The Bakers Wife, Camberwell, Melbourne

Out of the beaten track, this vibrant full-of-character cafe in Camberwell matched my expectation.
The place is really charming, modern and accommodating.

The staff are a bunch of good-looking genuinely friendly hard-working chaps, and they made my experience something really enjoyable.

The menu had a mix of classics and innovative dishes, and they have specials of the week. Plus a large selection of baked sweets.
 

I had one of the specials, the octopus dish, which had a very tender flavorsome octopus, not chewy at all, on a bed of lentils, fennel and citrus mayo. The dish was generous in size and fully satisfying regarding flavour. However, I missed a bit of more texture in the dish, and a bit of more citrus anything, as the wedge of lemon and mayo were not enough, at least to me.

As a dessert I had one of their wonderful apricot tartlets. It was uber-fresh, fluffy, moist and full of flavor. However, I was disappointed that, despite apricots being in season, the tartlet had a compote of apricot not full pieces of the fruit. I think that would have got the tartlet to the next level. 

My iced latte was very good and a great size!

I loved the cafe, the staff and their food options. A bit of more finesse and they would get a five star from me.

  

Read More

Kailis Brothers Fish Café (Leederville, WA)

101 Oxford Street, Leederville, WA
(08) 9443 6300
Website
Facebook
Opening hours:
   Mon-Sun: 7am-11 pm

The place is comfortable, and very functional in its decoration, but also crowded and noisy depending on the day and time you visit. The restaurant seems to attract large crows of +70yo on Sundays, and families, and +35y.o. couples and groups on Saturdays.

The staff are lovely, and they are very accommodating about everything. Service in general was fast, friendly, and attentive -- Very good.

 

As you can expect, the fish they use is super-fresh and yummy, but the food I tried was nice overall, nothing more. The fish and chips were average. The fries tasted of frozen ones. The fish was good, but very oily, and needed a bit of a dry-off. The creamy chowder was utterly disappointing and tasted more of corn flower than of fish. That is unforgivable! I have had a better chowder at Bivouac, and they aren't fish experts. The entrées of prawn croquettes and zucchini chips were the best thing I tried there, really flavoursome. 

They have a decently priced and varied chart of local and international wines, and a good selection of sweets. 

 

The place is utterly overpriced for the quality of the cooked food they offer. Example: 4 little croquettes, tapa size, 20 dollars. A rip-off. It made me want to swear the continental way. I swallowed a WTF instead!I have found better prices for croquettes in posh restaurants in Perth. Just saying.

The fish markets are great, but you will pay top dollar for the fresh fish and marinated goods they have for sale. Yet, this is Perth.

Read More

Circa Bistro (Mount Lawley, Perth WA)

676 Beaufort St
Mount Lawley, WA 6050
08 9371 9971
Facebook
Hours:
    Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
    Sat 8 am - 11 pm
    Sun 8 am - 4 pm
 

I have tried almost everything at Circa, as I was a regular visitor when I lived in Mount Lawley.

THE PLACE
Occupying what once Diva was, Circa revamped and upgraded the space but kept the layout. They added a cushioned seating area, some Art-deco elements of decoration and turned the café into a simple elegant one.  I love all the Art-deco items of decoration (the starry mirror, the hand lamps, and the horny chandelier at the top area).  At night, the candlelights and the subdued lighting create a cozy, romantic and chic ambience.

The place is always clean and tidy and rarely crowded. The place attracts people from all ages looking for a quite place with nice food to catch up and relax. 

They have clean very nice toilets, as well.

THE FOOD
I have been there for breakfast, lunch and dinner, quite often, and this is so because they have a small but interesting menu. Sometimes the food has been delicious and done to perfection, while others (even for the same dish) the dish was just nice (aka mediocre). The fact remains that after so many visits, their food has never wowed me, but it has never let me down either;there is a lack of consistency in the quality of the dishes. Many times I told myself, this dish would be great just if.., only if the added... They have great ideas, but the realisation of some dishes lacks that j'ai ne sais quoi that brings any dish to a level up. There are a few dishes that I thought were great (the Roasted Root Vegetables, chorizo and manchego toasts, the beetroot ravioli, the beetroot infused salmon breakfast, and some of their pasta dishes), while others were average (Spanish eggs with pecorino, polenta chips, some of their breakfasts, some of their pasta dishes).

They have a really nice chart of wines, my favourit was the Calo Rioja Tempranillo, worth every cent of the 11 dollars per glass I paid. 

Portions are always on the small side for mains, something that bothers me a lot. If I am charged a lot of money for a main dish I want a decent serving portion, unless I am in a fine dine restaurant, which is not the case.    

COFFEE AND DESSERTS
They have always had a nice selection of desserts at Circa, but, like the food, they could have been great but they got aborted midway, lacking technique and authenticity at times. Yet, lovely overall. 

Regarding their coffee, they use Origins Coffee, which is not amongst my favourite beans, as it is lacks in flavour. However, they prepare a good coffee even though the quality varies from barista to barista. 

SERVICE
The staff are always lovely, some of them extremely friendly. The serving tempo is not bad, on the slow side at times, perfect others. The staff are often distracted (even when the place is half full) and their warmth and willingness to please gets blended with a lack of attention to the most important thing in the restaurant - customers. In the past I have seen people leaving the restaurant because they got tired of waiting a waiter approaching them to take their order despite the place being with few clients.

PRICING
Although the food is really nice, this cafe has always been overpriced for what they serve. My opinion. More expensive than Cantina 663 at times for dishes that do not match the quality of Cantina's kitchen.

 

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
>> I know that in these days using foreign names for the ingredients and dishes is the last new thing. I don't have a problem with that if what I get in the plate is  what it is supposed to be or it has the essence of the dish. For example, if you call something a "mousse" I expect something to have the consistency of a mousse, and to be fluffy and light. If you call something "pannacotta" I expect the consistency and texture of the pannacotta. That sort of thing. Please don't mislead.
 >> Their dinner menu has (or used to have) most of the things you find for lunch. Why not creating a complete different menu for dinner?
>> They didn't have specials for ages. Then they started offering some specials, but not regularly or changing them frequently. That is not good for them. You can cross the street and go to Cantina 663 that succeeds at keeping a huge amount of regulars by constantly renewing their menu.  
 >> They need to work on their music. There is a mismatch of tunes. If you want to create a certain atmosphere you need integrity and consistency in the music. The selection is better at night but, in general, music create ambience or destroys it, if you know what I am saying. 
>> I think the methacrylate chairs don't blend well with the Art-Deco woody style of the place. They feel odd to me. But this is just a personal preference.

IN SHORT
Overall Circa is a lovely place, with lovely food, high prices and nice staff. Some of their dishes and desserts will surprise you for good, and others will let you indifferent but with a big bill. The perfect place to catch up and great for night dates.

Read More

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!<<

Read More

Jean Pierre Sancho (North Perth, Perth WA)

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.  

Read More

Koko Black Perth (Perth WA, Australia)

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!

Read More

Tasha's Cafe (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Tasha's Cafe 
Shop 16, Atholl Square Shopping Centre
Cnr Katherine and Wierda Road East
Sandton, Johannesburg
South Africa
Phone: 011 884 03 65
Website
Menu
Hours:
   Mon-Sat 6.30-18
   Sun 7.30-16:

 What a great cafe!

The girls at the beauty salon next door recommended it to me while having a pedicure, and I am glad that I visited. The owner happened to be seating next to me that day, too!


Located in Atholl Square, this small European-like cafe and restaurant is simply wonderful. 

The selection of food and sweets is fabulous. I have one of their Spanish Quesadillas and it was fresh, tasty and filling. Truly delicious. The Pear and elderflower granita was simply fabulous, prepared on the spot, with the right amount of sugar, the right thickness and a wonderful refreshing distinctive flavour. I finished my meal with a coffee, which was just average, and a lovely Red Velvet Cupcake that was yummy and fluffy. 

The ambiance is warm, classy, trendy and welcoming, with plenty of wonderful decoration elements on the counter, walls and even the ceiling. I just loved it. Even the uniform of the staff is classy and elegant!   

The place has plenty of staff, and you won't feel that you have been forgotten or nobody is paying attention to you. Quite the contrary, everybody will be around you, perhaps too much around you, and you will have a personal waiter attending to your needs. In my case, a tall lovely guy called Anthony. Mind you, if your personal waiter is busy, any other will run to your feet to make your food wish come true. Seriously! There are plenty of newspapers for customers to browse. I always love this.

Tasha's welcomes people from all ages, locals and foreigners, which says a lot about any cafe or restaurant, and there is a constant flow of customers.

The place can be pricey for locals, I think, but it is OK for most foreigners and if you happen to live or stay in any of the hotels in Katherine St, you must visit!

Read More

BROTHER (Menora, Perth WA) = CLOSED

300 Walcott Street
Menora Western Australia 6050
(08) 9272 5787
Hours:
      Mon - Fri: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
      Sat: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
      Sun: 8:30 am - 1:30 pm
 
Under new management, BROTHER is a decent unpretentious well-priced café away from the buzz of Beaufort street.

There is nothing flashy or new vogue about BROTHER. The place is small, with comfortable indoor and alfresco areas. The ambience is a bit mismatched and uninspired, still welcoming, the main decoration being the photos for sale on the walls; the woody corner on the right upon entrance is, on the contrary, truly charming, and it is a pity that the whole place is not like that. 

Brother's coffee is very good. I am not a fan of Toby State beans in general, but they do a great job with them here, and the coffee is well-prepared, smooth and creamy.  Mugs available!

Their food is a mix of Australian favourites with a emphasis on Mediterranean dishes for lunch. I love their specials, which are the ones that bring me back to Brother. I loved their White Wine Seafood Linguine, which were not only tasty, but full of chunky pieces of seafood. Their old-style home-made bowl pies were absolutely tasty and filling, although a bit soggy. Their Feta and Spinach Ravioli were also lovely. On the contrary, I found their Peas & Scallop Risotto bland. Serving sizes vary depending on the dishes.  

They have also have a nice selection of cookies, cake slices and muffins baked on the house, sometimes still warm when you order, like the strawberry friand in the photo.

The service has always been terrific regarding friendliness, speed, modifications and adjustments of the menu. All the staff and the young couple of owners are truly welcoming, humble, honest and hard-working.

The place attracts a varied group of people from all ages, families included, but mostly quiet people looking for a place where you can eat and talk at the same time without having to yell. They have several copies of the daily newspaper available for customers, which is always a big tick in my list.

One of the main downsides of the place is their limited opening hours during the weekend, days that usually bring more customers to any restaurant. I have gone on a Saturday and the kitchen was closed at 2.30pm, and 1pm on a Sunday, so I went and spent my money elsewhere. They open the whole week, and it is understandable, but perhaps closing another day of the week and having extended hours during the weekends might pay off.

MIND - They are starting to open in the evenings for dinners some days of the weekend.

BONUS - Free WIFI.

FIX IT - Last time I was there, the knob lock of the toilet self-opened. My bottom is sacred. Yelp!  

ACTIVATE IT - The former website is no longer operational. Their Facebook account has been untouched or very quiet for months. They could easily post here the specials of the week or extra info about events, change in opening times, hours when the kitchen closes and so on. 

Read More

Cantina 633 (Mount Lawley, Perth WA)

663 Beaufort St
 Astor Arcade
Mt Lawley Western Australia 6050
(08) 9370 4883
Website 
Hours:
    Mon-Sun 8:00 - 23:00Hours
    Breakfast: Mo-Sun 8am-11:30am
    Lunch: Mon-Sun 12pm-3pm
    Antipasto: Mo to Sat 3pm-6pm
     Dinner: Mo to Sat 6pm-late 

THE PLACE

Cantina 633 is located in the Astor Arcade, in the heart of Mount Lawley, in a wonderful spot that has kept spreading at the same rhythm as the popularity of the canteen has along the arcade and over the footpath. The ambience is wonderful, with great music and a gorgeous woody classy rustic inner canteen, and very pleasant in the other areas. Having said so, the seating area in the arcade can be extremely hot in summer despite being covered, and the lack of ventilation makes things even worse, which is a bit of a bummer.  

The place has always a cheery vibe. The place is always crowded, no matter the hour or the day you go, and has a group of regulars from all ages and kinds, and a traditional hangout for hypsters, foodies, and interesting people in general. The place can be noisy, and the space between tables tiny, so don't spill your beans here, but this also part of its charm!


The clientele seems to have decreased a bit in the last few months, as the same pace as the hypsters of the area have moved to Cantina's sister place Mary Street Bakery.

FOOD 

Cantina is an institution in Perth. You have to respect that. Cantina's owners have an eye for anything Mediterranean that is good and not that popular in Perth until they bring it in. Then, it becomes trendy around Perth, like their gnocchi, morcilla, or some of their antipasti. 

Cantina's food is simple and delicious, perfect for vegetarians, vegans and celiacs. They have a very small selection of dishes, and an interesting selection of imported goodies and drinks. 

Their BREAKFASTS have been hit and miss for me, but I have to say that their slow eggs are the best most perfect looking I have found in Perth. I had scrambled eggs for my birthday three Novembers ago and they were dry and salty, quite average in every possible way. A fact that has not brought me back for breakfast until this year. Since then, I have gone a few times and found great dishes and others that were pretty average. 

The Falafel Breakfast was perfect in presentation, serving size, and taste. The slow eggs were absolutely divine, yummy and so good looking that one felt like kissing them not eating them; I would added a bit of more sauce, to moist the whole dish, but this is just a personal preference.  

The Pancetta Breakfast was average by all standards regarding size, presentation and taste. The pancetta piece was first quality, so I felt that they had wasted a big chunk of awesomeness in a mediocre dish. 

The Cantina Full Breakfast was very filling and enjoyable. Unfortunately, the bacon was badly cooked, with the borders burned and the centre not cooked enough. The rest was perfect.

Their ANTIPASTI are delicious, especially the Antipasti Board, with so many different things on it, all of them yummy. It is supposed to be for two people, but it can feed a person with a big stomach if you want a substantial dinner. 

Their imported antipasti used to be quite exclusive in Perth, although the development of Perthies' palate and joy for tapas-style plates has them also available in other places. They might not be that fancy or wow if you are from the country they come from, but they will feed your nostalgia, not just your stomach.

The LUNCHES have also been hit and miss, wish some dishes leaving me wow, and others "unwowed". The nicest thing I have tried at Cantina were the Pesto and Seafood Spaghetti, a traditional Italian dish, that was absolutely yummy: pasta al dente, perfect mix of flavours, right amount of chillies, pity about the serving size! 

The Vegan Rotolo was amazingly good looking, tasty an filling, with a great mixture of textures and vegetarian ingredients. One of those dishes that makes you feel  that vegetarian is yummy an filling, and a decent serving.  

Some of their salads have an odd mix of flavours that I not always enjoy, especially because of the pungent green they use as a base for them. My favourite one has been their Salmon and Egg Salad, which I found to be an absolute winner; the  whole mix was a bit odd, a priory, but it ended being perfectly balanced, filling, flavoursome, balanced, and awesome looking, too. 

The cuttlefish pasta was a decent serving of casarecce, perfectly cooked al dente, light, filling, and perfect for summer. The flavours per se were good, but the cuttlefish is a bit blah per se, so the dish would have needed of some more herbs or spices to be more flavoursome. I always find that pasta with fish, not tomato-based, goes perfectly with shelled seafood or fish, as the shells give the extra punch in flavour that the pasta needs.

I love pan-fried gnocchi in general, but I have had different levels of satisfaction -all based on my personal taste- regarding the mix of produce they use in their recipe, and the degree of fulfilment (of my stomach) I get, as they are mostly vegetarian or vegan recipes. Still, this the flagship of the place, and very good, and you need to try it if you haven't already. 

COFFEE  AND SWEETS

Cantina's coffee is good and smooth. If you are into strong coffee, the Italian way, you will need a long topped-up macchiato to get what I call a flavoursome flat white. The coffee stand outside, at the moment just used on weekends at peak hours, is great to keep things flowing. 

They always have a small selection of slices, mini-tarts and muffins on the counter, which are lovely to accompany your coffee or finish you meal with something sweet. I have found them to be good, but nothing outstanding.

They also have a two or three sweets cooked in the premises, which is always a bonus, and more my type of dessert. I had the Yoghurt Strawberry Pannacotta, and it was delicious and a pleasure for the senses; wonderfully plated, a lovely mix of colours and a wonderful mix of textures and flavours in your mouth. The mix of the delicate yoghurt, strawberry strips of basil and nutty "dukka" was a winner. 

WINE & BEER

Their wine listing is one of the most interesting thing in the whole menu, and something you should splurge in if you want to splurge on something at Cantina. I am always pleased with their selection of Spanish wines and beers, which are badly represented in quality and variety in WA. They have Alhambra beer, which are only produced in the city of Granada, in Spain, and I almost cried when I saw it there. I have never splurged in their super-expensive wines, but every wine by the glass I have had there has been excellent.
  

PRICING

I do not mind paying a bit for a meal, if the meal is really worth it, if the cooking is sophisticated, and what you eat is artistically presented. After all, you need to pay for quality, creativity, and fine dining. However, each time I visit Cantina, I leave feeling that the food is lovely, but not always worth the price. The pricing is ridiculous for some things. Just to give an example, the fried cauliflower dish costed 14 bucks, but you get a whole cauliflower, in season, for 2 bucks.

Imported goodies and bevarages are a luxury that we need to pay. We are paying for having those wines in Perth and for the high importation taxes that businesses have to pay to have them here, not because they are expensive or very exclusive in origin - I am fine with that.

To be fair, pricing is so ridiculous in most Perth cafes and restaurants at the moment, some of them of poor quality, that I content myself at thinking that at least Cantina the food is good.  

SERVICE 
Fact - They are quite accommodating regarding changes and adjustments in their set dishes. That is my experience.

Fact - Some staff members are very friendly, sweet and serviceable, an others are unfriendly, tight, nosey and not serviceable. Generally speaking, there has been an attitude problem that I can barely tolerate. It escapes my understanding why a waiter would feel so high in his/her position to be arrogant to any customer. At the same time, I understand that, at peak hours, the place is packed to the rafters and the staff has to make do the best they can. In fact, it is stressful watching them running non-stop all over the place, and that might be the reason why they cannot provide a better service. I do not blame them, I blame the owners for not having more staff at peak times. The staff is certainly more relaxed when the place is not full or during the week.

Fact - You could arrive after some people have already ordered and be served before they do, or vice versa. Both things have happened to me. 

Fact - They serve your food fast or slow depending on the day, the hour and the moment you happen to walk in. You could be served your whole meal in 10 minutes or have to wait 10 minutes for a simple coffee. Both things have happened to me, too.

Fact - If you arrive before 12pm but after 11.30am, they will not serve you breakfast, or any food at all, they will not give you the printed menu list either until it is o'clock, because "they are deciding and putting together the menu"... Then, you get the menu list and its the usual menu that has been there for a few weeks. I showed surprise last time that happened to me, and the guy looked at me as if I had just arrived from inland Mongolia. I hate being bullxtd.


ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

& The service needs an overhaul, and more people at peak hours, so the staff can attend to customers in a more relaxed way.
 
& The food menu should change more often. An ever-changing menu brings regular backs, and it is shows the level of culinary creativity of the place. Working with seasonal produce should create a bigger and more changing menu. They change, modify and add some new dishes regularly, but somewhat, most of their dishes are set and change little. 

& They need to add more meat and fish dishes, and/or add more meat/fish to the dishes they already have.

& Servings used to be minuscule, so I would leave hungry and a bit grumpy. The last two times I have visited the servings have been quite bigger, so I have left happy. Middle-sized servings are a a wonderful thing to have in a restaurant for entrees, and big-sized servings for lunches. I can take care of my waist line myself.

& The plating of some dishes could be easily improved. Their plates are mismatched, mix of rustic crockery with modern bone china. Some of the dishes look ugly in their plate because of the crockery. If you have good food, use simple bone crockery to frame it. Plate food with a photographic eye, as this is what people notice when you put a plate in front of their eyes. If you put a "brown" sort of dish on a blue plate, it looks odd and ugly, no matter how yummy it is. 

& The coffee glasses and cups are Lilliputian for anything you order. They need a set of mugs and average-size cups right now., don't even question my statement or raise your eyebrows. It is unacceptable and highly reproachable, that they don't allow you to seat if you have a take-away coffee from their own stand, or to order one from the stand while you are seating. This is, to me, a rip-off practice that doesn't make any favour to the place or the owners. I prefer to get my second coffee or both of them elsewhere, and stay here just for the food. Tap water is free :).

& The coffee stand in the arcade should always be there, even on weekdays peak hours. It really gets things flowing. During weekdays, coffees come out quickly for take-aways depending on the amount of orders that the barista has at hand. I have found them doing everything they can, but this is not always enough. A separate stand for take-aways would just be perfect for everybody. Also, think about this - people wait for their coffee in front or around the counter, obtruding the passage of the waiters to/from the kitchen, so things sometimes do not flow not even at a physical level.

& My eyes pop up out of my sockets each time I see the Italian salt container on the table. Yes, it is Italian, who cares? it is salt, so put it in a pretty salt container, like the pepper, and there will be some harmony on my table.  Otherwise, leave the salt in its original container, so they form a visual item.  

& Paywave is the wave right now. 

& They should be updating the info in their website as the same time their menus do. 

This advice is for free :)

***

Cantina is one of my favourite cafés and restaurants in Perth. Cantina is your place if you want simple Mediterranean-inspired food and antipasti and wines you are not familiar with. Cantina is not your place if you are super-hungry, need lots of food on your plate, are looking for sophisticated Mediterranean food or just for a quiet place. 

Cantina transports you to warm shores where food is great, but also something that bring people together and make them happy. That is included in the price, and it always makes me happy.

Location: 9/10
Layout: 7.5/10
Ambience:8.5/10
Service: 6-8/10 (varies)
Food: 7.5-8.5/10 (varies)
Coffee: 7
Pricing: 7/10 
=========================

UPDATE 14/9/2014 

It has been over a year since I wrote my last review, and these guys have made the impossible to win me over. Yes, "Cantinasins", you have wowed me lately and you have earned the Five Star. Bling. Crown. Bling.

You have to say "chapeau" to these guys because they have addressed and solved most of the issues that were bothering me in the past, which I mentioned in my long review. Her Royal Crankiness (me!) feels very proud of you.

The long expected take-away coffee available on the table is now available (I consider that my own personal victory), their menu rotates more often, their servings have increased and I have found myself not being able to finish the plate (!), the pricing has kept steady (not cheap but not expensive either), and most of the permanent staff are welcoming and lovely. Yes, there is the occasional Mfckr, but they tend to disappear quickly, so the place remains the lovely friendly place it is.

Don't look at my check-ins, I've been there more than double the number, and I can say that Cantina has a place in my heart... and stomach  - Isn't that the same?

It is not just the issues solved (I love my issues to be solved so I don't have any issue with people who create them) - it is the food. That is what brings me back.

Visiting Cantina has become a sort of weekend ritual - Walking almost 15 minutes, empty stomach with the the anticipation of what they have come up with, first, and enjoying the yummy food and telling myself, it was worth it, later.

Sometimes you look at the new "thing" and tell yourself "this looks unappealing", then you try it and it is absolutely yummy. That was the case with the morcilla, egg and salsa verde on toast a couple of weeks ago. Top notch mix of flavours, and the morcilla was absolutely fabulous. The couple by my table kept looking at my dish, more thrilled by it than by their scramble eggs and lack of conversation :O.

What about the Kedgeree. No, it is not Mediterranean, but it was yummy, man-sized, very filling without being heavy. Perfect brunch. A big "O" came from  my belly. The splash of green salad covering the crunchy but fluffy mixed-curried rice "croquettes" stood proud on a bed of potato salad telling me... eat me all over!

I love their fresh organic juices, au-naturelle but bottled. Still, it would be great having fresh juices available. I love mocktails for lunch. They are so easy to prepare and so missing from Cantina's lunch menu... just saying.... And those salt containers still look ugly...

Read More

Cafe Downey (Mount Lawley, Perth WA) - CLOSED

60 Walcott St
Mt Lawley Western Australia 6050
(08) 9370 1172
Hours   
Tue - Fri: 10:00 - 21:00
Sat - Sun: 08:00 - 21:00
Facebook
 

Downey Cafe would be a successful story if they were located in the city business area, where sandwich lovers and big-serving lovers would rejoice in a munching celebration. Unfortunately for Downey Cafe, they are located in the heart of Mt Lawley, off Beaufort St, where hypeness and fanciness are a successful magic de-facto couple and working-day sort of meals are not well appreciated.

The decor of the place is very functional, pleasant to the eye, but it lacks character for the always demanding Mt Lawley clientele. Still, the place is comfortable. The fact that the place is not popular or trendy makes it perfect for quiet chatty cue-free, noise-free rendezvous, which is always great.The place is very clean and have lovely toilets! Children friendly. Family friendly. Me friendly.

Downey specialises in what I call manly food: sandwiches and burgers, but they have a selection of salads and cakes. Their sandwiches are very fresh and tasty, huge in size, and  they come always with crunchy delicious chips. Their breakfast menu is not the usual one you find everywhere, very tasty and generous in size; however, the time I had mine there, I got my eggs tepid, which is a big no-no for the cranky-in-the-mornings me.

Their coffee is Ok.

Service is fast. The staff are matter of fact, still affable.

The pricing is great.

Read More

The Grumpy Sailor Fremantle (Fremantle, Perth WA) - RELOCATED

82 High St
(Inside the New Edition Bookshop)
Fremantle Western Australia 6160
(08) 9335 2383
 Hours:
    Mon to Fri 7.30am-5pm
    Sat 8am-5pm
    Sun 9am-5pm
Website
Facebook

 
There is little to say about this café, and everything is good. The most important thing about the Grumpy Sailor is that they have an excellent coffee. In fact, they have one of the best coffees, if not the best, in the whole Perth Metropolitan Area -my opinion-, plus one of the cutest and more recognisable branded logos and cups in the city. They also have an awesome selection of home-made sweets. The pistachio brownie is my winner!

 

Located within the New Edition Bookshop, this cafe is a dream for any book lover. You are having a damn good cup of coffee surrounded by an ocean of books, in a place that is ample, cosy and charming. The Grumpy sailor has cute and comfortable pieces of furniture and table service, a lovely wall with iconic movie posters, and an ambience that induces you to very good things beyond "coffeeing", like enjoying your company's company, having a intellectual conversation, listening to other people's conversations, reading, writing, browsing the newspaper, playing with your tarot cards, doing solitaires, or watching the Fremantlites pass by. You choose your mood and what you want to do, and push your bottom down into one of their lovely seating areas: one of the tables around the cafe, one of the many tables spread around the bookshop, or one of the little seating places located at the faux-balcony facing the street.

The service at the café is diligent and helpful but, unlike the guys who used to attend at the Grumpy Sailor Northbridge, the ones I have found during my visits here lack a bit of warmth.

The pricing of the sweets is a bit high and the size small. They are great and yummy, though.  Bagels are not my thing, so I have not tried theirs.

The Grumpy Sailor is worth the ride to Fremantle. You will feel like one of Woody Allen's characters, if you aren't already one. Follow the rail Camino and you will get to any caffiend's pilgrimage destination. No sailing needed. We are all grumpy.

Read More

Fiorentina (North Perth, Perth WA)

44 Angove Street, North Perth, WA.
(08) 9328 7442
Website 
Facebook
Hours:
  Mon - Sun: 07:00-17:00
   

L'amore per la vita dolce" -Love for the sweet life- is the motto of this family operated Italian patisserie, gelateria and café located at the bottom end of Angove St's café strip.

THE GOOD

+ Some of their hot dishes are very good, tasty and good sized. I especially like their baked eggs breakfast (eggs, white beans, home-made tomato sauce, chorizo, fresh tomato, baby spinach, cheese, and parsley plus toast), which makes a terrific brunch. They are very good and very filling, and the best baked eggs I have eaten in Perth so far. My opinion. Their Thai and vegetarian capsicum salad are very nice, too.
+ Their selection of sweets and cakes is impressive with a mix of Australian traditional favourites, authentic Italian sweets, and European seasonal desserts. Their cabinet is a heaven for dessert-o-holics, and it is difficult to choose just one thing. Their macaroons are amongst the most popular item. They have wonderfully pre-packaged macaroons and cupcakes for Mother's Day, and other seasonal festivities, the last one I bought, a gorgeous china tea cup and saucer with a cupcake. 
+ Portions are decently sized. 
+  Food and coffee are better than in some of the cafés around. 

+ The Coffee is good. They use Bonissimo Beans, which are among my favourites, as they produce strong flavoursome coffee that is not bitter. Their mix is not as flavoursome or strong as in other cafés, but it is is still good, and the coffee is very well prepared, even artistically finished at times.
+ They have very good quality cutlery and strong decent paper napkins. Little details make a difference.
+ Most of the staff are attentive, polite, friendly, and eager to serve. 
+ Service is relatively fast.
+ No hype here. This is a family friendly place, with patrons from all ages (although mostly +30y.o.).
+ They have plenty of newspapers for customers. 
+ Their cooling system for their alfresco area is super-cool (literally!) with a  aspersion system that sprinkles cold air above the seating area. That is soooooo appropriate for Perth scorching summer!
+ They cater for functions, design your wedding or birthday cake, and sell ice-cream tarts.
+ I love their sweets and cake slices. They seem to have a new one each week, and they use seasonal produce. All of the ones I have tried were amazing. 

  

THE SO-SO
- Their sweets are really tiny in size and a bit pricey. Some of them are really nice, but others are just average and not worth the price.
- Their lamb chunks can be very dry and hard, and difficult to cut with a normal knife.
- Although they have air-con inside, the place can be humid and hot in +30-degrees days.
- I have found isolated examples of staff rudeness and unfriendliness. It is a pity, because one person can ruin the reputation of the whole place. I have also found a sort of lack of organisation in the service at times. 
- Service can be disorganised at times.
- The place is always crowded, and it can be tricky finding a place to seat during weekends.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
= Provide sharp knives when serving steak or dishes with thick pieces of meat.  It makes a whole difference!
= This is just a personal wish. I do not like elongated plates for my food, They limit the movement of my hand and moving the food around. On the other hand, how to put it? a round plate improves presentation and comes prettier in the photo...
= I think service need to be a more systematic. In the sense that one person takes care of one thing, so you don't have three people asking your if you have been served or three people not paying attention to you. One person at the cash, one person serving coffee, a person serving sweets, a waiter serving food on the tables, that sort of structuring of the service.   

TIP
- Go for the lunch specials, macaroons, and coffee and you won't be disappointed.
- Seat outside in hot days. It sounds like a joke, but it will be cooler than inside!
- If you have a birthday or seasonal event and want a sweet gift for somebody walk in and check their special packed items for Mother's Day, Valentines, and other seasonal festivities.

Read More