Funky yet classical, this is top-tier dining and drinking in Mount Lawley.
A case study for the perfect snack exists at this neighbourhood petit bar-bistrot. Grilled shokupan-like bread gets a quenelle of crab meat and snapper, enriched by aioli, dill and chives. It’s so good it appears twice: on the main menu and again on the dessert menu for the savoury fiends looking for just one more perfect bite. This kind of witty, excellent cooking is omnipresent. The burger, for instance, comes with pickles and lettuce on the side to cut through between bites of the Comté-laden rare–medium patty. Vitello tonnato utilises WA bluefin tuna as well as anchovies – a saline, seriously delightful plate. Duck frites execute French technique with finesse: pink with rendered fat, the meat is joined by vinegar-forward béarnaise, which is all the better for being served with a sweet jus. All this is to be enjoyed in a handsome room, replete with a commanding dark wood bar topped with brass. The soulful soundtrack is punctuated by percussive shakes of cocktail tins. Drinks feel special here, boozy or not: an exacting dirty martini is bright and clean, while co-owner Sarah Atkinson’s wine list is deserving of every accolade. As ever, service is perceptive and warm. Le Rebelle operates with a quiet and well-deserved confidence; it is a bistro worth seeking out.
In other news
