2014 ~ TEO DEGAS' REVIEWS

12/23/2014

WTF Food Moment 7: Gluten Free Proskewto

(I am at the Deli section at my Coles, being served).

(A young tattooed hypster couple, late 20s or early 30s, arrive and stand next to me).

>We are having "pros-kew-toh" (she says),

(LOL, but it is sweet.)

< Pro-xu-tto (he corrects her)

--> The attendant approaches them.

> What are you having guys?

< Is the Salami gluten free?

--> The attendant looks at the labels.

> The label of the salami says it is!

< What about the prosciutto?

(Now, I am getting "queasy")

--> The attendant looks at the label of at piece of deboned plastic-sealed prosciutto.

(Noooo, He too!!!!! It can't be happening!)

> It doesn't say anything, so I guess is not gluten free.

(WTF! I am smiling in disbelief.)

> OK, then we won't have the prosciutto,

(WTF!)

(Would you ask, is smoked salmon gluten free? No, right? Well the same with prosciutto. Real Prosciutto or Jamón Serrano are not meat-made products. They are a piece of cured pork leg, cured by using salt and very cold temperatures. So no wheat derivative is added. The fact that pieces of prosciutto are deboned and plastic sealed in Australia contributes to the confusion. The "things" you see around the meat are actually pieces of dry salt, dry fat, and the dry skin of the animal. That is real prosciutto.)

(On the other hand, it made me think, is the prosciutto sold at Coles, real prosciutto? WTF, now I am getting into the WFT proskewto mood).

WHERE? My suburban Coles.

WTF Foodie Moment 6: Tough guys

--> I am having my lunch break.

--> A bunch of tough-looking long-bearded guys arrive. They look tough. They look like a new wave of breaded bikies with a sprinkle of poshness.

--> They order.

--> They go outside.

(I am sure they are going to order something tough, something macho or at least manly, a long macch, a black coffee without sugar, something acid and caustic, meaty.)

--> Their order arrives... A green coloured organic juice.

WTF!

(WHERE? Babooshka Cafe, Northbridge)

WTF Foodie Moment 5: Morcilla Breaky

--> I am seating on a sunny Sunday, at one of my fav cafes. I have ordered the Morcilla Breaky.

--> A couple arrives and seats next table. Their table is separated five centimetres (literally) from mine.

--> My meal arrives. It looks Yum! I start eating. It tastes yummy.

--> He looks at me (meaning my morcilla breaky) mesmerized. Staring.

> (He tells her) it looks great, isn't it?

< (She tells him) Yes, you should order it.

--> (I keep munching)

--> (He keeps looking at me and/or my morcilla, or both. He does so several times).

--> (The friend they were waiting finally arrives and joins the party, and the waitress approaches their table)

> What are you having, guys?

< What is she having? ("she" is me! at barely 5 cms.)

--> (The whole table plus the confused waitress look at me. The waitress is lost for a moment as my breakfast is almost finished).

>> (I reply) The morcilla breaky....

--> (They ignore me. No Thank yous. They are too, how to put it... rude? obnoxious? What about the constant staring? What about talking about me and my morcilla as if we were mere projections on a screen and I was not there? What about learning to communicate using their vocal cords instead of their eyes and asking me directly from the very beginning?)

--> What is wrong with you, WTF people?!

(WHERE? Cantina 663, Mt Lawley)

Roe St Bus Station (Perth WA, Australia)

The Roe St Bus Station opened in January 2014 as a funny spin-off of the Wellington St Station, while the underground internationally designed station is being built. We will have this station operational for at least for two years, as the works are scheduled to finish in 2016

Located in a fantastic location on Roe St, this station services the bus lines tending to Perth's northern suburbs. What I love the most about it is how easy is to access the heart of the city from here: Train Station, William St, Forrest Place, Wellington St.

The place is more a jump on-jump off sort of place. There are a few information poles, a few covered seating benches, an information booth, and, surprise!, the buses. It is very Spartan, still functional with 12 bus stands, two of them devoted to replacement buses when any of the train lines stops.

I don't understand why they have left one of the sides of the station almost bare of seating benches. Even if they are costly, they can be recycled afterwards. Just saying.

Mini Wonderlane (Claremont WA, Australia)

Shop 5, Old Theatre Lane
50 Bayview Terrace
Claremont WA 6010
Phone: 0433 194 718
Website

Not even a month old, this extra-cute children pop-up shop is in the lovely Old Theatre Lane. It does look like a posh children shop, though!

They have wonderful handmade clothing, toys and accessories by local artists and designers (Little Alannah May, Teesh, Bunting By Design, Harper + Monroe, Kleinemouse Handmade, Diva Dolls by Beck, Stylish Monkeys, Chucklebug, Petals and Pixies). All of their material, the girl dresses especially are just wonderfully colourful.

I loved the fabric dolls, so very retro etsy-like style.

Unlike branded clothing for children, these ones are affordable, going from cheap to a bit pricey, the dolls being pricey (about 50 bucks). Not cheap, but you know you are buying hand-made in Western Australia, that is not a multinational selling the stuff you find everywhere.

Trowbridge Gallery
52F Old Theatre Lane
Claremont WA 6010
Phone: (08) 9384 4814
Website

This is a multi-wow business and we have it in WA!

Located at the bottom end of the charming Old Theatre Lane, I entered because I love big balls, world globes I mean :). It turns out that they have the largest collection of world globes for sale in Australia.

The place is nicely crowded and set, like an harmonic sort of no-chaotic chaos, unpretentious and luminous, and it doesn't look like an antiques place at all. It doesn't smell like an antiques shop either (that is good!). They have a framing service at the usual Perth prices, and they take about a week to frame your things, unless, of course, they've ran out the material you want.

However, the wows will come from your mouth mostly because of the material they have for sale and on display. Imagine going to the WA Museum and being able to buy what is on the walls. But you can't, right? Well, if you are a Western Australian and want a piece of Western Australia's History, original pieces, and you have the money, come to this place. Framed lithographs, book illustrations with views of Western Australia (Perth, Albany, Bunbury, Fremantle, New Norcia) from the 18th century, and historical maps related to WA that go back to the 17th century. Originals!

Not enough "wowiness" for you? They also have children prints from famous Australian and European illustrators, medical prints from the early 19th Century, animal lithographs and prints from famous naturalists, and some Modern Art pieces that I didn't check out.

Prices for the historical material are over 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 bucks, up up, but if you have the money, you are getting an authentic piece of History. Be happy, the frame is included in the price! They probably have "cheapies", but all the pieces I checked were high-end.

The charming Scottish owner was lovely to tell me anything I wanted to know and see. Very laid back. You would expect a sort of posh haughty-nose person in a shop like this, but, on the contrary, he was very warm and helpful and OK with me just browsing around and making questions.

EXTRA-KUDOS
>> They have sporadic exhibitions in the shop.
>> Prices are clearly marked. Nothing hidden.

50 Bay View Terrace
Claremont WA 6010

Hidden at the end of Bay View Terrace, on the left hand side if you come from the train station, is this little gem of a shopping arcade. My favourite shopping lane in Perth.

This lane takes its name from the the Princess Theatre, a cinema that opened at the beginning of the 20th century, in the 1910s!. Lately transformed into the Claremont Picture Gardens cinemas, which closed down in 1964. Then, the place was sold and this arcade was born.

I love everything about this shopping arcade. It is classy and sophisticated, clean, very European, quiet and full of tiny lovely local shops and cool people. The place has a special something, that energy that you find in certain places and that is difficult to describe. It has to do with the lighting, firstly, as it has a glassed ceiling that percolates the light into myriad rays of luminosity to infuse your visit with good vibes. Secondly, the several colourful geometric mosaics on the floor and the pretty hanging shops signs. Finally, it is the relaxed atmosphere in there.

The Old Theatre Lane reminds me a bit of London Court, but way more modern and organised, not touristy at all, and way cuter. Cute is the new hot!

Beyond the atmosphere, this little place has a terrific group of businesses on the ground level: an awesome barber, a women hairdresser, a bookshop, an antiques shop, a travel agent, shoe shops for him and her, an optometry, accessories shops, bargain shop, kitchen shop, and even a café. The smaller second floor is occupied by more "serious" businesses: a dental centre, a tuition centre and a loan place, among others.

MIND
The lane continues on the right, into and ampler less-posh area, marked by the male brogues shoe shop at the corner.

Shop 3, 50 Bayview Terrace
Old Theatre Lane
Claremont WA 6010
Phone: 0430 065 152
Website

Located in the cute Old Theatre Lane, Her Message is a cute shop selling cute things by a cute lady. They specialise in cult-following shoe brands: the Brazilian brand Zaxy's jelly shoes, and the Venezuelan brand "Chocolaticas" (Hot Chocolate Design). They are statement comfortable unique shoes. They also have some others flats and ballerina shoes that I like a lot. They also have children shoes, a few items of jewellery, canvas totes, and similar things.

Hot Chocolate Design shoes are canvas arty painted shoes. They are not only trendy, unique and beautiful, they are also super-comfortable to walk around and perfect for travelling without sacrificing style. Zaxy are wonderful summer silicone shoes, that look classy and elegant, utterly feminine, very comfortable and are water proof, also perfect for travelling and for the summer months.

The lady behind the counter was wonderful, very attentive, helpful, and Keen to make business by offering me further discounts if buying more than one pair or just helping me to purchase. If they don't have your sizing or favourite style, they will take your phone number and SMS you when your pair size is in.

Prices were good for Perth and having into account that these are imported shoes. I found the jelly shoes cheaper than in other places, while the canvas ones are at the same prices you will find them at the Fremantle Markets.

They receive new stock almost every month. So, Her Message... is.... Come and visit me!

Regent Cakes (Northbridge, Perth WA)

Shop 10, 45 Francis Street
Northbridge, WA 6003 Phone: 08 9227 8081
Facebook
Hours
Mon-Fri: 9:30am-6:00pm
Sat-Sun: 10:00am-5:30pm
Wed: Closed

You have certainly passed many times by it and not noticed. It is by the Northbridge Post Office in Francis Street, tiny-winy place.

I am a fan of Regent Cakes because of the fluffiness of their sponges, the soft creaminess of their creams and mousses, their level of sweetness (not too sweet, right for me) and the ever-changing cakes slices. I hate iced cakes or icing in general, so I am happy to go to bakeries where I am the icing on the cake :)

I am not into their buns, but I have gone endless times to Regent Cakes for my lunch break to get my sweet fix, and they have always delivered in taste, freshness and variety. They have always new additions or variations on the same cake, which always makes me happy.

Sizing is perfect for me, something you can easily eat with your coffee or as a complement to your light lunch, and they are never heavy on your stomach.

They are not sophisticated upper end cakes, but simple, fresh tasty ones prepared on the spot every day. They also prepare tarts and big cakes on order.

Prices for the slices are ridiculously good, 3.80 bucks for a slice of cake is just fantastic, or perhaps dangerous for your curves.

I have always had a terrific experience with the staff. They are super-friendly and so very lovely every time I visit.

I would like them to provide customers with plastic spoons, at least on request, as some cakes are a way tricky to eat without it, and my nose gets clowned by the cake's cream :)

MIND
Their day off is Wednesdays!

This is a cute station, wooden, level ground, that makes me think of what train stations used to be and still are in small European towns.

The former station (nowadays just a train stop) is very functional and it has an information booth, a ticket machine, a newspaper machine, poles with the train timetable, an emergency phone, and an ample seating area. There are no electronic informative panels

The station has a retro feeling that I love, with a wonderful pedestrian overpass wooden bridge, surrounded by bedded plants and flowers, the old signal station (what I call "the tower", which can be visited -at least in the past- on weekends), as well as some of limestone buildings across the tracks, and some of the seating area.

The station is at a killer location, about 100 metres from Claremont's coffee strip and Claremont Quarter Shopping Centre, and a few more paces from other nice shops and cafés in the area.

The access to the tracks is a bit long, unnecessarily so, as the shortest access has been fenced, and one can only enter by the picket fenced area now. On the other hand, this is a nicer entrance.

The only line stopping at Claremont is the Fremantle Line.

Choux Café Pâtisserie Française (Swanbourne, Perth WA)

93 Shenton Road
Swanbourne, WA 6010
Phone: 08 9385 4227
Facebook

Choux I love youx xxx

There is only one reason why I visit Swanbourne, and that is to go to Choux. I mean Choux is Swanbourne's Identity.

Just the short walk from the train station to the patisserie is lovely, almost initiatory, as it is short but sweet, the houses and gardens there seem always so flourished and green, and the area is just peaceful and birdy.

Arriving at Choux is like landing on planet Uranus from Earth. Were am I? The cute tiny wonderful cafe and patisserie looks like sucked by a space-time machine and transported to this Perthian soil by magic. Everything about it looks "Frenchy", the sizing, the furniture, the cabinets with the cakes, the doors, the baskets with the pastries, the "je ne sais quoi" in it. There is a small area outside, a bigger one inside and the backyard.

Choux bakes daily and has a small but wonderful selection of sweet and savoury cakes, and wonderful pastries.

Their Apricot Danish is my favourite in the whole Perth, and is just one of those pieces of food that it is worth including in your "must eat before dying" if you happen to like Danish. Full of flavour, moist, flaky, crunchy. Ohmygosh, I love those. My belly is singing. All the small slices and cakes I have tried are wonderful.

What about the "fuchsia bomb" aka Raspberry Mousse Cake, with that wonderful perky mush flesh being penetrated by those lovely round pieces of thick black chocolate?

What about the Strawberry Tartlet, that makes you think that what your are eating must be sinful because is so yummy and delicious and beautiful to look at.

Their citron tartlet, their pistachio slice, the apricot tart, their little cute pieces of brownie, their normal croissants, almost everything is wonderful. There are so many interesting things that I have never tried their macaroons. That is like something worth noting!

Believe it or not I am more into savoury stuff than into cakes, especially if they are good. And Choux delivers again because has my super-favourite savoury pastry things around the planet, especially their quiches, pies and, above all, their savoury flat tarts that are just fresh, light, healthy and exquisite.

The coffee is really well prepared, but I am not wowed by it as it is too smooth and latte-ish for my taste.

Service is matter of fact, still courteous. I love the fact that they pack things well, so you can carry your "thingies" for a long time without them mutating into an amorphous blob.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
> They need to improve their toilets,
> Their furniture is too heavy and too big. They could have more people inside by using smaller tables.
> They should have a happy hour at the end of their working day...

Pastelería Isla (Granada, Spain)

Calle Carrera del Genil, 27
    18009 Granada
    Spain
    Phone: +34 958 222 405
    Website

This patisserie was the first opened by Casa Isla in Granada (the original was founded in the nearby town of Santa Fe in the 19th century) and it was one of the few patisseries in the city when I was a kid. The place was a hang-up place for families on Sundays, after Mass, and was one of those places you would go to buy your sweets for birthdays and presents.

This is not a posh in vogue patisserie place by any means, as it is an old very small cafe, with a very limited seating area. Still, it has some elements that remind the visitor of its former splendour years, with a lovely marble counter, the chandelier lamps, the framed Royal Appointment, among other elements of decoration. The chairs used to be the traditional wooden ones, round tables, which I miss, because they made the perfect old-style cafe and were way comfier than the current ones.

They sell a selection of traditional sweets, cakes, slices, tarts, (and ice-creams and ice-cream tarts in the warmer months), but most people come here to have a coffee with a pionono or to buy boxes of piononos, which are delivered fresh every day and disappear every day way before closing time.

So, what is a pionono? It is a small sweet that you will only find in this city, no other place in Andalusia, Spain or the world. They could have the same name, but they are not the same. The original Granada pionono is a historical piece of patisserie. The founder of Casa Isla, Ceferino Isla, was its creator. This man was very religious and wanted to create a special sweet to honour Pope Pius the Ninth (Pio Nono in Spanish). So, he created a small cake that reminded him of the Pope's shape: plump, roundish, short, its head covered by a papal cap. In 1916 King Alfonso the 13th, while visiting a friend in Granada Province, was offered some piononos with his mid-afternoon tea. He loved them so much that he appointed Ceferino's patisserie an official provider of the Spanish Royal House. A title that the bakery still holds.

The pionono is a golden small, short, plump spongy cylinder rolled over itself, slightly infused in syrup, topped by a round "cap" of toasted cream. It goes in one morsel, or two, perfect to date your coffee. It has a distinctive flavour, it is moist, mid level of sweetness, fluffy and very fresh.

Lately, the traditional piononos have been joined for some summery flavoured versions that are far behind regarding flavour and quality except for the citrus one, which I loved.

There are piononos in other patisseries in the city but they are not as good or fresh as the ones sold here. Regarding other sweets they sell, varies from type to type. I like some of them and not others. I used to love their ice-cream tarts when I was a kid.,

Service changes from person to person, some of the ladies lovely some others a bit dry and matter of fact. Thank Gosh for the moist cakes :).

If you are lucky to grab a seat, you will stay here for a long time, as this is one of those places that, for whatever reason, keeps people there talking for hours. No joke!

This places is part of my emotional-belly memory. Even the things I don't like make it special to me.

Rey Fernando (Granada, Spain)

Calle Reyes Católicos, 28
    18009 Granada
    Spain
    Phone: +34 958 224 949
    Website

Rey Fernando is one my fav coffee spots in the city because of its killer location in the commercial Reyes Católicos St, but also because of their coffee and cake slices.

The place is tiny, the preparation and display area occupying most of the premises, and the seating area is reduced to a few stools around the counter, and the upstairs seating area.

I love mousse cakes and slices so many o their sweets fit this bill perfectly. I absolutely love and recommend their Rey Fernando cake, as in my photo, which they also have with a white chocolate crust. I also like their piononos when they are fresh.

They have a lovely selection of ice-creams, gofres, pastries, frozen yoghurt, chocolate drinks, fresh juices, granita, and what is not.

The staff are very hard-working and lovely. They are matter of fact if you don't speak Spanish, as most of them have a very basic English, which does not allow them to interact with customers much. They are just lovely if you happen to speak Spanish or just make the effort to say a few words in Spanish.

MIND
> The coffee preparation and quality varies depending on the barista.
> The place is crowded at Spanish coffee times, so you have to stand.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Their piononos can be hiper-fresh or a bit stale. I guess it depends on the delivery days from the mother-bakery in Santafé, but I have seen noticeable differences in the level of freshness and taste depending on the days I have visited.

DOWNSIDES
Don't order churros! I have seen here cold churros being reheated, it is usually non-locals who come here for churros, not knowing that they have awesome churro places in Plaza Bibarrambla, three minutes away, prepared on the spot fresh all day long.

Heladería Los Italianos (Granada, Spain)

Calle Gran Vía de Colón, 4
18010 Granada
Spain
Phone: +34 958 224 034
Website

Lost Italianos is one of the oldest gelaterie in the city and the most renowned. It has been open for decades, and one of the highlights to enjoy summer for most Granadians. Seriously! You know it is spring time when... Los Italianos reopen every year.

The owners are Italians so the production of the ice-creams has always been Italian traditional gelato making, with light textured flavoursome ice-creams and crunchy delicious waffle cones. Lost Italianos were the first to bring unusual flavours to the city's ice-cream world, although nowadays other gelaterie have more daring and interesting flavours. Still, the quality of the gelato here is undeniable, the selection of flavours excellent, and the taste wonderful.

My favourite flavours are pineapple and crema tostada and their cassata.

Their servings are decent in size, and the prices fair.

Service is fast and friendly, despite the fact that the staff is at times overwhelmed by a constant flood of people all day long. It can be chaotic.

I hate cueing for anything, especially for anything edible. This is the only place in the city where you find cues and, if there is no a cue, there is a human suffocating mass around. Something that always puts me off.

Michelle Obama stopped here for her ice-cream when holidaying in town a couple of years ago. I thought it was cool Michelle and I have shared the same ice-cream :P

Lot 20 Bar (Northbridge, Perth WA, Australia)

200-206, William Street
Cultural Centre
Northbridge
Perth WA 6000
Website
Hours
Mon-Sat 10am-12am
Sun 10am-10pm

Lot 20 is all-in one café and bar located in the heart of the Cultural Centre. The place has a wonderful layout with many different micro-spaces created in their alfresco yard and indoors: cosy spots, hide-in spots, alone spots, eating-with-your-pal spots, girly spots, macho spots, couples spots. Spottified!

The place is woody, retro-industrial, very colourful and with plenty of funny and quirky elements of decoration and artwork. The painting with the jugglers freaks me out every time, I swear. The toilets are great with all those black tiny tiles and the chromed piping ending in those bottles of white creamy soap, really cool.

The atmosphere is also very cool, not only because of the design, but because of the various clientele that visits the place, all ages, all dressing styles, all kinds of humans, that are seasoned and stirred up by a mix of retro music.

Opening times are awesome - food, coffee and drinks available in the city centre any time of the day from 10am to 10pm. Beat that! And the prices are OK taking into account that this is Perth city centre.

One of the things I like the most about the place is that they add new dishes very often, so if you happen to go often, you will always find something new to try. I love that. It keeps me going to places.

FOOD

Lot Twenty has a mix cart of post-modern pub food, with plenty of vegetarian dishes, and they use local fresh produce, which is always a guarantee of freshness and flavour. They have a great concept about the dishes they offer, but the food has been yummy sometimes, OK others, and absolutely blah others.

The top in my chart have been the Son in Law Eggs with chilly caramel dressing and coriander, so beautiful looking, so smooth in your mouth, sweetish and with a wonderful mix of flavours, colours and textures. The home-made terrine was great, fresh, soft, smooth and very delicate, perfect with the dollop of mustard sauce.

The asparagus on potato foam with yuzu and kaffir lime "magic dust" were wonderful, very simply prepared and beautifully presented. I also loved the beetroot salad, a mix of fruit and veggie salad infused in the beetroot juice, which was delicious; mine had apple, orange, compressed melon, beetroot and another veggie that I could not recognise. The warm vegetables salad was very simple, but very healthy looking and tasty, the veggies cooked to perfection, not too hard not too soft.

I liked their home-made onion rings and the fish and chips with the accompanying slightly spicy sauce dip - home-style unpretentious pub (oily) food and very filling.

I had high expectations regarding the slightly smoked pork belly, but I had a ploff sort of moment. The produce was top notch, and the flavour of each separate item as well, but the mix was not complementary. The cardamom and apple gel was lovely in flavour, and nicely plated, but it was not enough quantity or texture to envelop with its flavour and moisture the very dry crunchy pork belly. The chestnut flakes were also lovely, but another dry element to add to another dry element, dry to the square, which prevented the pork belly from gliding down my esophagus toboggan style.

The spiced cauliflower has been the main disappointment (absolutely ploff!). I love cauliflower, it is one of those vegetables that is easy to cook and morph into amazing things. However, the cauliflower was way too hard, the chunks too big, the dollops of herbed [sic] yoghurt sauce too thick to be easily spreadable and give moisture and flavour to the dish as a whole, while the wonderful pomegranate and nuts sprinkle were lost trying to seduce a frigid cauliflower. No chemistry, baby.

I did not like the olives. Why anybody would choose mediocre olives over wonderful ones escapes me, like a butterfly passing by. Perhaps they should like olives first to choose good ones!!

DESSERTS

Regarding the sweets, the Pear Friand was great! Very small (cute actually) but wonderful regarding flavour, moisture, texture and level of sugar. In contrast, the chocolate pudding sorta thing was a "does he love me-does he love me not" sort of dish. A 3-dollar dessert really puts me in the mood of anything good, so I did enjoy it. On the other hand, what I got was, basically, jellied condensed sweetened milk zombified by a bit of Milo. You could think, genius! I agree! But I prepare similar things at home in summer and takes no culinary skills to do so; I was just expecting something beyond my poor-dessert-making skills, that happens when your expectations are expectant. And... why not calling it Condensed Milk Pudding so my imagination does not fly mid way to crash hard against concrete reality too soon? Anticlimactic!

DRINKS AND COFFEE

I love their wine and drinks chart, and the prices of the international wines are terrific for Perth standards. I absolutely loved the Lopez de Haro red wine, smooth like a nice kiss.

Their coffee is well prepared and creamy, but the beans they use produce one of those "weakienikis" that we find throughout Perth. Perfect for you if you like smooth weak coffees. Otherwise, my easy-solution kinda solution is ordering a topped-up long macchiato instead of your usual flat white. I did so and I was happy with the strength an flavour of my coffee. Oh Wittgenstein you know how wording works on the tongues of people.

SERVICE

Most of the staff are really welcoming, helpful, very friendly, and very cute! The problem is the organisation of the service at times. It was chaotic, confused and inattentive during my first visit, a bit of a disaster and got me annoyed. Fortunately, first impressions are delusive and I always give a second opportunity. Glad I did because the service has dramatically changed in my following visits, and these guys have been pampering my regal butt since then. Kiss Kiss.

The main problem with the service is not the people, is that the dishes take quite a while to come out at times, no matter the difficulty in the preparation or how empty the local is. Almost half an hour for a dish of simple eggs is unacceptable. I wondered if they were helping the chicken to lay the eggs directly cooked onto the plate. Bang Bang.

However, I mentioned the issue to one of the waiters, and my eggs were on my table presto!, and my second dish came 5 minutes after ordering it! The Sound of Music.

That is willingness to please! Kudos to all them for the effort. The more I go, the more attentive they are to my needs, and that is always a great sign, and what turns customers into regulars.

***

I will go back, I like the place, there are many things I want to try, like their visually enthralling burger and Dutch chips, fish and chips, and all the new dishes they are incorporating into the menu. They have so many different veggie and meaty things that is impossible not to like at least a few of them. Having said that, their food can easily improved, and needs to improve, it takes a willingness to work the textures and flavours of some of the more avant-garde dishes a bit better to do so. Nothing really wow. But you don't want to be wowed that often; otherwise your wows would be less genuine.

EMERGENCY!

Coffee takeaway cup size is minuscule ridicule. Fix it! You need at least a large cup to make any coffeeholic happy!

NOTES OF INTEREST

* Free Wi-fi for those who just communicate with their antennae.
* No PayWave. Wave your fingers athletically to introduce your PIN, instead

FLEETING THOUGHTS

>> I hope they have big umbrellas for the patio area once summer comes, because the place is already hot, and you don't want to seat al fresco to get hot.<<
>> How many steps or kilometres do the waiters do going upstairs/downstairs the kitchen the whole day? Good workout!<<

David Jones Store (Perth WA)

This is my favourite store in Perth for many reasons

WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT MR JONES
+ Location Location, in the heart of the city, so there is always easy to visit if you happen to work in the CBD.
+ Size, big but not too big.
+ Posh Classy Factor.
+ Brands Factor. Some of my favourite brands have stands here, Allanah Hill, Ted Barker, Karen Miller, Oroton, and many fancy international designer clothing I like to look at.
+ Display style. I love the way they exhibit their stuff. Open, touchable, stylishly placed.
+ Shoes Section. It was reorganised and renovated a few weeks ago and is looking even more splendid. They have a mix of posh and medium-range brands, and it is my pass-by favourite area in the store.
+ Millinery section, which is great always, also very expensive, but especially wonderful in the weeks previous to the Melbourne Cup. Unlike other shops selling millinery in the city, they do not inflate the prices for the season, and the quality and design of their fascinators is way superior.
+ The stationary area.
+ The cosmetics and perfumes area, which has a mix of surf and turf, but with very posh and exclusive products (Tom Ford, Bottega Venetta, Joe Malone, among many others.)
+ The high-end designer clothing on the 3rd floor. Stupendous.
+ The toilets on the third floor. Like in the movies.
+ Their Christmas decorations seasonal sections. Fabulous.

MR JONES IS REALLY SURPRISING
++ Their sales and discounts are fabulous, and apply to seasonal stuff, not to last year's unwanted stuff. I especially like the discounts at the shoes and watches areas, Oroton and Allanah Hill stands.
++ Did you know there is a BreastScreen WA on the 3rd floor at the David Jones Rose Clinic? Yes, I know, it surprised me as well. Let your breast to be squeezed in style...
++ Oh, I cannot forget their food hall and gourmet area. Descend into a pleasure-oh-able state by using the escalator!

MR JONES' AIDS OF CAMP ARE AN INTERESTING BUNCH
Most of the ladies at the shop are lovely, and willing to help even though sometimes by doing so they have to go out of their way or out their own stand.

However, it takes two uptight inattentive rude ones to make you forget the nice ones. This is the way the brain of humans work, not just mine. I have found examples of staff looking down at customers, passive-aggressive comments on the product being too expensive for you (as if they knew what the budget of the buyer is!), staff so interested in talking to other fellow-staff members that forget about you, put the beeping machine in the bag, or do not say hello or thank you, staff who get annoyed because you just make a question or because you ask something that "their divinities" think you should be asking. So It is a mix of things. I don't find that at Myers, you see, so if the price is the same or similar I will go there because the staff are friendlier.

Some of the stands don't have staff until mid-morning, so if you want to buy something, you won't be able to do so. Thanks for making me save my money, Mr Jones.

NO-NO, MR JONES!
-- Poor book section. But I guess that not many people to to David Jones for the books. My guess.
-- Mac dominated electronics area... some people don't like apples and prefer oranges.
-- Some of the staff's behaviour towards customers.

FIX IT FOR ME, PLEASE, MR JONES
= Clean and repair the toilets on the second floor more often! They are the most popular with passers-by, and I have found them sometimes dirty, with no hand paper, with some of the flush not working, a bit smelly. You know, not very posh at all.
= Train and and select your staff better, they represent your brand. Unless you want to be the brand of the uptight butts, do something to avoid a minority that give a bad image of David Jones' customer service.

SOME FREE SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS, MR JONES
>> Why are you opening half an hour later than Myers? You just want me to save money, right?
>> Update your bag section, your wallets section, and your medium-range watches section. There is something called Internet shopping, a magic world where one can buy many of this stuff cheaper because they are last season stuff in the Northern Hemisphere. Think about that when you choose the items you want to display.
>> Remove cheap brands from the cosmetics section... like Revlon. I Buy Revlon a lot, but not from here but from the Chemist Warehouse at least 30% off. The products are not displayed as nicely, but they are the same products. Why not having other brands? I mean DJ is posh, right?
>> Their stockings section used to be the most glamorous hosiery piece in Perth, and a drop by for me. However, with the refurbishment of the last weeks, it has been dramatically reduced to stands with boring pricey tights. You can still find some of the fashionable stuff online, but not in the city. This being the case, Myers is at the moment more appealing and more varied, so I will be spending my money there... Your fault!
>> The OPI stand used to be exclusive in Perth. Now, it is not. Myer got one, and they are making reductions and sales on the whole range quite often, so unless you match that, Mr Jones, I will be heading that alley.Your fault!

I love you David Jones (and I curse you at times, too).

Calle Obispo Hurtado, 20
18002 Granada
Spain
Phone: +34 958 253 006

This is one of those shops that are disappearing from the city, an old traditional family operated leather and luggage shop. Local and international franchises and the big stores' tough guys are making life difficult for businesses like this, so one has to give big kudos to these little shops and buy from them. The owners' children won't continue the family business; they, as many others, have left the country and are working in "more important" things overseas.

The shop's space is minimal, and the shop's space is crowded and nothing to rave about. What you can rave about is the service your get from the owners (Manuela especially), who also happen to be the shop attendants, the variety of luggage they have, and the pricing. Moreover, these people know their trade, where the suitcases are made, material of the handles, anything you need to know about suitcases or leather goods. Old times savoir faire.

They have been specialising in Samsonite products since... forever, but they have some beautiful trendy arty luggage items by other brands, Ágata Ruiz de la Prada's being my favourite. Pricing is fantastic for Samsonite and good priced for other brands.

They also have a small selection of basic leather goods, some of them branded, some others unbranded, made by hand from the leather itself to the stitching. Awesome quality at good prices. However, I found most of the stuff a bit boring for me, perhaps perfect for my mum or my grandma if I had any alive.

I bought my new cabin suitcase from here, great brand, great quality, great price. Hurrah!

    Calle San Antón, 16
    18005 Granada
    Spain
    Phone: +34 958 521 638
    Website

Baba-Shop is a must stop for me each time I visit Granada.

Tucked away in Calle San Antón, this bazaar has an ample shop with a large but non flashy shop window.

This would have been my perfect shop if it had existed when I was at University as it has everything that my younger self (a bit hidden now underneath my more glamorous me) loved and love: unique pieces of clothing and jewellery, colour, textures, earthy stuff, alternative fashion, world jewellery and decoration items, new-hippy, hipster, grunge - Paradise! Their website does not make justice to the shop.

I don't wear the sort of clothing they have or most of their accessories any more, but I do still wear and purchase some of the pendants and jewellery they sell, which are always beautiful and original. I super-love their silver jewellery cabinet, which is not too expensive for foreigners (a bit for locals).

This is a pricey shop in general, which offers sales just on sales periods. That is possible because they have a loyal clientele who returns over and over again, and prefer to pay for one unique alternative piece than for three mass-produced ones.

The attendants are matter of fact and won't bother you in your browsing unless you want them to open the magic cabinet or bring something down from the upper shelves. Browse peacefully, buy if you want.

391-395 Fitzgerald St
    North Perth Western Australia 6006
    North Perth
    Get Directions
    Phone number (08) 4441 904
    Website:
   Hours
      Mon-Wed 8am to 3pm
      Thu-Sat 8am to 4pm
      Sun 8.30am to 3.30pm

Jean Pierre Sancho in Fitzgerald Street has become one of my handy stops while going to the North Perth Plaza to do my grocery shopping. What brings me there is mostly their coffee and the lovely staff. Great combo for me.

Coffee is nicely prepared, strong enough for my sensitive tongue. Yes, I like my coffee to taste like coffee. I like their colourful macaroons and sweets, and the staff have been and are lovely every time I visit, very friendly, smiley, and accommodating about anything. No-fuss people.

The place, unlike its predecessor, is a bit bland and dark regarding ambience and vibe. I was expecting a bit of more "Frenchiness" in the decoration and style, but concrete looking floors and almost bare walls are not that chic. However, the place is n the decoration and atmosphere, still the place is quiet and comfortable.

Food has proven to be a bit of a disappointment. They are very generous with their servings (point!), but somewhat the food tastes just OK. Not bad, but not remarkable either.

My first breakfast there was total knock-out, tinned beans, stale harsh brown, like... I didn't like it. They have improved since them, but their cooked breakfasts are still not their forte in taste or plating (sometimes they put too much on the plate, carelessly, in ways that make the food look unappealing, like in the photo).

Their house-flag dish is very French... Gosh Bless Hamburgers. They are very tasty and come with fries and salad, huge size. That always makes me happy, size does matter, and tasty hamburgers as well.

In short a nice place to drop by if you just want a nice friendly quiet café to hide from the world and have some simple cooked food or nice pastries and sweets.

Notes to myself
> I love their coffee cups!
> They have lovely loaves of bread for sale
> It would live up the place having some French posters or photographs on the walls.

Phone House Mesones (Granada, Spain)

    Calle Mesones, 1
   18001 Granada
   Spain
   Phone: +34 958 190 162
   Website
   Hours
      Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00
      Selected Sundays

Phone House is a Spanish franchise chain (part of an International Company) that sells mobiles, mobile accessories and mobile internet and has also a repairs service. They usually have seasonal catalogues and the variety of mobile phones, mobile brands, mobile carriers and mobile and-or Internet plans, and pricing are unmatchable in Spain.

So, what makes this shop different from the others? Many things!

+ Location location. This branch is located at the beginning of Calle Mesones, five steps away from Puerta Real and five minutes from anywhere in the city centre.
+ The staff really knows their stuff. They are not just selling or repeating like lorikeets. They can advise you properly on anything you need according to your own needs. I received unbiased advice from one of the guys. I was most impressed, and I got what I needed at the price I needed.
+ The staff will give the attention and time you need, no matter is five minutes or twenty, so you get your problem solved or your phone purchased and ready to use.
+ The staff would help you dealing with little faults in your phone, if you purchased it from them, and help you with settings and things like that, or safety measures not to get your super-duper smart phone stolen!
+ There is an in-house mobile technician at this branch, which works full time a few days a week, so he will be able to sort out many of the issues you have with your phone, for free, unless you need a spare part and your phone has run out the warranty.
+ The staff were always friendly and lovely to me!

The not so good things:
= Waiting 20 minutes or 10 in a cue is never acceptable, especially because they could easy install another desk and have an extra staff member to attend to the public. Also, why not having cueing by numbers or waiting stools?
= Their selection of mobile accessories is poor, pricey and a bit boring!

TIP
Best time to visit at Spanish lunch time. Everybody is eating, cues are minimal, and service way faster.

Carretera de Jaén, s/n
18013 Granada
Spain
Phone +34 958 185 480

Granada, despite being a very small town, is a buzzing one, with lots of travellers moving in an out every single day. People move basically by bus, so the station is always busy.

The station is located in the outskirts of the city, but well communicated by normal city buses (number 33, especially) and taxi, and has provincial, regional, national and international services. There are more than 25 platforms in the station, which shows the volume of travel in this small town.

The building is very functional, as well as the whole structure of the station. You will find the services you expect to find in any station, but nothing fancy, as the movement is steady and you won't need to spend hours waiting there. So you will find the information and sale windows upstairs, an escalator to access the waiting area, café-bar and toilets, plus some tiny shops and shopping stands around. There are electronic information panels in the waiting area, as well. The place is kept clean.

The Station's sales windows can have long cues at pick ours or pick departing hours, if you arrive with not much time to buy your ticket, it might be too late. Buy you ticket online through Alsa's website or in advance.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
> Some of the services to Málaga Airport or to the big cities are always full. Depending on demand, there can be more than one bus doing the same route. This means that the volume of passengers in the cue in front of a bus can be humongous as the drivers need to check the tickets before passengers board and place their luggage in the luggage compartment. It would be great having another person doing just this, so the boarding is quicker, and people don't get confused or annoyed.
> A better lighting for the platform area is needed!
> A few more coffee and snacks machines would be handy.

MIND
> If you are a foreigner holding an electronic ticket, the bus driver will request you to present your passport together with your online ticket. This is the law. If you are trying to jump about basic travelling regulations, you are just being obnoxious, are giving a terrible image of your fellow-nationals and are being a nuisance to other travellers. There was a group of fellow-Aussies doing just that, making demeaning comments on the country just because they were requested to show their passports! I felt very ashamed that we were holding the same passport.
> There can be some drug addicts and odd people begging around the main entrance at times. Do as you would do at home, ignore them with gentleness and keep an eye on your luggage.

Beaufort St 24hr Chemist (Mount Lawley WA, Australia)

    647 Beaufort St
    Mt Lawley WA 6050
    Mount Lawley
    Phone (08) 9328 7775
    Website

This is an icon of Beaufort Street. It has been in that spot for years, since I moved to Perth and Mount Lawley many years ago.

The shop is small and a bit crowded, but the space has been well taken advantage of, and you can buy most things you would want from a chemist, beyond prescription medication: organic body-care and cosmetics, perfumes, basic emergency kit items, condoms, over the counter basics, spectacles stuff (very convenient for spectacled people :))) cute little thingies that you might be tempted to get but you don't need...

The staff will let you browse around, if you tell them that is what your want, or give you personalised attention. I have found this to be the case every time I have visited, no matter what I wanted was proper medication, over the counter medication or just hygiene or cosmetic products.

The major downside of the place are the prices, higher than in other chemist around for the same stuff. However, this is a 24/7 and we have to pay for the convenience of having them awake and open when we need them. Amen.

140 William St
Perth WA 6000
Phone (08) 9226 3929
Website
Hours
Mon - Tues 8:30am-5:30pm
Wed - Thur 8:30am-10:00pm
Fri 8:30am-11:00pm
Sat 9:00am-11:00pm
Sun 10:30am-5:00pm

The place is very functional and has a sleek contemporary design and vibe, still being comfortable and accommodating. Almost half of the place is occupied by the chocolate shop, with display and sale cabinets. The rest is occupied by the café properly speaking and the open preparation area, which is very cool and quite large.

I love their seating area, so well thought and considerate, perfect for solo visitors, couples, families, groups. Whomever! Whatever!

The selection of chocolates and sweets is delightful and delectable.

The Chocolate Dome is absolutely wonderful in taste and presentation and not heavy on your stomach. A great mix of textures and flavours, and so aesthetically pleasant that you feel bad for breaking the visual spell with your spoon. My favourite thing in their menu.

The Alice Lemington is OK, a bit of a let down.

Their individual chocolates taste of what they are suppose to. Don't frown! This happens so rarely nowadays! All the chocolate pieces I have tried have been much of my liking, perhaps my favourite thing has been one of their simplest: the Orange Segment as orange and chocolate are like a perfect couple; use it as your coffee's date.

Their normal coffees are really forgettable, not barista quality. No no no! However, their iced coffees and chocolate are yummy. No surprise, no? Try the chocolate ice chocolate mixed with raspberry and bring your tongue and tonsils to heaven.

Service is fast and attentive, very welcoming and smiley. However, I found odd that during one of my visits I ordered an espresso coffee and the waitress did not know what that was (!)

Pricing is OK, a bit high for the individual pieces of chocolate and iced coffees/chocolates.

I would like their chart of prepared sweets enlarged, and also their normal coffees improved. They would make themselves a favour. Any chocolate needs of a great coffee!

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