Sustainable front runner that’s flavour forward and fun above all.
There are many hallelujah moments at Young George. Notably the lack of pretension around the course that Melissa Palinkas and Susan Whelan have taken, ploughing a zero-waste and sustainable furrow for years. There’s little or no mention of that on the menu – instead their business as usual is flavour-forward food, aided by Palinkas’ knack of building relationships with great West Australian producers. It’s a menu designed to be eaten socially, sharing with hands and good wine, and it screams “just one more”.
If beef tartare has become something of a benchmark in the restaurant space, Young George takes a fittingly left-field approach with their beef chop chop nacho tartare, featuring tartare on bite-sized tortillas with salsa fresca and a crown of fried jalapeño.
While the kitchen serves WA octopus with sumac and merguez crumb as a main, there’s snack-sized octopus croquettes that should be on repeat. If beef tartare has become something of a benchmark in the restaurant space, Young George takes a fittingly left-field approach with their beef chop chop nacho tartare, featuring tartare on bite-sized tortillas with salsa fresca and a crown of fried jalapeño. Kangaroo shawarma with confit garlic yoghurt, meanwhile, is a great showcase for an ingredient that still divides some, as is a showstopping lamb neck dish that’s simply presented with wilted greens and mustard seeds.
While it’s an undoubted destination, Young George is at the heart of the George Street community, and that’s a large part of its charm, leaving you feeling like a local, even if you’re not.
