Toast

I had forgotten just how great ricotta tastes. Ricotta on french toast with blueberries and maple syrup is another story.

My darling Laith who I regard as a brother, and who sees himself as the "beloved future uncle" of my future children (whom he will spoil and shower with affection in order to win their love, as he has told me previously on countless occasions) organised a breakfast with Annie and Matthew in a loved spot of mine in East Perth.

Toast. And yes. They do serve toast. Toast is always busy and for good reason - the beautiful waterfront view of the oddly but somehow complimentary coloured homes lined side by side, is well sought after and a short walk in the park and over the bridge isn't a bad idea to fathom after filling your stomachs either.

Toast is a mellow and ambient eatery. Cosy, unpretentious with good food for breakfast and lunch, accompanied with friendly and accomodating staff, Toast is a wonderful pick for a Saturday morning catch up session with close friends. I am not going to lie, previously I have spent two or more lazy hours sitting around at Toast reading a good book, nestled in the comfy seats with a mug of rhubarb compote and cream and other times I would be spending a good twenty minutes to half an hour just waiting for a table during its busy breakfast and brunch hours. However people don't mind waiting for a table and with good reason.

Address:
60 Royal Street, East Perth

Opening Hours:
Monday - Sunday: 7am - 7pm

Typika

Since opening last year, Typika has pushed itself up the charts as a popular coffee and food spot. Situated in Claremont, Typika is a roastery warehouse that focuses on displaying the art of roasting coffee while providing delicious food and a place for customers enjoy their coffee in a simple and unpretentious roastery. Typika Artisan Roasters is a big, open plan kitchen/espresso bar and cafe adorned with beaker light fittings.

After the Wedding Upmarket, May and I took a quick detour to Claremont. Incredibly popular, we happened to go at an opportune time. May still had a big craving for eggs since her first craving for breakfast hadn't been fulfilled. So she ordered eggs. However one suggestion is that unless you like chewing - try to get the softer bread. I on the other hand was feeling for something fresh and sweet and ordered the red fruit salad. With raspberries, watermelon, plums and strawberries, the fruit salad is topped with a cloud of passionfruit foam. The passionfruit foam is sour but as you get to the bottom the sweetness intensifies. May ordered the deconstructed hot chocolate, which she said was amazing and it definitely looked it!

It was so lovely catching up with May. May and I have known each other since first year in primary school. I was jealous of her awesome knee high boots in year one and although we both can't remember what they even look like, it was one of the bonding moments in the play ground. Although leading busy lives we still manage to squeeze in hilarious phone conversations and texts, but it's always wonderful to meet up with her in person.

Address:

331 Stirling Highway, Claremont

Opening Hours:

Monday - Sunday: 6.30am - 3.30pm

Sugar & Nice

Saturday early morning breakfast catch ups with May meant a nice local place to try and where better than Sugar & Nice in Inglewood. After a quick Urbanspoon search we came across Sugar & Nice. Tucked along the end of Beaufort Street, Sugar & Nice is a hot spot for locals. Coffee, cake and things is one of the best ways to describe this cute little cafe. It's quiet, fresh and coupled with mixed prints that somehow go together (much like sugar and spice).

Sunday Saloon

Unpretentious, honest food is always a good idea. Good food with good people is an even better one. Meet Chantel, an old soul with the warmest of hearts. It's been too long and far between catch ups with this lovely girl. We often find ourselves asking each other why it's taken so long to finally manage to lock in some one on one time and more often than not it's because of clashing and competing schedules, the daily grind (not the good coffee kind) and a bad case of terrible timing. 

It's always wonderful to catch up with Chantel. Hands are placed on the table, sometimes held, other times hitting each other with laughter. Our conversation hopped from topic to topic - love, loss and new achievements. Goals we promised ourselves we'd reach and obstacles we hadn't realised we had overcome. All of which were discussed of course, over Low Key's delectable delights. 

Low Key was buzzing, the warm lights from inside shone out the windows along the Oxford Strip and was a recluse from the cool Sunday evening. Tables had been snaffled up but Chan had the forethought to book ahead and we found ourselves in the corner of the restaurant by the window. 

Some pondering was done and recommendations were made from someone who seemingly frequents Low Key a little too often. New dishes were tried and tested, wine was had and snaps to jealous friends were taken. The gyoza was placed on our table first. Next came the mantou buns (seriously too good although I don't think anything will beat the first time I tried them) and our satay and kimchi salad soon followed. The lovely night was wrapped up with an azuki and strawberry crepe and a five spice sticky date pudding with warm butterscotch and a generous dollop of ice cream. 

The rest of the night was spent discussing men, awkward situations and the good old days. Words were read and giggled about and boosts of earnest encouragement from both parties along the lines of "If she can do it, I can do it too!" were expressed with fists clenched. Chantel is an avid writer and I know that in the future she will wonderfully affect the hearts of all those who are lucky to have her words grace them. Until her inevitable best seller is published it's journal scribblings and notepads from here. 

Thank you Chan for putting the time aside for such a lovely night, one that ended in hard goodbyes and promises of funny pictures of men making bad decisions. 

A French Pastry Breakfast

"You can't just eat good food. You've got to talk about it too. And you've got to talk about it to somebody who understands that kind of food." - Kurt Vonnegut

Jailbird.

Low Key Chow House

Low Key Chow House is a new eatery in Leederville, a few doors down from 50ml and smack bang in the middle of the food strip along Oxford Street. It's completely unsuspecting from the outside, marked by an "Open" sign with mahjong pieces and a good luck charm.

The restaurant isn't as quiet as it looks in the photos above, it was actually really buzzing when Matthew and I got there although we had missed the lunch crowd at about 1.30 in the afternoon. We also hung about for so long that we were the last customers there, which was okay for me since it gave me free reign to take whatever photographs I wanted, with the permission of the manager of course.

The stripped back walls and floorboards bode well with the new and refined china, tables and wine glasses. The menu is a fun reflection of the attitude of the guys serving the food and the chow house itself. Famous lines from famous kung fu movies are coupled with cool Asian gangsters - icons from all sorts of Asian countries and dishes that go hand in hand with them.

I would suggest between two people, two or three shares and a main with dessert, or four or five shares and dessert, whichever dessert that is you choose. Matthew and I couldn't do that so we went with "3rd Base" which was probably the best idea and we got to sample three out of the four desserts on offer. All of which were delicious. However a head's up with the fried ice cream, that thing is messy! Gula melaka with sago, 5 spice sticky date pudding and salted caramel fried ice cream made 3rd Base.

As it was Matthew's birthday lunch (Happy 21st ya buttface) he chose the main and we both agreed steadfastly on our shares. You would be out of your mind if you gave the Mantou buns - candied caramel pork belly in the most beautiful steamed bun I've ever had, a miss. When you have it you'll know what I mean. We also had the Sangyeopsal and Ssamyang (you can tell it's Korean influenced) with pork belly yet again, lettuce cups, spicy dipping sauce and pickled celery. Although fried rice is an obvious and seemingly ordinary pick it was far from it, but beware of chilli!

Ever since my visit I've been dreaming about those pork mantou buns and I know there's not much stopping me from waltzing right back in for more.

Address:

140 Oxford Street, Leederville

Opening Hours:

Wednesday - Sunday: 5.30pm - 10pm

Friday - Saturday: 12pm - 10pm

Sunday: 12pm - 10pm