Perth Voice Interactive

TRACKS owner Neil Alessandrino reckons he’s on the right one with his West Leederville cafe.

“This little precinct is starting to develop into something nice. There are really good places to get coffee and food,” he says, generously pointing out a number of rival eateries nearby.

Judging by the crowd, his fresh and modern eatery is a favourite with hip youngsters from surrounding offices.

Something Neil confirms: “The client base is basically 18 to 30.”

He’s been in the hospitality for years, but Tracks is his first cafe venture: “The breakfast brunch scene is a change from doing a la carte restaurant food.”
Tracks is in an office block foyer in Railway Parade; with soaring walls of glass on two sides, and a pleasant outdoor section with an arty rustic-sculptured steel fence to the street; it’s a surprisingly atmospheric place to be.

The menu is a mix of new dishes and old favourites, many with a Neil Alessandrino twist: “Putting my own spin on traditional dishes.”

Charcoal ciabatta is one, sourcing local bread that uses charcoal vegetable dye.

“It softens the bread up,” Neil says. “A lot of people bloat up from white bread and charcoal has properties to stop that.”

He adds it’s popular in Europe, and gaining ground here.

“It’s great in sandwiches, ciabatta rolls or with breakfast.”

Tempting as they looked I ordered the mushroom sliders, with goats’ cheese and rocket ($16). As I hoed into the slightly crisp roll, with its succulent mushroom, I wondered how the chef managed to order mushrooms that perfectly matched the pocket-sized bread.

My mate ordered the steak sandwich, with onion, tomato, chedder, rocket and chilli jam ($20). Warning. The chilli jam is for chilli fans, and my companion needed a mango lassi ($7) to tame the mouth fire.

“The steak is excellent, still slightly pink, moist and tender,” she whispered, hoarsely, her eyes still a little teary.

Her royal blue and sweet potato chips were fantastic: “You can actually taste the potato, which makes you realise you don’t normally,” she says.

“They’re not your frozen and deep-fried chips,” Neil tells me later. “We hand-cut them on a chip cutter, and double-cook them.”

Good service, and a pleasant lunch ended with a couple of delicious coffees and a healthy raw salted caramel, and a coconutty chocolate marble ball ($4).

by JENNY D’ANGER

Tracks
156 Railway Parade, West Leederville
6114 6739
open Mon–Sat breakfast and lunch