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Roasted jalapeños with black pudding & goats curd

It is overwhelming walking through the Perth CBD and noticing all the changes in the seven years since I left. Places that had stories I attach to them – some special, some weird, some quite intoxicated. Many of these places have changed in huge ways.

Perth has definitely improved as a city and continues to. Some of the boom might have faded, but the underlying base is enhanced in its wake. There are too many changes to mention, and while it had started before I left, even just walking down King Street there is no longer its namesake cafe, Hudson’s is gone and has been remarkably changed, and there is now a beautiful basement room across the road at 75 that is Varnish on King.

Pan fried brussel sprouts with maple & blue cheese

I was told about Varnish a while ago and tonight I get to half cross it off the list. Half because I am dining alone, precluding me from ordering several good looking larger dishes.

First cab off the rank is the Brussel sprouts. They are nicely presented and the combination is great, especially with the maple not dominating and just giving a hint of sweetness. It’s naturally a large serve as this is food to share, but I don’t mind coming back to it while I enjoy the two other dishes I order.

Next comes the cholesterol – a large serve of bone marrow. It is awesomely fatty and luckily there is a bit of balance from the crumb. I’m glad I ordered it, but my next check up will be interesting! Ask me whether I ate all three pieces and I’d have to plead the fifth.

Bone marrow with grated venison heart & lemon

Last I try the jalepinos with black pudding. Each element is excellent and put together this is a fantastic dish. Topped off by the sauce (which can be added to with three different chilli sauces), this is another fun dish that is surprisingly not too hot, though I was warned not to go too close to the stem.

There is a great deal of risk putting out some of these combinations. Each one needs to hit the mark. There would be many punters having a snack with their whiskey, or other beverage of choice, and the likelihood of returning could depend on one dish. Here the skill of the chefs and their technique averts that risk. Each dish was excellent and these are not your usual suspects.

The enthusiasm, and obvious knowledge of my waitperson almost convinces me to order a whiskey, but having walked here on a warm day I go for the tried and tested. A glass of the Vasse Felix Chardonnay followed by the Delinquente Vermentino from the South Australia Riverland shows equal care in the selection of wines. It is nice to have such skilled service. Across the floor and behind the bar the staff are genuinely enjoying themselves and are doing a terrific job.

Walking though the intimidating door, down into the intimate basement was the only time I felt self-aware here. After that, even though I was dining alone, this was a very enjoyable experience from all angles. I’ll be back with a crowd.

Beef carpaccio, harissa, pedro ximenez

Every business trip to Perth is exciting for several reasons. Having lived in Perth most of my life there are opportunities to catch up with family and friends. It might be Monday tonight, but some of my closest friends have made the effort to get into Northbridge after work for a quick feed and a couple of beers.

The number of new restaurants and bars popping up in Perth is incredible. I like to walk for many reasons whether at home or away, and one of those reasons is you can come across great places to eat or drink that you may have not noticed driving by. Our visit to The Standard has resulted from previous walks down Roe Street which has changed remarkably since I first started going to Northbridge.

The guys are already in the restaurant when I arrive and embarrassingly, they have asked our waitperson to hold off doing the spiel until their blogging friend arrives. If nothing else, my embarrassment has led to a good rapport, which continues for the night and translates to good service.

The spiel is the usual for these types of modern sharing restaurants. There are tiny plates, small plates, and large plates, that are all designed to share. With five blokes the all important guide is how much to order. We follow the suggestion to order four of the small dishes and three of the large.

First comes the “beef carpaccio, harissa, pedro ximenez” which is pretty. Presented differently to the tradition, the beef is tender and subtle, combining well with the other ingredients and providing a promising start. Next comes the “broccolini, hazelnut, shallot, cranberry” which is a good fresh dish, but we probably should have asked for it to come towards the end with the larger dishes.

Glazed pork cheek, crisp jowl, broad bean, brussel sprout

The mushroom doughnuts provide the most conjecture for the night. Some are a bit turned off by the sweetness, and inconsistency in the amount of mushrooms offered. Personally, I think it is an interesting take, the doughnuts well constructed with the mushroom filling, the paprika sugar sweet, but not overly sweet, and the lemon and chive curd enhancing the taste and texture. However, while I enjoyed one try, I wouldn’t order the dish again. I think on this one experience it was three for, two against.

Our last small dish, the free range BBQ chicken wings, again have sweetness from the marinade. They are nice, but nothing special, and I find the Granny Smith apple component is a bit lost. After a short break we are on to our three larger dishes. To begin, the chicken grill with rice noodle, peanuts, herbs, and nuoc cham, is an excellent combination. Jason particularly liked the Vietnamese flavours and for most it was one of the better dishes. I thought the rice noodle was expertly prepared for a restaurant that doesn’t specialise in any one type of cuisine.

Beef brisket, brioche, pickle, russian dressing, buttered cabbage

The two meatier dishes were hit and miss. The beef brisket was tender and had a good amount of meaty richness. The toasted brioche was a bit hard and plain, but the other accompaniments such as the buttered cabbage, were perfect to break through some of the richness. On the other hand, the glazed pork cheek and crisp jowl with a salad of broad beans and brussel sprouts, could be improved. A few more brussel sprouts (whole as the leaves provided little) would be good, and the pork cheek probably needed the injection of more flavour and cooking.

The amount of food was generous and most of us didn’t even think twice about dessert. With a good beer selection there was a better alternative to finish with. Around the table most of the group would definitely come back, and the personable service helped on that score.

While it is important to carefully order at The Standard, it is a comfortable place to eat. I can imagine the outdoor area in the back is pumping in summer, and the option to have a nibble while drinking, or enjoy a more substantial meal, seems to be equally attractive.

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