Film, popcorn and choc bombs

Revelation Film Festival

This July our city transforms into a film lover’s paradise.  Escape to a cosier land where salty popcorn and hand made choc bombs reign supreme.  Immerse yourself in some of the world’s best offbeat cinematic offerings at the Revelation Film Festival. 

Rev as it is affectionately known, showcases contemporary independent films across Luna cinemas from this Thursday, 3 July.  A myriad of documentaries, features and shorts, usually shocking, brilliant and provocative or a mixture of all three!  

Here is what I can’t wait to see at Rev:

Under the Skin
Rev kicks off with the festival’s darling, Under the Skin.  Love her or hate her, Scarlett Johannson always turns heads.  This time she plays Laura, an alien luring men to their deaths with her captivating looks.  Some would think, there are worse ways to die! The film is dotted with scenes capturing non-actors being filmed unawares with hidden cameras. 

Vladmaster Viewmaster Experience
Celebrate the analogue with Perth’s first, Vladmaster Viewmaster Experience. With a Viewmaster in hand, this interactive session will take you on a visual journey like no other as you click along to the soundtrack. Definitely one to share with friends!  Once the word spreads, I have a feeling this one will sell out. 

Palo Alto
Being the niece of one of film’s most influential female directors would be a little scary.  Or perhaps a flirtation with film from a young age is a healthy confidence booster.  One thing is for sure, Gia Coppola, had the right connections to bring James Franco’s 2010 collection of short stories to life.  Palo Alto follows a group of teens living in a small Californian town of the same name.   Starring the likes of James Franco and Val Kilmer,  its hard not to put this one on your ‘one to watch radar’.

The Man Whose Mind Exploded
This curious doco follows the bohemian life of Drako Oho Zarhazar.  With all the trimmings of a circus performer it’s not hard to believe there are many whispers about Drako.  Stories of a dancing career and modelling for Salvador Dali, but this film explores a deeper side as Director Toby Aimes pieces together the fragments of Drako’s life.

Wetlands
What do avocadoes, filth and bodily excretions have in common? Wetlands.  Dubbed by Buzzfeed as the most WTF movie of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, you will have to watch this cult bestseller turned movie to find out.

For more information check out the Revelation Film Festival website.

Pintxos - to spike

JON FAVREAU’S CHEF (2014)

Don't see Chef on an empty stomach!  With a colourful cast, witty dialogue and oh so many delicious scenes it is definitely one to watch with a big bowl of popcorn.  Here are my favourite snippets from the film.

1.  Chef Carl and his son tucking into Cuban sandwiches like a boss.

2.  A dark haired Scarlett Johannson eating pasta like a babe.

3.  The gang perfecting their Cuban sandwich recipe.  I am sure many of my wonderful food vendor friends have all had this moment of glory.

4. Discovering that Franklin Barbecue is legit!  The smoke house they visit in Austin Texas is the real deal. 

Winter Arts Season - picks for June

With the days drawing shorter, the nights unfold early, with no better place to scurry away than somewhere warm and inviting. The Winter Arts Season offers that retreat, delivering another enthralling line up in its tenth year. You have all Winter to lose yourself in theatre, music, dance and more, why would you bother staying in? Here are my top picks for June:

The Winter Supper Club will have you reaching for mulled wine and lining up for dinner time delights.  Twilight’s wintery little sister takes over Forrest Place each Friday to warm up your appetite.  Discover the tastes of Colombia at Marcelita’s empanadas, marvel at pulled pork at Boss Hoss BBQ or slide into a burger or two at the Merrywell food van.  The last Friday of each month brings a different line up of food vendors with a myriad of flavours and is definitely worth a look.

Dark tales stir in the sleepy little town of Huntersville.  Werewolf Priest is a wry little musical held in the intimacy of the Blue Room Theatre. A story of love with bold, brazen personalities and a creature lurks in the night terrorizing the town.  Somewhere between American Werewolf in Paris and Beauty & the Beast, it’s as if Disney took a swing at you then laughed in your face.   This production is a perfect Winter’s night out with a peppery glass of red in hand.   More info ...

Rabbithead tells the story of two best friends. Loving life, taking selfies and totally inseparable… well until life takes a sour turn and messes it all up.  With beats by DJ Catlips and more feathers on stage than a night at Connies, this production is set to be electric.  You can catch Rabbithead at the Blue Room Theatre until 14 June, so be quick!  More info ..

From 6-22 June, award winning playwright Aidan Fennessy brings us House on the Lake.  Studio Underground at the State Theatre Centre will host this psychological thriller.   Fellow blogger Carmen Jenner has written a fantastic review which you can read here.   I cannot wait to check this out.  More info ..

Last year I was utterly mesmerised by G.  The high octane dance works by the Australian Dance Theatre Co was my favourite performance in the 2013 Winter Arts Season. 

This time round, 2 One Another has caught my eye and seems to have that same pulse.  This multi award-winning work is set against a pulsing neon backdrop with haunting electronic sounds and is being held at His Maj from 18-21 June.   More info..

Rabbithead tells the story of two best friends. Loving life, taking selfies and totally inseparable… well until life takes a sour turn and messes it all up.  With beats by DJ Catlips and more feathers on stage than a night at Connies, this production is set to be electric.  You can catch Rabbithead at the Blue Room Theatre until 14 June, so be quick!  More info ..

Yum cha in the fresh air

The bustle and clatter of dining carts at yum cha on a Sunday morning can be a little too much if one has consumed far too many gin and tonics the night before.    One of my favourite tricks is to grab yum cha takeaway and enjoy every greasy morsel in the fresh air and comfort of my courtyard. 

Golden Century Seafood Chinese Restaurant always hits the spot. My yum cha favourites are steamed pork buns, radish cake, crispy squid tentacles and dumplings.  Goodbye hangover ... old friend. 

Mary Street Bakery

A salted caramel doughnut as a treat before breakfast?  Um, yes please.

Having a bakery on Beaufort Street has added many inches in all the wrong places but meh ... I would rather enjoy my breakfast with reckless abandonment.  

Mary Street Bakery will soon be turning one and has been buzzing ever since they opened their doors.  I love that the menu changes frequently enough to keep me amused but they still have all those favourites that keep you coming back.  Did I mention salted caramel doughnuts?.  This time it was my treat for my little sister's birthday.

Birthday girl enjoyed slow cooked eggs on sourdough with crispy bacon.  Sometimes you just want bacon and eggs huh?  I took those two elements to the next level with a pork scotch egg served with onion mojo and cress.  I don't think I have ever had a scotch egg so full of flavour cradling it's own perfectly cooked egg. We also chowed down kipfler potatoes with aioli and a lovely big squirt of sriracha. 

Long live hot c*ck sauce!

Anywhere that has ample servings of Sriracha Sauce at the ready makes me smile.  There is something magical about hot c*ck sauce!

We popped into Mama Tran for a quick bite before a Wildcats game.  We have tried to institute date nights each Thursday, I think it lasted about 4 weeks.  Down with love. 

We always find ourselves going out for Vietnamese.  Its a fresh, cheap and reasonably healthy way to get food into your belly if you are in a rush.  We ordered the  bun cha gio ga nuong (vermicelli chicken salad with spring rolls), coated it in that wonderful red sauce and loved every bite.  

dinewhitme.com

Eat Drink Blog was held over Summer at Perth City Farm and it was many wonderful things.  Blissful memories of eating food, talking about food, talking about writing about food and being surrounded with people who just love food full stop.   Whilst all the food kerfuffle was pretty damn good, I would have to say that one of the highlights was meeting Miss Whitney Ng of dinewhitme.com.  

Whit, which is what I now have the pleasure of calling her as we are pals, is one bundle of immense talent.  She is the baby of our little food circle but only by age. In the short five months since we met, I have admired her awesomeness and been blessed with her wisdom, skills and friendship that she generously shares. She is one of the brightest writers I know and takes a pretty mean photo. She is shooting for the stars but is a little limited without the real tools of the trade (ie. big fk off flash, camera and other fancy stuff). The stomach carries the heart is a Pozible project for our dear little friend to 'dream a little bigger'. This is a such a great project to contribute towards and it has my full support!

The world is your oyster Whit! 

A CONVERSATION WITH Che Tam Nguyen - Butty's

Food trucks are finally becoming a part of our urban landscape, dotting our horizons with tasty offerings with that smoky smell of the grill wafting through the air.  Butty's American Style are riding the wave of rolling dining options and their big red truck is a welcome addition to the streets.  I had a chat with Tam about Butty's, burgers and what's to come.

The word butty brings visions of buttered rolls brimming with hot chips. What does the word Butty's mean to you?

The name came about reading a sandwich recipe book I have, and it has a sandwich called Butty's which is a chip sandwich, but loosely translated also means "Buddy" friend and that sorts of sums up who we are. Friend and also "unique" food.

I remember first meeting the Butty's team at Beaufort Street Festival in 2012.  What inspired you guys to join forces and take delicious burgers to the road?

We have both been mates since primary school he (vinh business partner) went on the path to be a lawyer myself as a chef. We both love food and when I talked to him about my idea of a food truck he was keen and my dream started to take shape.

So who is the team behind Butty's?

It's a tight knit team with Vinh, Myself  and Daniel. The rest of the team are the close relationship we have with suppliers to get quality stuff.

Exactly how many burgers did you sample when researching the Butty's concept?

As the truck took a year to build so did our menu before we settled on our two burgers.

Aside from yourselves of course, where have you eaten some pretty damn good burgers?

I like the "lunch bar style" from Alfred's Kitchen or Novembars. Also like V burgers and Nic's Burger Shak, always a fan of Justin and Jus burgers and Flipside. I just lovvveeee burgers. It's one of my favorite foods because it can be so complex and so simple at the same time and everybody has a preference, "lunch bar style", "gourmet", "Street", "American", "franchise", you could go on and on and talk about the science of burgers for hours!

Diner pit-stops and popular burger chains seem to be the norm in the US, have you spent any time eating your way through the States?

| LOVE THE US! Before I went I started the truck I went through the US eating at the burger places LOVE in and out burgers, also went through Kansas City to try all the BBQ love BBQ so much really hope to bring that flavor here to Australia.

What are some of the craziest ingredients you have ever eaten in a burger?

Burgers are so awesome the most fun one is the ice cream sandwich not really a burger but two slices of sweet bread with a slab of ice cream in the middle served from a cart in Singapore.

Are there exciting new items to hit your menu or is that a big secret?

We have two burgers in the works a pork belly version and also a ice cream version soon to  hit our truck!

You guys are getting pretty famous now with such a loyal following.  From festivals, to the Cultural Centre and your regular appearances at Curtin Uni, everyone is diving into cheesy fries and rib burgers.  What does the future hold for Butty's? 

Our next move is brick and mortar! My dream is always to have a restaurant and that's our next move adding more sophisticated BBQ items and also beer to the mix.

Butty's at Beaufort Street Festival 2013

LELLO LELLO GELATO (Seminyak, Bali)

Imagine a life without gelato? That's right ... you can't! 

*Sadly Lello Lello Gelato is no longer open*

Lello Lello Gelato is the sweetest little gelato shop in Seminyak.  The good folk have been operating for over six months now and always scoop with a smile.  You can tell that Lello has been a long labour of love.  Gorgeous little sayings adorn the walls, beautiful mosaic tiles lay cool under your feet as you peer into the length of the freezer bursting with bright colours and seductive folds.  With plenty of room to lounge about, you choose your weapon, find a pineapple cushion and snuggle on in. 

Flavours range from traditional Stracciatella (vanilla and choc chips) to the stunning flavours of local fruits,  see the pretty hues of my scoop of Dragon Fruit below.   You can dream away the afternoon with a bowl of Mojito or Gin & Tonic or drop in for an outrageous dose of Green Smoothie (yes, gelato - parsley included) after your morning yoga.

Coconut, Tangerine & Mint + Dragonfruit

A true taste of Italy, with a Messina twist, on the busy streets of Bali.   They even serve a shot of water with your gelato to cleanse the palette.  Next time I am definitely going to stop in for a roti at their pop up curry stall and end the night with a gelato degustation.   Life just ain't complete without gelato. 

The gorgeous little curry pop up at Lello Lello.  Next time I am definitely hitting up a serve of roti.

BALI BAKERY (Seminyak, Bali)

Smack bang in the middle of Seminyak, you will find Bali Bakery relaxing under a thatched roof.  A bakery come lazy eatery with a typical 'Eat Street' menu, heavy with Australian influences. The servings are generous, the service is friendly and boy do they offer some fine traditional Indonesian fare.  

Gado gado is an Indonesian staple and I crave it when I need a decent dose of fresh veggies.  Each warung serves their own variation but its common to just find a plate of blanched and raw vegetables with a dollop of peanut sauce. Bali Bakery's take comes with potataoes, fried tempeh, tofu, vegetable rolls and a boiled egg.  The hefty serve of peanut satay sprinkled with fried shallots was just made to dunk in a welcome serve of krupuk (fried crackers).

I usually arrive home from Bali thinking I didn't chow down enough Mi Goreng.  It is so easy to get swept up in the romance of modern eateries, and forgetting the dishes that Bali has to offer.  The Mi Goreng at Bali Bakery is one of the best, a healthy serving of chicken, crispy vegetables and the yummiest pickled chillies you will ever find.  Forget the oily noodle boxed variety.  When it comes to traditional Indonesian fare, Bali Bakery knows how to deliver. 

#ROTTNESTLOBSTER with the Taste Master

The first of the Experience Perth film series took Taste Master, Rich Keam, to Rottnest in search of fresh rock lobster.  

With a little help from local seafood legend Aristos, Rich and Kiren Mainwairing chef/owner of esteemed restaurants Co-Op Dining and Dear Friends, got their hands on some  beauties.  Fresh rock lobster is just perfect thrown on the barbecue on a Summer's afternoon.  When it comes to sourcing local produce, Kiren sure knows his stuff and effortlessly threw together a pretty amazing dish. 

Watch this video to remember why you should head to Rotto more often. 

STREET FOOD (Seminyak, Bali)

Tempeh is a traditional soy product which you can find all over Indonesia.  I really need to brush up on my Bahasa as the street vendors cater for the local workers and don't speak much English. This guy with the awesome mullet was just gorgeous but all I could gather was that he was serving up tempeh and various other deep fried goods for lunch.  

Ribs and wings

Have you been down to Five Bar lately to check out their big belly American style offerings?  Taphouse Wednesdays are Five's answer to Southern style eating.  We ducked in mid week for a serving of tender ribs and spicy wings each served with a side of slaw and juicy corn

Kinfolk workshop: wreath making

The aroma of wildflowers mixed with freshly ground coffee filled the air, as we escaped the heat in the cool comfort of The Tenth State.  This blissful shop, come café, is a treasure trove of delights and on a scorching hot Sunday afternoon in December, the home of a Kinfolk workshop.

We swapped names and smiles whilst milling about, stocking up on gifts and guilty pleasures.  I spied a canary yellow rhino vase and cheekily purchased it for my boyfriend (ie. myself) and found a handful of cute cards to see me through the first months of the year.

These local Kinfolk adventures are curated by the infectious, Stacey Clark. A bubbly and damn talented local stylist bent up an Agrarian living and capturing/creating life at its dreamiest.  During our last Kinfolk moment we gathered around long tables laden with hearty home-style cooking in the hearth of a beautiful up-cycled home.  To get an inkling of the magic we call Kinfolk you must watch this video.

This time we gathered to celebrate Mother Nature and the good old time of the Yule.   Bec of Fox Rabbit, a flower fairy who makes anything green look good, took us through the nifty craft of wreath making, using the bright and rustic hues of native Australian flora. 

Photo by Glenn of Still Love

We perched cosily in The Tenth State’s intimate rear studio, tools laid before us.   As we selected flowers and leaves and wired away, I remembered how much I had loved getting all crafty.  As age sets in you find yourself reminiscing whilst flicking through magazines, saying things like ‘next Summer I will make that’ or ‘next weekend I will find the time’.  In the hectic lifestyles we all lead, those simple acts that make your soul smile are so easy to forget.

Kinfolk is all about bringing local partners together for the greater good (feeding Kinfolk-ers and making them feel loved).  We were spoilt with treats to sustain the tummy and smother the heart.  We snacked on a bounty of the sweetest popcorn you have ever tasted by The Pop Institute and divine Bahen & Co chocolate. Washing away the heat of the day with icy, crisp cider from Custard & Co.  We clutched our keepsakes for the day; a gorgeous Mitchell & Dent illustration and an adorable Kinfolk decoration.

Photo by Glenn of Still Love

Trading coos and compliments over our collection of masterpieces we braved the heat clutching our wreaths for photos by the ever so clever Glenn of Still Love Photography. We sipped ice coffee and shared a moment of glee with our final creations!  How bad ass are my skills?!

Photo by Glenn of Still Love 

Our dreamy day closed on a sumptuous spread that had Stacey's ethereal touch. Her attention to detail always results in a scene that makes you simply *sigh*.  Over delicious meats, gooey cheese and a wholesome kale salad we shared tales and tribulations on the topics of wreath making, life and our busy Summers ahead.  Kinfolk is the perfect way to meet new friends and enjoy the magic of the season.

THAI CORNER (Seminyak, Bali)

Hungry in Bali? Rule number 1:  if the restaurant is not full of people, it is best not to eat there.

I am glad that we rode past Thai Corner last night, a little shack on Jalan Petitenget bustling with happy faces.  Whilst it was empty for lunch, our quest for rice noodles was made that bit easier.  Pad Thai with all the good stuff for about $3. 

salmon + runny eggs

The festive season always takes my food consumption into what most would consider excessive. So being mindful of my expanding booty I found peace with the menu at Cantina.  You can't feel too bad about house smoked salmon on rocket with slow eggs drizzled in zesty capers and pine nuts.   And aren't the calories of banana bread with maple butter best shared with friends? 

Brazilian truckers

I am loving this food truck frenzy that is hitting the streets of Perth, hopefully as fervent as that Mexican epidemic.  Comida Do Sul is absolutely infectious, every detail and inch breathes a cool, laid back personality reminiscent of a true street vendor.  

We found this little piece of Brazilian heaven at the Twilight Hawker's Markets on a Friday evening.  Wedged between trucks of sweet goodness, Comida Do Sul, was dishing up flavours of Brazil.

Praito feito is an essential part of Brazilian cuisine, its literal translation being "composed plate".  A plate composed of rice, beans, meat, french fries and salad, in the motherland you can also find an egg or two slipped in.   

Another regular on the menu is the Choripán, served throughout South America, hot dog style, in a mix of ways with varying meats and toppings.  In Brazil you would eat this as a casual meal, a pork sausage wrapped up in French bread and washed down with a icy, cold beer. Here at Comida Do Sul you will enjoy your choripán Argentinian style with homemade mayo, tomato salsa and a good lashing of chimichurri.

The Coxinha is South America's answer to Italy's arancini or Spain's croquetas. A ball of some of my favourite things; dough, potato and tasty shredded chicken filling formed into a chicken thigh shape and deep fried.   I can imagine having a coxinha fix off many a  street cart whilst on holidays.  

For your dose of Brazilian make sure you hunt down Comida Do Sul on their Facebook page, you might even find them popping up on a street near you. 

A CONVERSATION WITH Charlie Hunton - Sea Circus, Bali

Let's run away with the circus or just straight to Sea Circus, a quirky little space in Seminyak serving coffee, cocktails and gorgeous eats.  Here is my conversation with the lovely Charlie Hunton. 

Who are the ringmasters behind Sea Circus?

Charlie Hunton {London} and Josh Herdman {Melbourne}

The food at Sea Circus is amazing. Who is the brains in the kitchen?

We have a lot of fun curating the circus menu. Both Josh and I are voracious travellers. We collect flavours from sleepless stateside cities, sleepy mexican beach towns and everywhere in between. Since opening we have worked with a few key chefs {from Australia & New York} to keep the menu fresh and the food fun.

What other adventures have the owners had with venues?

Josh owns a retail shop just next to Sea Circus, called Bali Boat Shed.

Do you have anything else bubbling?

Maybe... just maybe!

It feels as though Mister Zimi breathes the perfect Sea Circus attire! Are the businesses related or just really good friends?

Mister Zimi are close friends of ours in Bali. Josh knew Jimi from Melbourne. Charlie became Bali besties with Zoe. We pretty much arrived here at the same time and instantly bonded over island life and growing businesses ... and maybe a few cocktails too!

Your Rocket Fuel coffee was the best icy cold coffee I have ever tasted! What is the process?

We got hooked on this one too during to a Five Senses barista trip to Bali earlier this year. The bean is a custom roasted Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. The process is an 8 hour cold extraction. The taste: light and floral.

What are your favourite dishes on the menu at the moment?

Easy. The pulled pork taco, the snapper ceviche and the churros. {yes, i may have Mexico on my mind}. Although I am super excited about a dish we are about to get onto the menu: acai bowls. My fiance lives in Hawaii and when i'm over there this is my daily breakfast. The acai bowl is to Hawaii as the croissant is to Paris. Excited to get this superfood into Bali!

Where are your favourite 3 Bali haunts other than Sea Circus ....

For a drink at Sunset for blow your mind cocktails?

Potato Head

For coffee?

Revolver

For traditional Indonesian fare?

Any local 'Padang 'joint if i'm wearing havaianas. Or Mamasan/Sarong if i feel like putting on my Chloe heels.

For an escape?

Raw food at Yoga Barn in Ubud.

Fonda Mexican

You can spot Fonda's brightly coloured chairs a mile off.  This bright and breezy Mexican cantina perches prettily in the heart of Chapel Street.  These two little tacos were fresh and bursting with pork, pineapple and crackle and shredded beef, chipotle and pickle.  Happily washed down with agua fresca whilst I powwowed with my friends who make Stereosonic happen. 

'let me see you do the Jane Fonda'