With reviewing season coming to an end, our team of critics share some of the dishes and drinks that have stood out so far. Seek them out.
Tonkotsu Congee at Forklore
Forklore’s tonkotsu congee solves any noodles-or-rice dilemmas by uniting the heartiness of congee with the rich intensity of a ramen broth. Rounds of pork chashu and soft-yolked eggs rest on top velvety rice, marbled with a dash of chilli oil and mustard greens. A worthy signature dish that’s the best of both worlds. Shop 11-12, City West Centre, 102 Railway Street, West Perth
Ange Yang
Filter Coffee at Offshoot
Whether you favour something filtered or espresso based, this Mary Street Bakery CBD spinoff makes a mean cup of coffee. And if the batch brew of the day happens to be a Brazilian single-origin from Sitio São Joaquim – brimming with notes of vanilla, candied nuts and citrus peel – then you’re in for a real treat. Shop 2/40 Hay St, Perth
Matty Hirsch
Dripping with olive oil and covered with a liberal shake of za’atar-like seasoning, the bread at Manuka Woodfire Kitchen is a thing of beauty.
Flatbread at Manuka Woodfire Kitchen
Dripping with olive oil and covered with a liberal shake of za’atar-like seasoning, the bread at Manuka Woodfire Kitchen is a thing of beauty. Served piping hot and steaming it’s the ideal entry to a flame-driven menu, made even better with the addition of smoky babaganoush or bone-marrow butter if the arteries are feeling up to it. 134 High St, Fremantle
David Matthews
Confit Akoya Oysters with Dill Oil, Saltbush and Apple Jelly at Cooee
Andrew Forrest’s so-called jewel of the sea is the hot menu item of the moment so there’s a weighty expectation on Cooee’s resident chef Steven Finch to showcase his boss’s flagship product to best advantage. He steps up to the plate with a skilfully thrown together mix of herb oil and crab-apple jelly – a sweet foil to the briny bivalves. Served on pearlescent oyster shells they demand their own photo opportunity. 171-173 Mounts Bay Rd, Perth
Gail Williams
Truffled Pappardelle Carbonara at Monsterella
Pizza is the main game at Monsterella, but it’s the hand-cut pappardelle carbonara that my thoughts keep drifting back to. A generous, well-seasoned dish, the balance of flavours is just right, with the truffle enhancing rather than overpowering this classic. Corner Grantham St & Jersey St, Wembley
Sue Yeap
Charcoal Lamb with Bone Marrow Rice at Fluffy Lamb
A bowl of street food that delivers big on flavour, with marinated lamb threaded onto skewers, grilled over coals, then doused with peanut satay sauce. They’re served on rice flavoured with bone marrow, turmeric, and a house blend of 13 herbs and spices for added oomph, while the add-it-yourself sambal laced with lime leaf takes everything to another level. Shop Y122, Fremantle Market, Fremantle
Ai-Ling Truong
The hot sour soup at Long Chim has a heat that builds slowly across the palate, backed up by fragrance from turmeric, lemongrass and lime.
Hot Sour Soup of Snapper at Long Chim
David Thompson doesn’t shy from heat, but his (and his team’s) ability to explore different layers of spice that continues to impress. The hot sour soup is a case in point, with heat that builds slowly across the palate, backed up by fragrance from turmeric, lemongrass and lime. Time slows, the room bends and the flavour lingers as long in the memory as it does on the lips. Basement Lvl, State Buildings, Cnr St Georges Tce & Barrack St, Perth
David Matthews
Forty First Thief Cocktail at Strange Company
Washing gin in sesame oil might seem like a hare-brained idea at first, but when it’s layered with chestnuts, sweet vermouth and the leafy bitterness of Cynar, and served over a block of ice, it makes for brilliant after-dinner drinking. Bonus points for the black and white sesame snap garnish. 5 Nairn St, Fremantle
Matty Hirsch
Snacks at Voyager Estate
For the price of a decent bowl of duck-fat potatoes elsewhere, at Voyager Estate, guests receive a palate-busting trio of snacks that set the bar for everything that follows. Changing with the seasons, these intricate openers may include a baby brioche doughnut bursting with umami-rich mushroom custard or duck-liver parfait on cabernet-soaked fig. A delight. 41 Stevens Rd, Margaret River
Sue Yeap
There is no purer pleasure than a good bowl of chicken soup, and Andly Private kitchen does this and more.
Chicken and Abalone Soup at Andly Private Kitchen
There is no purer pleasure than a good bowl of chicken soup. Andly Private Kitchen does this and more with a bowl showcasing rich chicken flavour, a velvety texture and an umami kick from braised abalone with each mouthful revealing treasures of chestnuts and fish maw. It’s equal parts nourishing and decadent. 1/50 Oxford Cl, West Leederville
Ai-Ling Truong
Kataifi-Wrapped Tiger Prawn at Market Eating House
The peeled mid-section of these hefty Shark Bay tiger prawns is wrapped in Greek kataifi pastry, brushed in clarified butter and then flash fried. It works well, but it’s the addition of almond cream and a piquant Aleppo-pepper dressing that makes this dish. Sucking on prawn heads is one thing, but using them to scoop up this zesty, funky, hot sauce is next level. 9 Victoria St, Bunbury
Max Brearley
Beef Tartare at Coogee Common
If there’s one way to turn a diner off this classic it is to present it like something Felix the cat would gladly lap up. No chance of that at Coogee Common, where delicate shavings of beef are crowned with crunchy sourdough crisps and soft yet sharp parmesan flakes. No raw egg, but with pomegranate and labneh in the fold this is a starter that really is the cat’s whiskers. 371 Cockburn Rd, Coogee
Gail Williams
Signature Sando at Drasko’s
The obsession with Drasko’s signature sando is justified, with crisp-fried chicken breast coated with Carnarvon-grown chillies checked by crunchy vinegar slaw and a dollop of cool, creamy comeback sauce. It’s comfort food held together by a sourdough bun. Just choose your heat with caution. 148 Scarborough Beach Rd, Mount Hawthorn
Nardia Plumridge
2020 Frankland Estate Alter Weg Riesling at Madalena’s
One of Australia’s benchmark riesling producers strikes again with this juicy, mineral-rich release in which textural waves of tangerine, quince and lime flow through to a lip-smacking finish. As perfect a pairing for a rosy sheet of raw local bigeye tuna speckled with anchovies, crème fraîche and orange zest as you’re likely to find. 406 South Terrace, South Fremantle
Matty Hirsch
Lamb With Salt-Baked Carrots and Mustard at Glenarty Road
There’s real beauty here in the simplicity of a piece of lamb, perfectly cooked and served with well-handled vegetables and house condiments. A true farm-to-table dish, at times you’ll spot a flock of sheep and realise they’re destined for the plate. Add estate-grown wines and the easy atmosphere and this is what Glenarty Road is all about. 70 Glenarty Rd, Karridale
Max Brearley
Basque Cheesecake at Besk
It feels like Basque cheesecake is having its moment. Rightly so if Besk’s bake-it-high-and-fast – some might call it burnt – iteration of cheesecake is the standard. Served with crème fraiche and rhubarb, Besk’s is reason enough to mark this place down for a return visit. 264 Railway Parade, West Leederville
Max Brearley
Beef Carpaccio at Post Osteria
Sometimes you don’t realise just how well executed a dish is until you order the same thing elsewhere and suffer disappointment. Memories of Post’s expertly executed beef carpaccio with capers, Parmigiano, rocket and lemon will linger long after you’ve lifted the last delicate slice from the plate. State Buildings, Cnr St Georges Tce & Barrack St, Perth
Sue Yeap
Tori Paitan ramen at Tosaka Ramen
Perth has no shortage of good ramen, but few trade in tori paitan with as much depth of flavour as Tosaka. Rich and creamy, yet lighter than tonkotsu, the chicken-based soup is frothed vigorously before serving to give it added body, while the elements in the bowl all hit the right notes, from the firm noodles and jammy egg to the chicken chashu. 305 William St, Northbridge
David Matthews
WA Rock Lobster at Mummucc’
Cooked for a matter of minutes flesh-side down on a hibachi, then gently steamed and finished in the pan with salted butter, kombu, laver powder, and a hefty splash of chilli vinegar, it’s no wonder you have to come early to snag a half lobster at Mummucc’. (The kitchen only orders 12 a day, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.) Bread, clearly, is essential for mopping up. And at $30 a half it’s one of the more affordable ways to enjoy a local hero. 6/46-56 Grantham St, Wembley
Max Brearley
Seaside Old Fashioned at Foxtrot Unicorn
The team at Foxtrot Unicorn have a clear respect for the classics, but they know exactly when and how to dial it up. Case in point: this thrilling riff on an Old Fashioned that uses beeswax to lend texture to single malt and blended Scotch, then seals the deal with salted honey, agave nectar and cherry bitters. 101 St Georges Ter, Perth
Matty Hirsch
Vitello Tonnato at Lady Lola
This rather odd surf and turf dish from Piedmont dates back centuries. Here Michelle Forbes presents it very much in modern classic style, taking veal poached in milk, slicing it wafer thin and topping it with tuna mayo, rocket, radicchio, capers and grissini. Simple and spectacular. 4/16 Cryillean Way, Dunsborough
Gail Williams
Ordering noodles at this contender for best handmade noodles in Perth is always a must, but don’t leave without ordering the fried radish rolls.
Fried Radish Rice Roll at Two Hands Noodles Shop
Ordering noodles at this contender for the best handmade noodles in Perth is always a must, but don’t leave without ordering the fried radish rice rolls. Sheets of thin rice noodles, rolled up and sliced into compact rounds are satisfyingly charred with the breath of the wok, then enveloped with pickled radish and egg. Coupled with their housemade chilli oil, it’s a revelation. 4/2 Downey Dr, Como
Ai-Ling Truong
Snacks at Vasse Felix
The surprises are many and varied on Brendan Pratt’s tasting menu, but the front section of snacks perhaps holds the most interest. A couple stand out: first, fat Boston Bay mussels, filled with scallop mousse then set in a dashi jelly; second, an oily rubble of flaked toothfish topped with an eel and prawn XO bolstered by charcuterie trim from the downstairs wine lounge, served with fried bread for dipping. A whole lot of clever, with flavour to back it up. Caves Rd, Cowaramup, Margaret River
David Matthews
