including finger lime, lemon myrtle, hemp and rosemary. In keeping with the very nature of wandering from Victoria to WA, the back of the label itself is a work of art for its design of butterflies crafted by Jerome Davenport from the Blankwalls Collective. For more information go to www.wanderingdistillery.com.au

NUTS FOR COFFEE Plant based milks are a great alternative to dairy and The Alternative Dairy Co. has released a 100% animal free Barista Almond Milk crafted for coffee, creating a balanced brew without the bitterness. Made from Australian almonds, each nut is shelled and steamed to remove the skin and then gently roasted and ground into almond butter and carefully mixed with water. According to many coffee buffs it has a distinct almond nut flavour but it’s like drinking a coffee with full cream milk. For more information go to www.altdairyco.com

PASSION IN A CAN Known for their traditional coldpressed juice, the passionate Michael Brothers have released Passionfruit Craft Soda. Sourcing their ingredients from local farmers and pressed within the same week of being picked, they contain no preservatives, pasteurisation or added sugar. Available in 375ml can, order your Passionfruit soda online and have it delivered to your door. For more information go to www.michaelbrothers.com.au

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music

REEL LIFE Another part of the hospitality sector that was hit hard by COVID-19 was the music industry. Having known Bob Gordon for some time and noticing that his new show with Donna Albertini was being filmed at local eating establishments, we thought it was a great idea to share their story.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND The Music Reel is a Perth-based live musicrelated show that screens on our Facebook page and YouTube. We film, record, mix and edit live appearances from a range of original bands from WA, interspersed by interview segments hosted and conducted by myself, music journalist Bob Gordon, and musicmanager/all-rounder, Donna Albertini. The visuals are managed by Erin Devenish with sound by Greg Dear, both of whom are longtime musicians and producers on the Perth scene. Our team also includes visual experts Caris Morecombe and J-F James, and many helpers along the way.

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THE MUSIC REEL: EST. 2020 While The Music Reel emerged from within the COVID-19 era, the initial momentum pre-dates our audio-visual production. In early 2020 our team began discussions about filming shows at live Perth venues.

We wanted to make a record - for the present and the future - to capture the magic of what happens on stages regularly around our city, along with insightful interviews with the bands and artists involved.

It’s not only about spreading the word about live, original music in Perth – though that is indeed central – but to add layers to the discussion. There is very little music on television these days, and little to no conversation about it. So, The Music Reel exists on social media platforms and endeavours to capture great moments from local, live performance in both their beauty and rawness.

However, our plans for shooting gigs in front of live audiences came to a standstill when

initial COVID-19 restrictions were introduced in WA and ‘non-essential’ gatherings were banned. It seemed our modest endeavour was over before it had begun, but when Phase 1 came into being it allowed us to shoot privately inside a venue with only 10 people present.

As a team wanting to remain productive at a point when our industry had all but shut down, our creativity lead us to Badlands Bar

music in Northbridge, a haven for many WA bands and tours over the years.

In early May The Music Reel filmed a set by grunge-pop-rock trio Pat Chow. With the 10-person rule all hands were on deck, so if you weren’t playing an instrument you were holding a camera or a microphone or at the sound desk. Singer/guitarist Benjamin Protasiewicz’s songs are infectiously catchy anthems about confusion, reality and all things in between.

We soon followed up on 30 May at Badlands, by which time restrictions on gatherings had been eased to a maximum of 20 people.

Tanaya Harper in solo mode has a way with ethereal pop songs to sooth your soul and tug on your heartstrings. It was a great counterpoint to the direct attack of our previous guests Pat Chow, and such diversity has since become a hallmark of our show.

By 6 June gathering restrictions had lifted to 100 people indoors (seated), so Badlands hosted the Sitdown Hoedown featuring The Little Lord Street Band, Donna & The Devils Johnson and Flyball Guv’nor. With staff and personnel numbers included in the 100cap, the venue was able to sell 70 tickets for seated patrons and it was quite literally the first public gig held in Perth in several months.

Since restrictions were further eased we moved further afield to shoot gigs at The Duke Of George in East Fremantle and Lyrics Underground in Maylands.

The Duke Of George often plays host to Matty T Wall and it’s no wonder why. He is a blues dynamo driven by his youthful love of metal and rock and a rhythm section (Ric Whittle and Leigh Miller) that is world class. It was a pleasure to document this show at the

Duke, and you can rest assured that we all had dinner there as well.

Since July, The Music Reel has also had the pleasure of shooting at Lyric’s Underground (beneath Lyric’s Lane Café). We’ve been fortunate to curate line-ups on three occasions featuring Yomi Ship, Marley Wynn, The Reductors, The Limbs, Will Stoker & The Embers, Tanami, Steve Tallis & The Snakes Of Desire and TASHI. The bonds we have created with the bands we shoot will last forever.

So Much To LIVE For… Our collective ties in the WA music industry often lead us to other scenarios. In October, members of The Music Reel were honoured to be a part of an amazing gig in tribute to the

late songwriter Paul McCarthy (songwriter for The Boys, singer/guitarist for The Jackals, The Wishers, The Fortunados and Circus). Check out his last release with the band Circus – his best work emerging four decades into his career. RIP. Also during October, the Bon Scott Stage was launched at Fremantle Boat Harbour.

The statue of Bon now has him standing on a stage (where he’s always belonged) and a family event attracted hundreds of people to harbour and nearby eateries and dancing to Bon-era AC/DC tunes performed by Hells Bells. The Music Reel team was again honoured to be involved in the presentation and documentation of the event. It was truly a day for the ages.

WA music life is vibrant, even in these ‘quiet’ times. The Music Reel looks forward to more musical adventures and to our collaboration with Menu Magazine, which dates back to when Bob covered Scott Arnold-Eyers’ original bands in Perth’s beloved X-Press Magazine.

Go to www.facebook.com/themusicreel

By Bob Gordon and Donna Albertini

Badlands are predominantly a music venue but they have their own food truck on had called Eat Yard that offers soul comfort food like burgers and bites.

Duke of George is a New Orleans style venue that offers a full menu with cocktails and table service. They have been supporting local live music since they opened in Jan 2019.

Lyric Lane was featured in the last issue of Menu Magazine and is a funky type of venue that offers a solid modern Australian menu. They have a very cool underground room for live music.

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book reviews

By Sarah Schmitt

BOOKS FOR COOKS The Cake Maker’s Wish by Josephine Moon Published by Penguin Books Food is representative of so much that goes on in our lives. It plays a significant role within our memories, creates connections and is at the centre of many meaningful experiences. Along with the growth in food culture, it is easy to see why foodiefiction has gained traction over recent years.

When food is used in literature, it becomes that subtle support role that weaves its essence around the characters and story plots. It brings balance and nuances into the rhythm of the narrative. And this is how it is reading Josephine Moon’s latest book The Cake Maker’s Wish. A book about hope, family, belonging and love all wrapped up in delicious cakes and apple crumble.

The Cake Maker’s Wish is a journey into the life of protagonist Olivia and her son Darcy and the community she discovers when they move to the Cotswolds in England. Joining a project to reinvigorate life in a small country town, Olivia sees this move as a way to bring her son and his father closer together. It is also an opportunity to discover more about the secretive life of her beloved grandmother who grew up in the town.

As a baker Olivia spends her days creating delectable treats and discovering this new world into which she has stepped. There are twists, turns, a past to run away from and an unexpected love interest. Yes, it is predictable chick-lit and Josephine Moon is known for her ‘food lit’ and ‘uplit’ works, and for a moment, this is an easy-read book to escape with.

Hungry by Jeff Gordinier Published by Allen & Unwin Rene Redzepi has a passion for foraging and a drive to understand the traditional ways of cultivating and preparing food. His creations are showcased as elegant high-end dishes at his award-winning Nordic restaurant Noma, which is a fourtime winner of ‘Best in the World’ by Restaurant Magazine. His food often features fermentations, insects and ingredients you have never heard of before and plated in ways that are visually stunning - challenging your notions of what food can be.

Rene Redzepi has led the way of the New Nordic Movement, which is a set of principles around sustainability and respect for the natural world. This book Hungry is a snapshot into this life of culinary exploration and creativity in the pursuit of reinvention.

Gordinier is a food writer for Esquire, and was invited to share this adventure with Redzepi, as he worked to redefine his brand. A love of Mexico and of culinary discovery sent them around the world. The reader is brought along on this journey with Gordinier’s descriptions of places and experiences which are rich in detail and humour.

Hungry is part travel story, memoir and biography with the overarching theme of reinvention. The lesson is a simple one. When you get knocked down, just get back up and keep moving forwards. This is where creativity shines and Redzepi epitomises this through his relentless pursuit of new ingredients, flavours and textures. Gordinier expertly crafts snippets of his own life into the narrative making this journey of reinvention relatable on a different level.

This is not always an easy book to read, but it is a small book and provides an interesting insight into the psyche of one of the most creative and innovative thinkers in the culinary world. It’s an enjoyable read about the life of chefs and the culinary world they inhabit.

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book reviews

To Asia, With Love by Hettie McKinnon.

Published by Pan MacMillan Australia Hettie McKinnon tells stories through her food and this is just one of the reasons I love her cookbooks. In her latest book To Asia, with Love Hettie tells us her story. She speaks of growing up between two worlds and not truly understanding her cultural identity. In this book we see her ‘third culture’ style of cooking and a blending of ideas influenced by her Chinese heritage and Western upbringing.

There is comfort in Hettie’s food and at times, it challenges your thinking. The ‘Life Changing Udon’ felt soothing and her take on Singapore Noodles took me straight back to our travels through Asia. Combinations like the Buttery Miso Vegemite Noodles seem a little off centre, but given a try just seem to work. My children described it like a Cheesey-Mite roll. The Baking Tray Chow Mein is a really good, simple meal and the flavour of the sauce is really delicious.

That isn’t to say the book is not without its challenges. Unlike Hettie’s first book Community not all of the meals have won me over. The sweetness of the Condensed Milk French toast was too overbearing (although the kids loved it). But Hettie’s Chocolate Brownies made with Tamari, are perhaps the best brownies I have ever tasted. The sago with passionfruit caramel was delicious, but the banana bread with black sesame seeds was so intense that it just didn’t work for me. However, my friend loved it.

Hettie hasn’t forgotten to include her famous salads. The Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Chickpeas and Edamame with Ginger-Shallot Oil is really lovely. Hettie is vegetarian but what I like about her recipes is the ease with which you can add protein if you desire. I added barbequed chicken thighs to this salad which was a really delicious meal that the whole family enjoyed.

The Fast Low-Carb Kickstart Plan

by Luke Hines Published by Pan Macmillan Australia You most likely recognise Luke Hines from TV. He first hit our screens on My Kitchen Rules using this show as a platform to demonstrate how food can be healthy, nutritious and tasty. Since then he has qualified as a functional nutritionist and has been busy publishing cookbooks, hosting TV shows and creating his own health and wellness brand.

Luke’s latest book is a wellbeing program designed to take the stress out of dieting. The Fast Low-Carb Kickstart is a guide to intermittent fasting combined with low-carb eating.

There is a lot to like about this cookbook. The explanations are simple, making this all seem achievable and the recipes provide a great range of meals for you to choose from.

Luke creates meals that are quick, easy and tasty, which is important when appealing to the simple home cook. I spent over four weeks cooking out of this book and every one of the recipes not only worked really well, but my entire family loved them. Luke is influenced by Asian cuisines and his use of spices is really smart, providing robust flavours to simple food combinations. He is all about flexibility and I was able to adapt the recipes as needed to add in carbs to suit my children and dull down the heat. They loved the full and varied flavours and comforting nature of the meals with a favourite being the Charred Coconut Chicken Skewers.

The only issue to be aware of is that the start-up costs for a menu plan like this can be high due to the type of ingredients used. Most of the ingredients can be found in the supermarket but a few you will need to source through specialty shops.

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bite size Scarborough’s Best Kept Secret

Serving traditional dishes from the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples, Ischia sets a new benchmark in Italian fare for Perth.

Open 7 Days www.montyscafe.com.au Shop 12 – The Esplanade, Scarborough Beach 500 Beaufort Street, Highgate Ph: (08) 9227 7762 www.ischia.com.au

Please proof your ad carefully for any errors and confirm your approval by fax or email.

PLEASE NOTE: Menu Magazine will not be held responsible for any errors that are not brought to our attention prior to public appear different on screen to what will appear in the magazine due to a different printing process.

Proof accepted as presented Proof accepted with minor alterations as shown Name:

batch brewed beers woodfired menu scenic bush setting wildhopbeer.com.au

3/1 soldiers road, roleystone www.sevensinsperthhills.com.au

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Date:

IZAKAYA BAR AND RESTAURANT Signature:

Raine Square 300 Murray Street, Perth Ph: (08) 6102 2061 www.furaibo.com.au

Chef Seb Sindermann brings the flavour fusion from his German heritage and blends it with contemporary Australian cuisine at Seven Sins Perth Hills. Featuring local organic produce and craft beers and wines from the region, we create a home for all our diners.

bite size

More than just a Steakhouse

A $25 Gift Towards Your Meal

To redeem, please take a photo of this voucher & present upon payment $50 minimum spend excluding voucher value per two adults dining. Valid until 1st April 2021 T&Cs apply

222 Stirling Terrace, Albany Ph: (08) 9842 2454 www.rustlers.com.au

Healthy & Gluten Free Options

OPEN 7 DAYS

Book online via our website.

2 Market Street, Fremantle PH: (08) 9433 4900

134 West Coast Drive, Sorrento ph. (08) 9246 9221 e. dine@whitesaltcom.au w. www.whitesalt.com.au

Perth’s only degustation plant based restaurant Open Thursday to Saturday 5:30pm until late Reservations essential, book now! phone. 0412 100 421

website. panpacific.com/perth

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bite size FOR AL L YOUR CHEES E DEL IGHTS

Gourmet Cheese Cafe & Deli 6 3 3 G reat N or th ern High way , He rn e H ill (S w an V all e y)

enquiries@ twobirds fromagerie .com.au fo llow us on F acebook and Inst agram for u pd ates & s peci als

CIDER HOUSE Experience the Perth Hills' newest Cider House 1088 Brookton Highway, Karragullen Ph: 9496 1138 nakedapple.com.au

Multi-award winning, small batch roaster based in the Margaret River Region specialising in premium single origin coffees from around the world.

Authentic Chinese Food Open for lunch Friday to Sunday 11:30am-2:30pm Open for dinner Tuesday to Sunday 5:00pm-10:00pm

Visit our Cafè for amazing coffee and small bites:

Ph: (08) 9325 8883

68 Bussell Highway, Cowaramup WWW.TWOCRACKSCOFFEE.COM

73-75 Bennett Street, East Perth www.hanpalacerestaurant.com.au

“Newly established bakery, supplying a range of house baked goods for supply to the public and wholesale. Come and say hi.”

10/663 Newcastle Street, Leederville

Open Monday to Friday 76

bite size

23 Railway Road, Subiaco www.restaurantcaleb.com.au (08) 9382 2208

Bush Shack Brewery

When you need more than just great coffee.

791 Ferguson Road FERGUSON WA 6236 info@bushshackbrewery.com.au

(08) 9728 3553

106 Oxford Street, Leederville (08) 9227 7150

www.cranked.net.au

Blue Manna bistro FRESH SEAFOOD

A unique, small batch Craft Brewery in the South West of Western Australia. bushshackbrewery.com.au Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for updates on our menus and entertainment

DUNSBOROUGH 1/16 Cyrillean Way www.BlueMannaBistro.com.au

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cuisine & location guide

Cuisine Guide

Location Guide

CHINESE Han Palace................................................. 76

ALBANY Rustlers Steakhouse & Grill....................... 75

COFFEE HOUSE Basil’s Fine Foods...................................... 43 Dante’s Coffee........................................... 31 Micro Lote Coffee...................................... 79 Open Plan Coffee Co................................ 27 The Herdsman Market............................... 37 Two Cracks Coffee..................................... 76 Urban Soul Foods...................................... 77

BASKERVILLE (SWAN VALLEY) Swan Valley Gin Co.................................... 62

FUSION Blue Manna Bistro..................................... 77 Roasting Warehouse South Fremantle....12-13

CAVERSHAM (SWAN VALLEY) Funk Cider................................................. I/B

PERTH Furaibo Perth............................................. 74 Ten Acre Block........................................... 75 The Raft...................................................... 16

CHURCHLANDS The Herdsman Market............................... 37

ROLLEYSTONE Seven Sins Perth Hills................................ 74

COWARAMUP (MARGARET RIVER) Two Cracks Coffee..................................... 76

SCARBOROUGH Monty's Café.............................................. 74

DARDANUP (FERGUSON VALLEY) Bush Shack Brewery................................... 77

SORRENTO White Salt................................................... 75

DUNSBOROUGH Blue Manna Bistro..................................... 77 Happs Margaret River............................... 51

SOUTH FREMANTLE Roasting Warehouse South Fremantle....12-13

MODERN AUSTRALIAN Avocados Bar & Grill................................. 19 Blasta Brewing Company.......................... 35 Bush Shack Brewery................................... 77 Cranked...................................................... 77 Finlay’s Kalbarri.......................................... 15 Funk Cider................................................. I/B Happs Margaret River............................... 51 Il Cibo Café................................................ 75 Limones Restaurant................................... 17 Monty's Café.............................................. 74 Naked Apple Cider House....................... 76 Rustlers Steakhouse & Grill....................... 75 Seven Sins Perth Hills................................ 74 Six Bakery Kitchen + Coffee..................... 76 Swan Valley Gin Co.................................... 62 Ten Acre Block........................................... 75 The Studio Bistro....................................... 75 Two Birds Fromagerie............................... 76 White Salt................................................... 75 Wild Hop Brewing Company.................... 74

EAST PERTH Han Palace................................................. 76

SUBIACO Caleb Restaurant & Bar............................. 77 Urban Soul Foods...................................... 77

EAST VICTORIA PARK Cinnamon Vic............................................. 20

WANGARA Dante’s Coffee........................................... 31

FREMANTLE Il Cibo Café................................................ 75 Micro Lote Coffee...................................... 79

YALLINGUP Rivendell Winery Estate............................ 18 The Studio Bistro....................................... 75 Tiller Dining................................................ 14 Wild Hop Brewing Company.................... 74

THAI Dusit Dheva By The Sea.......................10-11

KARRAGULLEN Naked Apple Cider House....................... 76

INDIAN Cinnamon Vic............................................. 20 INTERNATIONAL Tiller Dining................................................ 14 ITALIAN Caleb Restaurant & Bar............................. 77 Ischia Ristorante......................................... 74 JAPANESE Furaibo Perth............................................. 74

BICTON Limones Restaurant................................... 17 BURSWOOD Blasta Brewing Company.......................... 35

HERNE HILL (SWAN VALLEY) Two Birds Fromagerie............................... 76 HIGHGATE Ischia Ristorante......................................... 74 HILLARYS Dusit Dheva By The Sea.......................10-11 KALBARRI Finlay’s Kalbarri.......................................... 15

KELMSCOTT Avocados Bar & Grill................................. 19

78

LEEDERVILLE Cranked...................................................... 77 Six Bakery Kitchen + Coffee..................... 76 MINDARIE Basil’s Fine Foods...................................... 43 NORTH PERTH Open Plan Coffee Co................................ 27

CATERING Urban Soul Foods...................................... 77 SELF CATERING Rivendell Winery Estate............................ 18 The Raft...................................................... 16

map

N

Mindarie Kalbarri 570km

Map not to scale

Baskerville

Hillarys Sorrento

Wangara

Herne Hill Caversham

Scarborough Churchlands Leederville

Subiaco

Highgate North Perth PERTH East Perth Burswood East Vic Park

Bicton Fremantle South Fremantle

Kelmscott Karragullen Roleystone

Dardanup 176km Dunsborough 250km Yallingup 255km Cowaramup 258km Albany 415km

MICRO LOTE is sourced directly from ASPROUNION Co-Op in the south of Colombia. This Co-Op is owned by 270 small coffee farmers with an average landholding of 2 hectares per family who work together to receive a fair price.

17 Blinco Street, Fremantle • www.microlote.coffee • 0433 416 338

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What's on your plate

what's happening

FEBRUARY

Fairbridge Festival (9 - 11 April) Pinjarra www.fairbridgefestival.com.au

Perth Festival (5 - 28 February) www.perthfestival.com.au

MAY

Nannup Music Festival (26 February - 1 March) www.nannupmusicfestival.org

Bickley Harvest Festival (1 - 2 May) www.bickleyharvestfestival.com

On Cloud Wine (27 - 28 February) Fremantle www.wineandfood.com.au

City Wine (21 - 22 May) Perth www.wineandfood.com.au

South West Craft Beer Festival (27 February) Busselton www.swbeerfest.com.au

Ord Valley Muster (21 - 29 May) www.ordvalleymuster.com.au

MARCH

WA Cheese Week (21 - 30 May) www.wacheese.com.au

Sculpture By the Sea (5 - 22 March) Cottesloe www.sculpturebythesea.com

JUNE

Taste Great Southern (18 - 28 March) www.tastegreatsouthern.com.au

Mullewa Muster and Rodeo (5 June) www.mullewamuster.com.au

EveryWoman Expo (26 - 28 March) Perth www.everywomanexpo.com.au

WA Day Festival (7 June) www.celebratewa.com.au

Chilli Fest (27 - 28 March) Fremantle www.chillifest.com.au

JULY

APRIL

Cabin Fever Festival (16 - 25 July) Margaret River Region www.cabinfeverfest.com.au

Donnybrook Apple Festival (3 - 4 April) www.donnybrookapplefestival.com.au

HA R R I S ORGANIC WINE & SPIRITS www.harrisorganicwine.com.au

179 Memorial Av, BASKERVILLE

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www,digital

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