AS I drove up to Perth on Tuesday lunchtime, the sky was battleship-grey and the wheelie bins were lined up like plastic sentries. Things weren’t much better when I arrived in a moribund Northbridge – most restaurants on James Street were shut and the few that were open had very limited or no seating. There…

CHINATOWN has always been there in a food emergency. There’s always something open in the Northbridge square, whether it’s 4am on a Saturday or on a public holiday (it’s become a tradition for many American Jews to eat at Chinese restaurants on Christmas Day). So it was a grim picture when City Garden Chinese had…

DOSA is to Indians what bacon and eggs are to the English – breakfast.  Not all Indian restaurants serve dosa after 11am, so I was delighted that Mela Sweets and Eats was serving my all time favourite masala version ($16) for lunch. My mouth watered as the enormous pancake was placed before me; the glorious…

NOT all of Perth’s best restaurants are found in affluent suburbs or ritzy high-rises in the CBD. Some are hidden down lane-ways and poorly-lit back streets, or in Hoodburger’s case, a Northbridge food court called Old Shanghai. Surrounded by Chinese restaurants with bain-maries, Hoodburger stands out like dog balls with a bright menu of mouthwatering…

TARTS Cafe isn’t named after the ladies of the night who used to prowl Lake Street, but it’s a nod to the gorgeous cakes it makes and sells. Premium real estate and upmarket residents have transformed the working class area into a Northbridge hotspot with trendy cafes and eateries. On a mildly sunny working day,…

SAUMA is a hip Indian eatery that mixes old and new in an exciting seasonal menu. The chef uses ingredients from around the world to create new tastes and interesting combinations. It’s the sort of Indian nosh enjoyed by the sub-continent’s growing middle class, rather than their parents. On the street food menu, there’s a…

BACK in 1895 pharmacist Charles Braddock dispensed free advice on “all ailments and diseases” charging only for medicines he sold. These days Braddock’s Dispensary sells good coffee and specialises in fine teas, including the Whistle Blower range. Kitchen-less cafes are in vogue and Braddock’s fills a niche at the western end of Aberdeen Street, catering…

THAI hospitality is renowned for being uber polite and demure, so when I heard of a Thai restaurant called Louder Louder in Northbridge I had to check it out. Formerly the Wok Street Chow House, the new owners have done extensive renovations, and the dark woods and detailed interior were inviting on a hot day.…

PINK neon lights blaze “In hummus we trust” as you enter the Hummus Club. I’ve eaten here a few times and can safely say; ”You sure can”. A mate and I were off to see You Know We Belong Together at the State Theatre, so we squeezed in an early dinner at this Northbridge restaurant.…

LAUGHTER and conversation burst through the politically-charged lyrics of Childish Gambino’s This Is America. Waiters weave through customers darting from the crowded bar to the bustling beer garden. The Standard in Northbridge is one of Perth’s most feted restaurants and I’m happy to report the cuisine is as electric as the pumping atmosphere. The rocking…