Perth Voice Interactive

HOT and flustered after a frantically busy morning, the peaceful ambience of Casa Bianchi, on Scarborough Beach Road, Mt Hawthorn, worked its magic on Voice snapper Matthew Dwyer.

Frown lines turned into sighs of contentment as we sat next to a koi pond full of beautiful waterlilies — a jet of water playfully spraying — surrounded by a garden to equal the hanging gardens of Babylon in their lush colour.

A couple of freshly squeezed juices, including a spicy and refreshing pear, celery, mint and ginger ($7.50) added to the feel of a resort holiday.

We joked about it being hard to find something worth photographing amid all the splendour of the former nursery-turned-eatery.

The food was pretty picturesque too, and despite being ravenous I wasn’t allowed to eat until Matthew had done justice to photographing our meals.

His caesar salad probably won on pure looks, wonderfully fresh whole cos lettuce leaves were a pleasant green topped by Danish feta, tender chicken, bacon and tomato.

With its house-made sauce the salad “was well balanced [and] the whole cos lettuce leaves were good for making lettuce bites” Matthew said, piling chicken onto another leaf.

“But there was a curious texture to the bacon, as if it had been dried rather than fried.”

My poached snapper morsels ($22.80) were deliciously spicy, the sauce infused with oregano and a heap of olives.

I’d earlier spotted a raspberry tart in the groaning cake cabinet, and when the waiter told me there was chocolate underneath it was no contest.

“Oh wow!” we both exclaimed, sharing the rich dessert with its sharp, fresh raspberry topping.

Washed down with a mellow black coffee ($4.50) I was feeling pretty damn good as I left Matthew happily snapping the amazing garden, and headed back to the office.

Casa Bianchi is so chillax it doesn’t have a phone — and there’s no eftpos either, so take cash.

by JENNY D’ANGER

Casa Bianchi
193 Scarborough Beach Rd, Mt Hawthorn
open 7 days 7am–5pm