WHILE I was admiring the vibrancy of Astor Arcade, where seating from Cantina 663 cafe spills out into the shopping mall with its many cute boutiques, my mate was getting hot under the collar about banquettes.
“Banquette?” I asked, puzzled by the word and her enthusiasm.
A banquette is the walkway of a castle rampart, or in this instance, the padded seating inside the eatery.
My mate likes soft upholstery while I prefer the upright support of timber: the lovely bentwood chair I plonked my bottom on at the opposite side of the table was perfect—no lounging for me when on duty.
The Mt Lawley cafe is a lovechild of Mussolini and Franco or, if you prefer, Da Vinci and Picasso: part-Italian, part-Spanish, it features the urban grunge decor so beloved of eateries right now.
Not that I’m complaining, I love the shabby-chic painted wall, rough bricks and grey terrazzo floor. And I was totally impressed by the gorgeous marri timber tables.
Having feasted on the decor it was time to take in the menu.
The tiddlers caught off Fremantle were lightly smoked and moist, the bed of zesty rocket and chimichurri matching the refreshing drink.
Breakfast choices are few but inventive, with dishes such as brisket hash, crispy potato, greens and egg or smoked ocean trout, buckwheat blini and ricotta (both $19).
My adventurous mate kicked off with a corpse reviver ($15); a martini glass of gin, cointreau, absinthe, lime and lillet (a French aperitif wine).
It was delicious and refreshing she reckoned—and not half as alcoholic as suggested.
It went particularly well with her charred sardines on toast ($15). The tiddlers caught off Fremantle were lightly smoked and moist, the bed of zesty rocket and chimichurri matching the refreshing drink.
Served on a plank of wood it was the rustic sort of meal you’d expect to find yourself eating in a Mediterranean bar overlooking a small fishing boat harbour, she sighed contentedly.
This was a working breakfast for me so I stuck to a fruit juice, a delicious green charger of kale, lime and apple ($7.50), and ordered the mushroom croquettes ($15).
The dish’s creamy centre was rich and delicious and the casing crunchy. It was beautifully balanced by the shoestring slices of apple, spring onion and parsley on the side.
The pleasant staff were happy to leave the slow-cooked egg off my meal, in exchange for a very small serve of fried potatoes. It did annoy me to later learn I was charged full whack for the dish, plus extra for the spuds ($4), suggesting inflexibility or poor training.
Problems with a cake supplier meant the choice for something sweet was a muffin—or a muffin.
And what a happy choice it was, I thought, tucking into a huge, and moist, apple and butterscotch delight ($4.50), washed down by a very agreeable coffee.
by JENNY D’ANGER
Cantina 663
663 Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley
9370 4883 | open 7 days breakfast to
dinner, closed Sunday evening
Perth Voice Interactive 
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