6/14/2012

Fez - NEW MANAGEMENT

83 Walcott St
Mt Lawley Western Australia 6050
(08) 9328 9999
http://www.fezcafe.net.au/
Hours:
    Mon-Sun 7:00 - 17:00


 Fez is a cute comfortable café located at the corner between Beaufort and Raglan Sts, occupying the round corner of the faux-art-deco building bellow which is located.

THE PLACE - Fez is an example of how to create a space that is attractive and welcoming to an eclectic group of people, from all ages, lifestyle preferences, attachment degree, sexual orientation or degree of "poshness". 

The indoor is very much like a little European café with a few ethnic details, unpretentious, welcoming and cosy. The outdoor area is lovely, with natural shading coming from the above balconies, so it is  open, still semi-hidden and relatively protected from the inclemency of the weather. The place, depending on the day and hour, can be quite or very loud.

I love the fact that they have tons of newspapers and magazines for the customers to browse while there.

THE FOOD -  The food is lovely, the portions generous and they are good value for money. Some of the dishes are Moroccan inspired and close to the original, and others are not. If you don't feel adventurous, you can always order some of their burgers, sandwiches, pannini, soups, salads or sweets. I usually leave the plates squeaky clean after finishing with them! So good.

The Charmoola chicken salad is one of the best chicken salads I have tried in Perth and so very filling. This is one of the best dishes in Fez.

The Murgaz is a tomato-based egg dish served on a ceramic dish coming directly from the oven to your table, still boiling. Very good.

The Veggie tagine is a mix of very hot vegetables casserole, very spicy and very hot! It is served in a traditional tagine pot, coming from the oven, very hot and still boiling. Not bad.

The Berber Breakfast is a variation of the Murgaz, but with meatballs instead of sausages. It is quite strong in flavour and perfect for brunch not as much for early breakfast. Not bad.


The Spanish Omelette is one of the disappointments in Fez. It is a simple omelette, quite small, with cherry tomatoes, mint, cheese and the supposed chorizos are instead Italian sausages. That is what call cheating! Forgettable.

The cakes are very good-looking but a bit too sweet for me, and average in taste. However, the last one I tried, the pear and sticky date was surprisingly light, moist and flavoursome. However, I wouldn't go to Fez for the sweets, to be honest, just  for their food.

THE COFFEE - Their coffee is a bit bland no matter which version you order, big or small, flat white or topped-up macchiato. If you are fussy about your coffee, as I am, order a topped-up macchiato instead of your usual flat white. Otherwise, their selection of teas, iced teas and natural juices might be a better option.

THE SERVICE - The service is relatively fast, and all the staff are very friendly, smiley and willing to serve and help. They guys are flooded if there place is full, and this is so because they need another hand helping. You can feel their stress! Instead you are served quite fast after ordering.

TIP
Forget the name. They have never claimed Fez as an authentic Moroccan restaurant. If you go without expectations, you will enjoy Fez much more, as the food is really good, and the Moroccan-inspired dishes are very tasty and something that you do not find in other places. If you want authentic Moroccan food go to Morocco. Simple!

TIP 2
If you like coriander, ask for an extra pinch of fresh coriander on your Murgaz and Berber Breakfast, as they certainly benefit from it.


Layout 7.5/10
Ambience 6.5 /10
Coffee 6/10
Food 7.6/10
Service 7/10

Pricing: 7.5