Monday, December 28, 2009

Pink Rice - Fremantle

To put it out there, I love sushi. Furthermore I love sushi as a meal in Summer. The coolness of the food helps counteracts the heat of the season. And what better way to eat sushi but from a sushi train.

Pink Rice is indeed an odd name but this sushi train is located just a few steps from the cafe strip in Fremantle. The place is quite spacious with the sushi train going around an area where some of the sushi is prepared. The teppanyaki barbeque is also located in this section and so is a deep frier. One just takes plates from the sushi train and the bill is calculated by the waitstaff after the meal. The plates are colour coded for price and one can also order from the menu if a particular plate of goodies is not on the train. Drinks are self serve from a nearby drinks fridge.

I tried a variety of the offerings on the train and the sushi is good but not spectacular. Some items are obviously not popular as you see them pass you again and again. The variety is good but some items like the prawn cutlets and takoyaki balls are obviously not hand made but are bought frozen. The best sushi was the shitake mushroom sushi which was bountiful in flavour.
I also ordered the teppanyaki but do not expect a show. It is basically barbequed on a barbeque hot plate away from most diners. I was shocked to see the prawns I ordered being liberally coated in cooking spray at one point. The prawns arrived in a tasty teriyaki sauce with some salad.

Overall Pink Rice is not a bad place to have sushi. Don't expect top notch sushi but I do commend the service. The prices are not bad and a are less expensive than similar places in Perth. In conclusion, I would come here for a casual meal or a supper.

Ratings:
Food - 4.5 - OK, some are not hand made in store.
Value - 1.5 - Cheaper than similar places.

Final rating: 60%

Finer Details:
Pinkrice on Urbanspoon
Open:
Lunch:
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday - Saturday 11:45am - 2:30pm
Sunday 11:45am - 3:30pm

Dinner
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday - Saturday 5:45pm - 9:00pm
Sunday CLOSED

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Hippo Creek - Hillary's Boat Harbour

If I remember, I like to peruse the menu before I go to a restaurant I have never been before. The selection of Angus and MSA graded steaks caught my eye and I drove hastedly to the popular seaside harbour. This edition of Hippo Creek was founded on the immense popularity of its original Scarborough eatery, where one would need to book in advance to get a seat for dinner. Luckily for me, my significant other had booked for us a few weeks in advance. At the time of writing it is summer in Perth and days with temperatures hovering in the thirties are not uncommon. The cool breeze that met us was a welcome relief as we disembarked from the car.

Hippo Creek is located next to the water where one will see boats moored next to the boardwalk the restaurant is located. Hippo Creek is a two storey restaurant with tables outside to enjoy the above mentioned breeze. We were seated on the second storey with an overhanging view of the floor below. Hippo Creek is sparsely decorated with an tribal African theme with the show piece being a huge zebra skin splayed on the wall over the main entrance. Upon arrival, the restaurant was already quite busy which is not surprising with Christmas being less than a week away.

A waitress soon arrived and we placed out order. Usually I would order an entree but the main I ordered seem more than enough. I ordered certified Angus rib-eye steak on the bone with a side pork ribs. Mushroom sauce and chips rounded off the dish. The meal came in good time and at this time I noticed we were not served our complimentary bottle of water (tap vintage). Luckily I had a coke to wet my mouth. I had asked for the steak to be medium rare and it was on the edges of the steak. As I got closer to the bone it was evident the steak was rare. Luckily I do like rare steak too but be warned and do not forget to take up Hippo Creek's steak guarantee for steaks cooked no more than medium. The mushroom sauce was a great compliment and the steak was tender. A bit more seasoning could have done it more justice but no real complaints. Chips go well with mushroom sauce too but I took it easy on the potato fingers as I had the pork ribs to tuck into. The pork ribs had a nice basting but the meat was quite dry and was more of an afterthought. That coupled with the size of the rib-eye will recommend to you that the steak is more than enough.
Breaking with tradition again we skipped dessert to have an ice cream at one of the local ice cream shops.

All in all the meal was quite good. For the money I paid for the steak, it could have been a better grade but I would eat it again no problem. I probably recommend a cheaper steak, maybe a hunter's assaggai which is steak suspended on a hot skewer, novel and fun way to eat. Although the waitstaff missed the fact that we did not receive a bottle of water, they were very attentive and available.

Ratings:
Food: 6 - Good food, a cheaper steak will give you a better value form of satisfaction.
Value: 1.2 - Would be higher if high grade steaks were better. Hunters assaggai is good value.

Final Rating: 72%

Finer Details:
Hippo Creek African Grill on Urbanspoon

Open:
Breakfast is from 8:00 to 11:00 (Saturday and Sundays only)
Lunch is from 12:00 to 15:00
Dinner is from 18:00 to Late (Kitchen closes at 21:30)

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Kanta - secrets of a local favourite Japanese eatery revealed!

As you might have guessed from the name, Kanta is a Japanese restaurant nestled in Langford, one of the older suburbs in Perth. It is located in a small suburban shopping complex where an unfamiliar traveler could easily drive past. But if a traveler did miss this place, he or she will rue the unsuccessful journey.

The front of the restaurant is has pictures posted up on it, depicting the various dishes one could partake inside. The place is not advertised to my knowledge and is one of the best kept secrets in the Perth culinary world. A friend had recommended it to me and even though it isn't advertised, bookings are a must to avoid disappointment. Take away is an option for those gamblers who turn up and are faced with fully booked tables. One reason why booking are essential is the fact the restaurant only as about twenty seats for diners.

This particular evening I indeed rolled the dice without booking but increased my odds by going at 6pm. I was sat at one of the counter seats where the diner has unhindered view into the kitchen. The kitchen is populated by wait staff that attend to the garnishes on each dish and a sous chef that helps preparation. However the head chef does all the cooking, from the preparation of sushi rolls to the cooking of mains on the stove top.

For the entree I had sushi topped with uni (sea urchin). This was the first time I had uni and I suggest you try it as the flavour is quite unique, a taste of the sea is a good analogy. I also ordered the grilled squid tentacles. The squid was a bright pink with charred sections here and there. It was grilled just right, very tender with a great grilled flavour. The accompanying mayonnaise was a good companion but I did find that some bits were a bit too salty.

For my main I had the fillet steak. You might be thinking "fillet steak? from a Japanese restaurant?" and I did think that too. However I stuck to my guns and ordered it. The steak was grilled, sliced, sauteed in teriyaki sauce, and stacked back to its original fillet mignon shape. Four slices of shitaki mushroom lay in shallow pool of more teriyaki sauce that framed the beef which was garnished with thinly sliced spring onion on top. I'm glad I stuck to my guns as the steak was perfectly cooked and tender. The sauce made it even tastier but again it was approaching the salty side. I'm glad I had some rice to help combat the saltiness.

Overall the meal was great and I thoroughly recommend that you go and try this place. Do remember to book to avoid disappointment!


Ratings:
Food : 6.5/8.0 - High marks for presentation and taste. Maybe a bit salty for some palettes.
Value : 1.0/2.0 - Entrees are around $8 with mains averaging $20.

Final Rating : 75%

Finer details:
Kanta Japanese Kitchen and Sushi on Urbanspoon