FREMANTLE’S LATEST NEW BAR/CUCINA (Sailing For Oranges

Fremantle’s latest new bar/cucina

On the last day of Spring, we dropped in to try this Mediterranean-inspired venue with the whimsical name, situated on the site of the old Monk’s Brewery on South Terrace in Fremantle. Having only just opened, this new offering from the people who brought you Emily Taylor Bar & Kitchen and Gimlet at the Warders Hotel, offers all day dining featuring share plates. It’s open seven days-a-week, from 7am till late, and you can pop in for a drink and a snack at any time of day. Sit and watch the world go by on Fremantle’s busy South Terrace, while sampling some of their lovely food. The Group Director of Hospitality Tim Buckton told us they have both an in-house butcher and baker, so everything is really fresh, and they use lots of local produce. The kitchen has been remodelled and the place has a great outdoors feel while being all undercover, perfect for Summer. On Fridays and Saturdays they have live music and DJs to keep you entertained. My dining companion had been there a couple of times before and said the food just keeps getting better, as they tweak the recipes. We had a great selection of dishes from the all-day menu (they have a breakfast menu as well), and enjoyed a glass of wine, a beer and a gin cocktail with our food. Skull Island tiger prawns on skewers with a tomato vinaigrette and a grilled lemon half was the first dish to arrive, and very tasty it was too. Next, we had a truly delicious plate of lightly cooked Brussels sprouts, served on a bed of sweet sherried parsnip puree and topped with strips of crunchy fennel. To cleanse the palate, we had a salad consisting of chunks of rock melon and ribbons of cucumber on a bed of creamy sheep’s milk curd with rosewater. This was followed by some torched asparagus served on a creamy white sauce and topped with flaked almonds, as well as a plate of grilled chorizo slices glazed in cider and served on caramelised onions, accompanied by another grilled lemon half. The grilled lemon was particularly good with both the chorizo and the prawns. A plate of shaved Sopressa (Italian-style salami) arrived, accompanied by a side-dish with some toasted house-made bread and pickled vegetables. Our final dish of fine slices of Cured amber jack with creme fraiche and strawberry puree made a very pretty dish, worthy of putting on social media. Do make sure you order some of the house bread. This is the kind of food that goes perfectly with bread – it’s an essential companion, like rice with curry. It was fantastic; crunchy and herby on the outside and soft on the inside, perfect for tearing pieces off to dip in and soak up all those lovely sauces. We chatted with Chef Brian Alday who told us that his own favourite dish was the goat. He said all of the dishes are simple combinations of three or four elements, with the emphasis on fresh local produce and everything made in-house. We particularly enjoyed the vegetarian dishes, but would love to go back there again another day to try some of the other menu options.

By Georgina Goss

Sailing for Oranges 33 South Terrace, Fremantle Ph: (08) 9239 3333 www.sailingfororanges.com.au