Perth Voice Interactive

WELCOME to Vic Park.

As I parked the Voice jalopy on the Albany Highway, some guy across the road was going ballistic at a driver for parking in a bus stop and it nearly all kicked off.

There’s always a bit of hubbub and pistols-at-dawn when I go to Vic Park for lunch, and I love that gentrification has not been fully embraced yet.

The dining scene is great too – an intoxicating and unpretentious mix of global cuisine that still has a bit of grit in its soul. 

You can literally get anything you want on the Albany Highway restaurant strip from Lebanese cakes to Filipino street food.

Today I was heading to Sixteen Ounces cafe to try out their breakfast/brunch dishes.

The modest one-page menu had some burgers (brekkie, wagyu beef and vegan) but it was mostly breakfast-style fare.

The line-up was quite inventive and had everything from Salted Caramel French toast and Brunchetta to Eggs Benedict and Mushroom Deluxe.

There were light dishes like crunchy granola, and your basic eggs with ciabatta for $14.50 was very reasonable.

It was a nice mix that piqued your interest without being too out-there.

Sometimes you can tell a place is going to be good the minute you walk through the front door.

Sixteen Ounces had a casual up-market vibe with exposed brickwork, dangling lights and stylish decor reminiscent of a European cafe.

The waiting staff were wearing those trendy leather aprons – imagine Geppetto dressed by Armani – and were polite and friendly.

There was a nice pavement alfresco and the inside was well air-conditioned on a hot February day.

I nearly went for the Mushroom Deluxe (mixed mushrooms, creamy garlic sauce, poached eggs, spinach, parmesan and toasted Turkish bread) which sounded yummy, but ended up ordering the Salmon Keto ($25). 

While waiting for my meal, I slugged down a Tropical Blunder ($9.50) a refreshing smoothie that wasn’t too sweet and had a refreshing zing.

It had some coconut shavings on top and looked as exotic as it tasted.

Before long, the smiley waitress was back with my Salmon Keto.

It was nicely presented – a precarious, leaning tower of cauliflower and zucchini fritters, smoked salmon and sliced avocado.

The fritters were amazing – delicate and fragrant, they tasted incredibly fresh and were the star of the dish. 

When you combined it with the smoked salmon, avocado and a little squirt of lemon, it was a delicious cacophony of flavours.

There was a poached egg, artfully placed at the side of the plate, which tasted nice but was a little over for me.

I prefer the yolk slightly runny, but it was firm.

The accompanying Romesco – a thick Spanish sauce made from charred tomatoes and roasted red peppers – added a lovely smoky refrain to the dish and wasn’t overpowering or sickly. It was more like a dip than a sauce and was very moreish.

Smoky refrain

Rounding things off was some kale. I think it had been blanched, which made it a bit softer and easier on the palate.

Initially, I thought there wasn’t much on the plate, but the Salmon Keto was deceptively filling and the produce was top quality.

It could have done with a second poached egg and a bit more seasoning on the fritters, but that aside it was spot on.

I’ve previously taken the family to Sixteen Ounces for brunch, and I can report their burgers and Full Pound breakfast was just as good.

If you fancy a refined brunch in a casual setting, it’s worth checking out.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

Sixteen Ounces
257 Albany Highway,Victoria Park
facebook.com/sixteenounces
0478 360 025