Super bowls: scoring great noodles in Perth

From the winter 2015 edition of Scoop's Perth Guide, a wrap of some of my favourite noodle places in Perth. Since the piece was published, there's been a bit of movement in some categories - Trang's Cafe in Girrawheen is now my go-to for pho dac biet, plus the discovery of house-made soba at Sasuke is an exciting development - but I still think the list makes for good reading.

She Hit Pause Studios

Just rediscovered one of my favourite Polaroid photographers after he popped up on my Twitter feed. For fans of grungy and dreamy imagery, do yourself a solid and spend some time at She Hit Pause Studios.

Throwback Thursday. Sort of.

Considering the Balingup Summer Long Table is little more than a week away, the (re)discovery of these images from lunch at Millbrook in March 2011 is a timely one. I remember being particularly impressed with that carrot centrepiece in the first shot. 

Perth holiday drinks

It's been a good year for bending the elbow. As published in last week's STM magazine, here are five new Perth bars worth checking out over the long break.

2014: the year in dishes

I’ve been lucky enough to eat some great things in the line of duty this year. Here’s a dozen of the best (in a sort-of chronological order from latest to earliest, plus any relevant online links), starting in the top left corner and finishing in the bottom right. 

1. Impossibly fatty Geraldton yellowfin tuna belly nigiri at Miki’s Open Kitchen in Margaret River.
2. Chase Kojima’s "tai-nori" uni sushi, as seen at the Sokyo sushi bar. 
3. Attica’s super-pretty (and super-delicious) broad bean flower, sheep’s milk yoghurt and pumpkin seed construct.
4. The “sweet corn arrancini” at Torrisi Italian Specialties starring sweet corn, baby chives and a mochi made using Tamaki gold rice.
5. Benu’s unbelievable lobster coral xiaolongbao. 
6. That brilliant smoked duck and barbecued cabbage one-two the crew at Momofuku Seiōbo were doing in the middle of the year.
7. Thomas Lim’s scallop ceviche accessorised with fried Jerusalem artichoke and a sake vinaigrette (Goldie’s Los Angeles).
8. All the Hainanese sticks at Shi Xiang Satay in Singapore’s wondrous Chinatown Food Complex. 
9. That legendary braised bone marrow you can enjoy at Lalla Rookh in Perth.
10. The pork and bone marrow sate at Sate Plecing Arjuna in Denpasar.
11. This year’s first taste of whitebait care of Chameleon, the in-house restaurant at the Intercontinental Wellington. 
12. The bargain-priced nasi Bali at Warung Liku. 

It’s been an unbelievably delicious 2014: I have no idea how 2015 is going to compete with all this but for now, here’s wishing you and yours a safe festive season and all the best for the New Year. Thanks for reading along through the year and for your support. I'm looking forward to picking up where we left off in the new year.

Basement Dinner Sessions

What's this? A series of (literally) underground pop-up dinners from the funsters at El Publico? Hot diggity this is going to be fun. Kicking things off will be an event on Wednesday November 26 with guest Sydney chef and newly minted cookbook author Dan Hong of Mr Wong, Ms. G's and El Loco notoriety, then Mary Street Bakery head pastry chef Courtney Gibb will be throwing down with an all-dessert dinner on Thursday. Finally on Friday, everyone's favourite gardening chef Guy Jeffreys will be bringing the Millbrook show to the big smoke. For those who've wanted to enjoy Jeffreys' vegie-centric cooking but haven't yet made the trek out to Jarrahdale, your ship's come in. Get a posse together, then hit basementdinnersessions.eventbrite.com.au to book tickets. See you there.

Plentiful in Portland

A love letter to the eats, drinks and general weirdness of Portland, as seen in the August edition of QANTAS The Australian Way.