There’s this thing about a three hour time difference. It means that even if you want to sleep in after a flight and a big day and night the night before you inevitably wake up at 6am thinking that you’ve slept in. And in a cruel twist of fate the clock face tells you the next morning “Silly sausage, you’ve woken up too early”. It’s no matter as our second day in Perth sees us actively and hungrily seeking out new food adventures.
We start with breakfast downstairs at The Richardson which is a Continental breakfast of fruit (fresh and poached), breads, pastries and cereals included with your room rate. There is also more elaborate hot breakfast available on a separate menu which is paid for separately. I’ve never been good with yogurt and cereal in the morning-call me backwards but cereal is best eaten at 11pm when you crave a crunchy hit. So I always order a hot breakfast.
Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages and tomato $33
The scrambled eggs are creamy and there are two types of sausages, a fat and juicy pork and honey and a chicken and herb sausage as well as crispy, halved chat potatoes, a whole tomato and some rashers of bacon. It is well prepared but at $33, it is not an inexpensive breakfast.
There are certain places that you want to be on a 37C day. At a beach is one of them. Cottesloe beach to be exact, one of Perth’s most famous beaches. And given that our bodies think that it’s about 3pm Sydney time and it thinks that we’ve missed our lunch we’re all hungry! We arrive at Indiana, a gorgeous beachside restaurant with an airy beachhouse feel to it. Named after the “Indiana Tea House” we’re seated at a corner table where we look out to see happy beach goers and we relax to the cool breeze wafting through the window. There’s the stretch of beach just outside where they held Perth born actor Heath Ledger’s wake.
Since I’m trying to drink sensibly I want to pace myself and whilst they’re happy to make fruit drinks they don’t have any pre designed mocktails. I order a fruit cocktail that is a mixture of fruit-most noticeably strawberry and orange juice. Oh and I should mention that I didn’t put any of the prices next to the dishes as I think they gave us larger sizes than what was on the menu. This was because we were such a large group and we were sharing most of the food and I also didn’t see the individual prices on the bill at the end.
Tempura soft shell crab chilli and lime dipping sauce
Sometimes soft shell crab can be greasy and weighed down with oil. This isn’t, instead it is light and crunchy with a pocket of soft, moist sweet crab meat. The dipping sauce is a sublime chilli and lime dipping sauce with a sweet almost plum sauce quality to it. I may or may not have had four halves. I’m not confirming anything… 
Fried calamari in Za’atar spices, lemon yogurt
The fried calamari is lovely and tender although I don’t taste much za’atar spice or lemon in the yogurt and I think a lemon aioli or tartare would suit it a bit better and yogurt slightly wets the crunchy outer.
Charcuterie plate
This plate was enormous and featured a breseola air dried beef, a locally made Prosciutto di Arcari, a divine Sicilian salami called coppacollo and a fantastic duck liver pate with cornichons and a bowl of olives and side plate of sliced lightly toasted ciabatta bread. And despite the fact that I hoovered down a lot of the soft shell crab I keep going back for more of that pate.
Oysters
OK I know, oysters again right? These are freshly shucked local oysters served with shallots and red wine vinegar. The sauce is more shallot than vinegar which is unusual (it’s usually more the opposite) but the oysters are so gorgeous and fresh I slurp each one up with utter gustatory pleasure. I’m an oyster guts I know. Oh and a soft shell crab one apparently.
Char grilled asparagus salad, egg mustard, olive oil, rocket, parmesan $17
I tried some of Laura’s char grilled asparagus which was drizzled with balsamic. Some of the spears were too charred for me and I wasn’t really taken with the egg mustard.
Apple Tarte tatin
The apple tarte tatin is crisp with buttery pastry and firm but soft apples. There isn’t any cinnamon or vanilla added to it which would have been quite nice but it is still quite moreish nevertheless.
View from Kings Park
Where are we off to next? An Indigenous tour with tour guide Greg Nannup! He is going to guide us around Kings Park where he will show us points of interest and various native plant species. He shows us a saltbush plant. I’ve eaten a lot of saltbush lamb so it was interesting to see the bush up close and if you press your tongue to a leaf there is a strong salt flavour. It grows readily and helps with salinity challenged soil so it is a popular plant to feed lambs which in turns adds flavour to the lamb meat. The only downside is that the lambs fed on saltbush need to drink four times the amount of water.
Saltbush
Boab tree
We see Boab palms which are fascinating palms which can suck in and store thousands of litres of water and then close up their bark to seal it in. They transplanted one from another area and this one is about 750 years old and hasn’t stopped growing. He also shows us native peppermint which when rubbed between the palms is incredibly refreshing and fragrant.
Native peppermint tree
He takes us to a lookout where we see a view of the Swan River and tells us that there are 25 or so dolphins that swim through here including a baby dolphin. He also takes us through some of the tools that the WA indigenous people use and it’s interesting to see some similarities between the tools of the aborigines in the Daintree versus this area.
The Kings Park shop is also worth a visit and features absolutely gorgeous, unusual items. I could have gone mad in here I tell you and it was lucky that I left my credit card in the car-one of my travelling companion was kind enough to loan me $20 to buy some things!
Must Wine Bar
“Would you like to go upstairs to the Champagne bar?” they ask us and there’s a look of “Hell yeah!” from everyone. Some things are a given that they will be met with an enthusiastic yes. A French accented gentleman greets us and explains the various types of champagnes that are on offer. People look the part and the atmosphere is dressy decadence. Quite fitting indeed that I’ve just ordered a glass of Dom Perignon which is not too shabby a drop indeed!
Chicken liver parfait, grenache jelly, French bread slices $16
To accompany our champagne we try the chicken liver parfait topped with a grenache jelly which is blissfully good. It is soft and buttery smooth without any of the metallic taste that can often accompany a liver parfait and the grenache jelly gives is a lovely sweetness on top.
After out little adventures upstairs at the champagne bar (best to book, the space is cosy and it is very popular). A look at the menu reveals a predominantly French theme. Our waitress tells us that the produce is “mostly Western Australian.”
Seared 1/2 scallop. Ringwould goat cheese, chilled beetroot puree, Mandarin oil $26
I resisted the urge to order a dozen oysters again. I really wanted to but thought that you might throw up your hands and say “What is with the oyster obsession? Can’t you order something else?”. I mean I had already eaten a dozen oysters that day already and a dozen the day before. So I go for the sea scallops instead. They’re served on the half shell and are seared and look to be local ones as they’re not the juicy fat Canadian oysters that we otherwise tend to get. It is served with a small piece of Ringwould goat’s cheese, a chilled beetroot puree and a drizzle of mandarin oil and it is given balance with the saltiness of the goats’ cheese, and sweet aroma from the mandarin oil and beetroot. One thing? A spoon would have been great for eating this as the beetroot puree was delicious.
Angel hair pasta tossed with blue Manna crab, tomato, chilli, basil cream and 34degree South Organic olive oil $24
I adored this angel hair pasta which has a gorgeous silky smooth pasta that reminded me of soft noodles coated in a delectable garlic and basil cream with a hint but definite chilli hit and crab meat. Manna crab is actually what we know as the blue swimmer crab.
Twice baked taleggio cheese souffle and organic tomato coulis $22
Must lamb plate: seared loin, shank pie, neck croquette with white bean puree and mint pistou $39
This was a three part dish with slices of the seared lamb loin, a buttery shank pie with a buttery shortcrust pastry crust and a crunchy neck meat croquette with soft shreds of the slow cooked neck meat. This sat on a creamy smooth white bean puree and a mint pistou (pesto) which gave the very rich dish it a lift.
Grilled goldband snaper fillet, exmouth prawns, avocado, tomato and celeriac remoulade, roast capsicum dressing $36
Mandarin and herb crusted butterflied beef fillet, mushroom risotto, shiraz jus $44
Avocado, Over the moon organic feta, spinach and pine nut salad $12
The salad was very generously proportioned with plentiful chunks of ripe avocado meat, salty creamy organic feta, toasted pinenuts and baby spinach leaves. This is the salad that you eat and feel that you’re not suffering at all by eating rabbit food.
Warm Valrhona chocolate moelleux, salted butter caramel ice cream $16
I know that ordering a chocolate dessert is foolhardy at the end of a very rich meal like this but I had to. It’s a warm chocolate molleux which is like a fondant with an oozy chocolatey centre and an absolutely perfect salted butter caramel ice cream. Yes salted butter caramel ice cream. Salted butter caramel. So not only do we make salted caramel but we add butter to it! Now you know why I ordered it
Lemon mascarpone cheesecake, wild strawberry sorbet, blackcurrant coulis $16
I try a little of the lemon mascarpone cheesecake which is very fluffy and light as air with a very thin biscuit crust. Yep another delicious day of eating. And do you know where we’re off to in W.A. tomorrow? Go on Dear Reader, take a guess!
NQN travelled and explored WA as a guest of Tourism Western Australia
The Richardson
32 Richardson Street, West Perth WA
Tel: +61 (08) 9217 8888
Indiana
91 Marine Parade, Cottesloe WA
Tel: +61 (08) 9385 5005
Kings Park Indingenous Tour
Best of WA (WA Visitor Centre) +61 8 9483 1106 or travel@westernaustralia.com
Must Wine Bar
519 Beaufort Street, Highgate WA
Tel: +61 (08) 9328 8255
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45 Comments | Add your own
Lorraine,
Cottesloe is my beach back home.
Thanks for the memories.
SSG xxx
The Must wine bar looks like a defiant “must”! Every dish you ordered looked amazing. The scallops, lamb, and chocolate probably would have been my choice.
The tempura soft shell crab and the fried calamari…!! Look totally delicious, yum!
I’m quite envious.
Looks like a lovely trip – love beach side restaurants!
Nice post! The time diff is really draining but it is worth the trip
I love the photo of the champagne glasses with the ladies legs behind them, very classy looking- like a magazine ad.
I don’t feel it’s up to me to judge how many soft shelled crabs or oysters you may or may not have consumed… after all, I know my weaknesses too. The main thing is that they didn’t go to waste!
You should see Florida’s sugar sand beaches. Pure white sand for miles of coastline. We have oysters and shrimp to offer as well as pure Florida orange juice.
I never had a moelleux before. Wonder how it tastes like…
OMG Lorraine…everything looked so amazing! I must say though…you had me at the soft shell crab and zahtar coated squid! Amazing!
Must is one of my favourite restaurants in Australia. It’s consistently good. I’ll guess the Swan Valley, for German
You take the most beautiful pictures!
When I saw Indiana and a long trip I thought you were visiting the US. Then I read Australia and Perth and knew we were back on your home turf. I am now drooling over that zatar squid… brilliant idea amoung so many others (like the beet puree with the scallop, num!). SOunds like another great trip… I sure hope we have some warm beaches in our future after endless winter.
For a real envy worthy trip, it’d have to be the margaret river or rottnest island? Can’t wait to read about it!
37! Must be a good day out at the beach then. The food seems to be a little hit and miss and the prices more exxy than Melb. But definitely more interested in the indegenious tour.
~~L.
Seriously,
The slippery oysters, Lemon mascarpone cheesecake, herb crusted butterflied beef fillet, and long chandlers feels a bit like swimming in a beautiful poem… xx
Well, Lorraine I eat any cereal accidentally at home at 11pm too – instead of delving into my dark chockie bar! Always thought Perth to have good restaurants, especially the fishie ones – and did enjoy a second-hand look at your indigenous tour. Tomorrow – well, my guess would be towards Margaret River – oops, wine country again!!
I am definitely making a trip back over to W.A! It all sounds delicious, but I know from experience it is not always as glamourous as it sounds. Good on you for working so hard, and presenting everything so beautifully. Booking my flight right now!
Perth is a great place and the beaches are amazing – it’s just a pity it is so very far away. And, yes, we suffered from the time difference, too. By the time we got used to it, it was time to leave!
Kings park is my favourite park ever. I was in Perth earlier this year for about 2 weeks, and I ran in the park almost every day. The view from the top is simply beautiful. That shop certainly is interesting. I wish I had bought something from that shop.
Why is it that you make all the food sound so yummy? I had some problem finding good food in Perth. If I ever go back to Perth again, I’d visit some of your recommendations:)
Ah, Perth! I love it there; isn’t such a gorgeous place? If I weren’t so attached to Sydney I could see us living there one day
As for where to tomorrow… Monkey Mia? 
How good does that softshell crab look! Although I’d have trouble picking between that and the angel hair and crab pasta…
Thank you so much for reminding me of the beautiful restaurants and places we have here. This is my home and you forget sometimes to look through a “newbies” eyes. I think lunch today will be in Cottesloe! Enjoy your stay!
Interesting. Indiana’s got a terrible, terrible review in the West Australian a few weeks ago. It’s always suffered a bit for being such a beautiful place in an amazing location – so noone bothers to make the food amazing, only good enough to get by. Must however… to die for.
That tempura soft shell crab looks delicious – as does the crab pasta. Lorraine you have the best job!!! I am so envious!
I think I could put away an embarrassing amount of that calamari, when its done so nicely like that I am sure there’s a calamari addiction lurking within me
Beautiful post, I’ve never really turly explored Perth, but you make me want to 
Amen to cereal tasting best as a night-time snack. With, as you and I know, peanut butter mixed through
Thank you for the gorgeous scenery shots! It’s so nice to know there’s such beauty in this country of ours. And cheesecake and pate. I like knowing those exist too
I’m guessing Loose Box restaurant up in Mundaring. Or Jus Burgers? Heh, I don’t know
Wow, so many exciting things. I’ll be copying that avocado salad!
It’s so good to see you in WA. I’m hoping that Margaret River was the next step on your journey. There’s fantastic food wine and scenery down here and I’ve been told that Must Winebar down here is even better than it’s city sister.
I love Indiana. I took my Mum there for her 60th on the recommendation of my Pilates instructor, Dom.
You are very lucky to have had an edible meal at Indiana, would have been specially prepared as you were part of the WA tourism group. Otherwise it’s for looking at, most definitely not for eating at!
Oh I so wish I was there with you! Not for the oysters … bleurgh! But because my brother and his family live in WA and I’d love to visit (not to mention explore some of that gorgeous state)
Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake please!…or maybe make it two.
Loved Perth when we visited a few years back and luckily always had a nice meal.
I’m guessing the Margaret River wine regions, am I right?
Last night’s extra hour’s sleep was heaven!
Ooooo next time go visit my sisters in Perth I have to go to the Must Wine Bar. I love wine bars and the food looks beautiful as well.
And there is nothing wrong with eating oysters everyday – I would if I could
So pleased you went to “Must”. Food and service always great. You will consistently get the WOW factor at Must.
My guess for your next visit is “Halo”.
Sounds wonderful! We’ve been meaning to get to WA and your post has just convinced me! x
All the beaches I have seen in pictures in WA all look amazing. I so want to travel to that side. I would be ordering oysters all the time if I could too!
Thanks for the beach photos – nothing like that here.
hmmmmm: didn’t anyone tell you that daylight robbery in the eastern states finished Sunday 03 April and now there’s only a two hour time difference?
Yes they did but when I travelled to Perth there was a 3 hour time difference.
My hometown!! Great to see some Perth places reviewed
All of the above are a must try!! whew! charcuterie plate I would love to try and the lamb and afterwards wine..
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