GETTING to taste a couple of wines before deciding which one you want? Now that’s service with a very big smile from the staff at No Mafia. My dinner companion and I eventually decided on the Sicilian valdibella kerasos — a deep and full-bodied drop that was smooth as silk. This small bar/eatery in Northbridge…

SUSHI entered my culinary consciousness when I was about fifteen and in the throes of teenage angst. Everything and everyone seemed mundane and as I searched for creative ways to express my individuality, I found solace at Go Sushi while my friends headed off to gorge on big macs and chicken nuggets. I’m still a…

CHATTY Indian gent sitting next to me at Annalakshmi’s on the Esplanade once claimed  Govindas in Northbridge makes the best Indian food in Perth. It was a bold claim, especially since we were both enjoying a meal at Annalakshmi’s, which had survived the lengthy construction of Elizabeth Quay and was pay what you like; but…

MASSIVE chandeliers sparkled like Christmas overhead in the sleek, modern Paddy Field Restaurant on Newcastle Street. A quick look around showed it’s a favourite with Perth’s Chinese community. Adding to the party atmosphere, dim sum trays of delicate pastries and baskets of savoury steamed dumplings were being whisked between tables where diners were tucking in…

BIVOUAC has become a bit of a favourite for dinner before a show at the nearby State Theatre. Like the cute beagles at the airport, waiters can spot a theatre-goer the minute they walk in the door. Which means fast service — but never rushed — and so relaxed, friendly and down-right helpful you feel…

GLANCE down the laneway just up from Kakulas Brothers on William Street and chances are the tables outside Francoforte are full. Lucky for us we were early and there were a few inside tables available; laneways are wonderfully atmospheric but this is Perth’s coldest winter this century. Not that the weather put other diners off,…

I’VE killed more bonsai than I’ve had hot dinners, so it’s probably just as well there were no mini-trees at The Bonsai Restaurant to get me thinking “maybe this time”. The restaurant’s name was chosen to reflect a common bond between creating a beautiful bonsai or an authentic Japanese dish; both need intricate knowledge and…

A UNIVERSITY course for ice-cream making? Now that’s something I’d happily head back to school for. Which is exactly what Northbridge’s Chicho Gelato owners Carly and Chez De Bartolo did. For Carly, a pharmacist, and Chez, an engineer, the gloss had dimmed on their chosen professions, and inspired by London’s pop-up eateries during a four-year…

FOOD stops were looked forward to for many reasons on a 20-hour bus trip from Sumatra to Bali, not the least the discovery of the food of West Java. The driver would pull in at warungs, small family shops that cooked up regional dishes that were familiar but different to Indonesian food elsewhere. The emphasis…