Perth Voice Interactive

WITH Christmas on the horizon and the economy still biting like a junk yard dog, the Voice decided to search for a bonzer budget meal.

Situated in the ritzy end of East Perth, Claisebrook Cove may not seem like somewhere you’d go for a cheap meal, but there are lots of cost-friendly places nearby on Royal Street including Wassup Dog, East Burg and Sushi at Royal, catering to the many office workers in the area.

One of the cheapest on Royal St is probably Bumble Bee’s Cafe & Lunchbar, which does Asian rice/noodle dishes and more traditional fare like sausage rolls and pies. 

The joint was small, clean and tidy with some basic tables and chairs, and the large floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of natural light.

There was a display counter with a range of banh mi, sandwiches and sundries, and a bain marie with rice/noodle dishes and hot pies and sausage rolls.

I’d heard good things about their banh mi so I ordered a pork one.

The large bun was nicely toasted and had a tasty blend of shredded carrot, coriander and greens. The star of the dish was the pork, which had a super crispy rind like crackling, adding a satisfying crunch.

The meat was nice and tender, and the sweetish vinaigrette added a tangy coda.

It was a good quality banh mi and I really enjoyed the crispy pork fat.

Any decent lunch bar lives or dies by its sausage rolls, so I got one to try.

Robust and hefty, this sausage roll had an impressive girth and a nice glazed pastry. It was a meaty delight with a quality filling.

A substantial offering that would satisfy even the most ravenous tradie after a morning on the cement mixer.

Last on the list was another lunch bar stalwart – pies.

I went for the chicken and veg, but it was a disappointment.

The pastry was buttery and light, but the filling was a bit gelatinous and tasted like a can of chicken soup had been emptied in there (but not in a good way).

The flavour was okay, but I didn’t like the texture much.

I reckon the banh mi are the way to go at Bumble Bee, and then move onto the noodle/rice dishes, which I have previously tried.

While not reaching the heights of other budget places on Royal St, Bumble Bee’s Cafe & Lunchbar is a decent shout for a quick pit-stop.

I recommend you grab a takeaway banh mi and head down to Claisebrook Cove, where you can enjoy the relaxing waters and mingle with the millionaires.

Bumble Bee’s Cafe
& Lunchbar
88 Royal Street, Perth
9325 2025

by STEPHEN POLLOCK