Tucked away in the heart of Claremont is an artisan coffee roaster and café. Open seven days a week Typika oozes a sophisticated laid back style that not many cafés nail.
Typika
Chapels on Whatley
I love impromptu breakfasts. Especially those with friends who have just returned from honeymoons with plenty of adventures to share. We caught up Hayleigh and Stephen over breakfast and the hugest mug of coffee I have ever seen at Chapels on Whatley. Chapels is a furniture store come cafe known for its diverse menu with an Asian flair complimenting the extensive selection of tea available.
I didn't feel like anything too breakfast-y so I ordered the Asian noodle omelette. I drowned it in extra chilli and soy sauce and it hit the spot. I must admit I did feel a little sullen when the pancake stack arrived.
There is something so damn magical about the ménage à trois of banana, bacon and maple syrup. Add these cheeky three to a stack of fluffy pancakes and you are in absolute bliss. God bless America!
Miss Kitty's Saloon
Bloody Mary's + comfort food. Enough said.
G: a wild performance of your greenest dreams
Considered the Hamlet of ballet, Giselle deals with all spectrums of life even its darkest corners. G is Gary Stewart’s raw deconstruction of traditional Giselle. The classic elements of death, gender, jealousy, the supernatural, betrayal and hysteria are stunningly captured in this jaw-dropping production.
A rolling LED screen leads each dancer onto stage introducing each character, lighting the stage a vivid green. The plot unravels in a flood of green and the stage is suddenly held hostage by this high-octane physical performance. The dancers only enter the stage from the left and only exit on the right. They move left to right, each dancer as utterly captivating as the last.
G is highly energetic and immeasurably engaging. The 11 dancers of Australian Dance Theatre push themselves to their physical limits breathing fire and fresh life into ballet. Hauntingly beautiful movements are suddenly shadowed by the twist and contortion of bodies. Every movement is explored with a stunning heart racing score of electronic music. The most enthralling element being the dancer’s expressions. Anguish, hatred, shock and every possible raw emotion were clear as day to the audience already mesmerised by the explosive choreography.
G is the wildest performance of your greenest dreams. Showing at the State Theatre for another two nights G will have very few tickets left so be sure to start sprinting to the box office. G will leave you short of breath, wanting to take another hit.
The Everleigh
'Bartending is an old and honourable trade. It is not a profession and I have no sympathy with those who try to make it anything but what it was. The idea of calling a bartender a professor or a mixologist is nonsense.'
Official Mixers Manual Patrick Gavin Duffy, 1934
A postcard from The Everleigh
The Croft Institute
Hidden down the winding alleyways of Chinatown in Melbourne lays the The Croft Institute. Three storeys of oddity with a laboratory on the ground floor, the middle floor hauntingly screaming of an asylum and top floor home to a 1930's styled gymnasium.
Tuesday Night Crew
Every so often on a Tuesday evening someone in our friendship circle puts on their hosting hat and cooks dinner for a long table of friends. This time Sheree and Craig joined forces, crockery and skills.
chefs
Sheree and Craig
entrees
get forked
mains
slow cooked beef cheek with pappardelle
green citrus salad
oven baked sourdough with garlic
dessert
cheeseboard
chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream
Homecooked Chilli Mussels
Sunday night in with Hanni, Tals and Ryan, before we kicked Ryan out for the company of a man of the same name.
Tuesday Night Crew
Every so often on a Tuesday evening someone in our friendship circle puts on their hosting hat and cooks dinner for a long table of friends.
chef
Ciara with assistant chefs: Ike & Willy
entrees
fetta and sundried tomato tarts, corn fritters with smoked salmon capers and creme fraiche
mains
haloumi salad, chicken, chorizo and potato bake with fresh herbs
dessert
brandy snap baskets filled with custard and berries
Kettle Cafe
Every pocket of the globe needs a great local cafe. Somewhere to walk to on a Sunday morning knowing the smell of coffee and a paper await. Kettle Cafe has recently popped up in Lathlain much to the delight the locals piling in for honest home cooked fare.
Our friends who all live close have been singing Kettle's praises since it opened. Breakfasts are my favourite catch ups so we quickly snapped up the opportunity to check it out. The cafe has a breezy neighbourhood feel with warm furnishings and welcoming staff. There are cosy and intimate tables for lovebirds, larger tables for groups and the rustic communal table is perfect for spreading out the paper. The rugrat friendly corner is right by the low, lounge style seating for parents to enjoy their meal whilst the little ones play.
The breakfast menu is short and simple and the counter filled with sweets and muffins for those wanting a sweeter start to the day.
I can never understand my boyfriend at breakfast time. He always orders what I think is the boring option, this time the classic free range eggs poached with avocado and bacon which was wolfed down in seconds. The lemon and thyme polenta served with creamy mushrooms, rocket, thick shavings of parmesan and a drizzle of basil oil caught my eye so I added a serve of poached eggs on top. It was warming and hearty, tasting like a Winter breakfast should.
Kettle Cafe is a quaint little cafe just perfect for this corner of the world.
EAT | DIN TAI FUNG (Singapore)
The original restaurant opened in the 80s and now boasts a Michelin star. Its success has seen Bingyi Yang and his wife open branches of their authentic Taiwanese restaurant all over the world. Din Tai Fung's signature dish xiao long baos are made in the trademark open concept kitchen. You can watch hungrily as the chefs keep busy with the mountains of dumplings ordered each day.
Din Tai Fung
26 Sentosa Gateway
#01-217 Singapore
EAT | EMPRESS MALL (Singapore)
We have been coming to the Empress Road hawkers ever since I was little. My nanna has lived in the same complex between Farrer and Queens Road since my mother was a free spirited 20 year old wanting to travel the world. It was only fitting that our last hawker meal be here for nostalgia's sake.
I was saddened to see that so many stalls had closed and that it was not the bustling marketplace from my memories. Built in the 70s, Empress is not looking as majestic as she used to. Whilst the surrounds may be a little lacklustre there is nothing gloomy about the people who keep the fires burning, some dishing up local food for over 30 years.
We bid farewell to Singapore with a healthy serving of rojak, chicken rice, curry puffs, bao, fried rice and greens eaten in the comfort of my Nanna's little corner of the world.
Empress Road Market & Food Centre
Blk 7, Empress Road, Singapore 260007
EAT | WAKU GIN (Singapore)
'Waku Ghin' is derived from two Japanese words ‘Waku’ meaning to arise (like water pouring forth from a hot spring) and 'Ghin' meaning 'silver'. This striking metal is Chef Tetsuya Wakuda's favourite colour and it is highlighted throughout his distinguished restaurant at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
The main dining room which enjoys the exclusive view of the Singapore skyline holds a mere 25 seats. The exquisite 10-course degustation menu is considered amongst the best of the world. Tetsuya's famed degustation will set you back around $S936 ($728) for two people with exotic dishes such as sea urchin and abalone.
Our last night in Singapore called for a slightly less indulgent evening so we treated my sister and her boyfriend to pre-dinner oysters and cocktails in The Bar at Waku Ghin. The Bar offers the same impeccable service with an astounding selection of 85 handcrafted cocktails.
The oysters were dressed with a simple mix of rice vinegar, olive oil and ginger and were served on ice. Their seemingly gigantic size did not compromise the delicate flavour, each bursting with a briny taste of the ocean. At $S72 per half dozen ... thank god they were stunning!
After a weekend of drinking countless bespoke cocktails we each selected a classic. Ryan ordered his signature man-swig Negroni, Kane opted for a Whiskey Old Fashioned, Vanessa went totally left field and ordered bloody mary and I chose a espresso martini just for kicks.
As for Waku Ghin ... I will see you next time.
Elmar's
Hearty bratwurst sausages in soft white buns. Laden with sauerkraut, tomato sauce and mustard just needed jalapeños to make them the perfect cure for my bf's hangover on Saturday morning.
Scoop Wagon
I scream, you scream we all scream for ice cream. There is something about this whimsical cold dessert that stirs your inner child. There were no musical trucks just a big Ben & Jerry's Scoop Wagon in the middle of the Cultural Centre. Something made me quicken my pace, excited to peer inside this freezer of forbidden treats.
I chose a double scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough and coconut seven layer bar and loved every moment. I have eaten ice cream all over the world and this cup of icy treats was pretty darn good. This little piece of sweet American history sitting here in little old Perth reminded me of one of my favourite films.
'Ode to Ice Cream' by Vada Sultenfuss (My Girl)
I like ice cream a whole lot
It tastes good on days that are hot
On a cone or in a dish
This will be my only wish
Vanilla, chocolate, rocky road
Even with pie, a la mode.
I knew it!
Ain't no party like a cheese toast party!
With its namesake a clever play on Wu-Tang words, Toastface Grillah was carefully curated to reign supreme. You can't help but think .. how was this not thought of earlier?!
Tucked away down Grand Lane (home to Lightspace Lockers amongst other sweet projects) this little toastie joint breathes life into a somewhat seedier part of the 'hood.
The sunny outdoor area is a mix of crates and makeshift seats making it the perfect place to hang as you suck up some rays or shelter from the rain.
Relax, kick your sneakered feet up and knock back a coffee (which I hear is first rate) or in my case a bottle of Sarsaparilla whilst you wait for the magic.
We ordered an Apple & Gouda and a Ham & Cheese both ticking all the right boxes and gobbled down in seconds. I think what makes a good toastie are a) two thick slabs of wonderful white bread b) a generous application of salty butter 30 good quality (and plentiful) cheese and trimmings and d) it must be thrown onto the grill at the right temperature instantly sizzling the butter warming up to golden brown as the cheese slowly melts down the sides.
Whilst I would have loved to tear through the menu chowing down multiple toasties my gluten hatin' tummy would not have left smiling. But that's okay ... I am quite alright with tackling each menu item one visit at a time.
Circa
Circa has opened in the long forgotten Diva site on Beaufort Street. The decor is rich with opulent finishings making it a little too dark and gloomy for breakfast. The sunlight just peaking in through the open doors. By night you could definitely imagine cramming into a booth with a bunch of friends sharing hearty Mediterranean fare and a bold bottle of Shiraz.
The breakfast menu consists of approachable breakfast items such as:
Poached apples, pears, rhubarb with granola crumble
Sicilian sausages, poached eggs, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, manchego
Smashed avocado, roasted tomatoes, fetta, sourdough, olive oil
I do love a good Croque Monsieur so we ordered one to share. The sandwich came out drowning in béchamel sauce and stuffed with honey baked ham, swiss cheese and dijon mustard. The bread lots its toasted crunch as it battled with the overflowing sea of sauce.
The beetroot cured salmon was a refreshing light option. Served with a slice of green vegetable frittata on sourdough. Topped with a lovely dollop of a familiar something, maybe hollandaise and creme fraiche, which added a delicious punch of buttery zest. The poached eggs served on organic Loafer's sourdough were beefed up with a side of bacon, the yoke perfectly runny.
I wish I had taken a peak of the dinner menu. Circa has taken off where Diva left off making it a nice local restaurant to enjoy welcoming service and simple, homely meals with family and friends.
Clarences
If you walked past Clarences during daylight you would hardly notice all the good things going on in this inviting neighbourhood bar. By night, the windows are glowing from the candlelit tables, each corner bustling and the leafy courtyard alive. Throngs of people patiently wait in line to lap up local pleasures. Although I do love the buzz of Clarences by night, it is the quieter days that I love the most. Those times when it is easy to find a cozy nook to sample the wonders of the bar and delights from the kitchen.
Our friends counting down the days until their adventure to explore the wonders of Barcelona, London, Paris and beyond. Lucky them! Lazy Sunday farewell drinks in the comfortable surrounds of Clarences was the perfect choice.
Still a little full from breakfast at The Precinct, I ceremoniously bid farewell to my morning meal with an Amaro Montenegro 'the liqueur of the virtues' on the rocks. There is something about this Italian bitters that brings a smile and flush to my cheeks especially during Winter.
Amidst the copious rounds of drinks to celebrate our wandering friends we ordered a bunch of share style plates for the table:
Pork ribs - deliciously sticky with the meat easily pulling away from the bone.
Queso fundido with toritlla chips - a mini spiced mexican fondue
Chicken wings and chipotle sauce - crispy yet tender with smoky sauce
Chewy cheese buns - Clarences take on the popular cheesey puffs loved by Brazil
Hot chips - who doesn't love hot chips on a rainy afternoon?
Arancini - a safe and delicious staple on the small goods menu
Oh Clarences, I have missed you.
Breakfast Beer + Doughnuts
Beer and doughnuts at breakfast? Yeah why not. The Precinct is always full of such lovely surprises known for adding twists to old classics. It is not often I stray into this part of town but my experiences at The Precinct have always been good ones. It has all the makings of a wonderful local and yet it also worth the trek. Friendly knowledgeable staff, lots of room to move about, an innovative drinks menu and beautiful creative food.
We thought we would forego the usual Sunday order of a Bloody Mary, opting for the recommended Moa Breakfast Beer. It was clean, lightly dancing on the palate. Full of berry flavours reminiscent of a packet of strawberries and cream.
Tay and I ordered the French toast served soft and fluffy laden with aromatic exotic mushrooms, punchy rocket dotted with fresh herbs and labne. I had a day of dining ahead so I welcomed this lighter style dish. The boys opted for eggs on toast adding side dishes to pimp their plates.
I just love the slow eggs and sous vide scrambled eggs at The Precinct. They are carefully and gently cooked on a low heat to which results in such a silky texture. It isn't for everyone but I love my eggs runny. There is nothing worse than a hard yoke!
We shared a serve of caramel doughnuts which were just out of this world! The sugary doughnut balls were injected with salted caramel served with a delicate espresso chantilly cream to dunk them in. Such a cheeky option if you are looking for something sweet at breakfast. We just ordered one serve between six each savouring the decadent few bites, which after a fulfilling meal is really more than enough.
Beer and doughnuts on a Sunday morning .. what more could you want?
