I have fond memories of the Rosemount Hotel.

In the early 2000s I caught one of Sunk Loto’s final shows there, before the band became a casualty of the ephemeral nu metal scene and disappeared into obscurity.

At that show, Sunk Loto were supported by local act Karnivool, who would go on to become one of Perth’s most successful alt-rock exports.

The 117-year-old hotel is not just famous for hosting top bands, with punters flocking there for the leafy beer garden and quality food.

Cioppino

We could have ordered one of the usual pub-grub suspects like the sirloin steak sandwich ($23.50) or the nachos ($19), but the cioppino ($23) seemed to leap out of the menu.

Cioppino is a seafood stew that originated in California and is traditionally made using a variety of seafood caught that day.

Rosemount’s interpretation is made with fresh squid, firm mussels, plump prawns and chunks of fish.

The seafood is cooked in a rich sauce made from tomatoes and red wine, which helps binds the seafood and other ingredients together.

The impressive dish is topped with half a crunchy, soft shell crab, which is deep fried and well-seasoned. Magnificent.

Craving a traditional wood-fired pizza, we quickly agreed on the pepperoni ($22).

The pizza was scattered with thick slices of spicy pepperoni, earthy mushrooms, juicy cherry tomatoes and savoury black olives.

The base was well-fired, with blackened edges adding to the flavour.

We finished off our meal with the sweet potato ($13) from the “Bites” menu.

As soon as it landed on our table we were hit with the intoxicating aroma of the maple syrup coating the grilled
potato slices.

Sprinkled on top is a chunky hazelnut dukkah which gave the sweet potato texture and crunch.

It’s a delightful dish which will please the vegetarian mob, as will the other meat-free options like the spiced pumpkin parmigiana ($22) and the cornbread with refried beans and coriander salsa ($16).

While the rest of the historic North Perth precinct feels a little sleepy, the Rosemount remains vital to Perth’s dwindling live music scene and consistently serves up the best local and international bands.

Most importantly – the food rocks too.

By MATTHEW EELES

Rosemount Hotel
459 Fitzgerald Street, North Perth
9328 7062rosemounthotel.com.au