Far Flung Favourites

Subiaco is home to thousands of people hailing from far flung countries - and some have opened cafes and restaurants which serve cuisine from their homeland. Gail Williams tucks in.

ALL THE WORLD is a stage. So wrote Shakespeare and he could have easily been looking into the future at Subiaco.

Why? Because in a twist the Bard would love, the suburb has actually become a stage for the world, where men and women of all nations are the players.

Subiaco, according to the last census, is home to 5,728 people who were born overseas, making up more than a quarter of the suburb’s population spreading across seven square kilometres.

And that’s precisely what makes the place so fantastically wonderful as dozens of hospitality operators – who have also come from afar – cater for such diversity in venues popping up in laneways, car parks, the Paris end of Rokeby and the Subi Farmers Markets. .

Here, we meet just a few of the faces behind the exotic flavours and scents wafting through our suburb. Karanpon Nititawachpong (Goff)

Six Senses Thai Restaurant 23/17-31 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco 08 9388 3969

Ten years ago, when Thai-born Goff (pictured above) introduced Subiaco to prawn-topped betel leaves – snacks from his childhood in Thailand – Rokeby Road was a thriving metropolis humming with the beat of nearby bars and football crowds.

He now has a string of Thai restaurants across Perth’s suburbs, all offering the best of traditional Thai favourites tweaked with a contemporary take on chicken satays and duck rolls. But Subi still holds a special place in his heart.

“It is still an ideal place to be, close to the train station, the theatre and offices,” he says. “We love Subi because of its people, heritage houses and the old buildings.”

Not as much as the Subi people love them.

Eva Kanakis

George’s Meze Restaurant 26 Denis St, Subiaco 08 9388 1585

Eva is from Austria but certainly knows her way around a Greek kitchen. Her late husband, George, was from the Peloponnese region of Greece, and the pair opened their well-loved homage to his cuisine back in 2001.

George sadly passed away 2017 but Eva and their son, Nick (below), honour his memory in the popular haunt for those after a fix of slowcooked goat or spanakopita.

Many of the recipes were cooked by George at home but some were passed on by his mother.

Eva is a big fan of Subiaco where her sun-drenched little cafe in an old cottage is always packed with smiling fans.

“It’s a beautiful suburb,” she says. “With its charming old houses, leafy streets and variety of interesting little shops and restaurants.

“The Greek-style goat dish we prepare best reflects George’s cooking from Greece; patient and slowly cooked, healthy and delicious. Perfect on a cold winter’s night.”

Raffaele Brotzu

Delisio 4/94 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco 08 9381 7796

You may well ask - what have the Romans ever done for us?

Raffaele (above) is happy to show you. He has a string of international awards under his belt for his thick, puffy-crusted pizzas, topped with the simplest of ingredients. And if you want a slice of La Dolce Vita to transport you all the way to Raffaele’s home city, just bite into his pizza al taglio.

It was the variety of businesses that attracted him to Subiaco 19 years ago upon moving here from the Italian capital.

“I love the demographic,” he says. “And the number of people who love food and want to try different things.

“Pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) is how it is sold in Rome. You walk into the shops and see the bench full of incredible pizzas, topped with the simplest, freshest ingredients. The potato pizza, which is typical of Rome, is one of my childhood memories.”

Anthony and Amanda Princi

Juanita’s 341 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco | juanitasbar.com.au

Having spent a big chunk of his 20s in Italy, Perthborn Anthony (left) has maintained strong links to the country his parents hailed from and it is reflected in the simple European menu offered to customers.

Chef Luke Foyle picks up the philosophy in his San Danielle Prosciutto Plate with Shaw River buffalo mozzarella with chives, capers and lemon olive oil, which hits the spot with regulars.

“It takes me back to the huge drying rooms at our old plant in Malaga, helping the guys salting and applying the stucco to the raw legs of pork. Such an incredible process but so worth the final product,” says Anthony.

His love of Subi goes right back to the 80s when Altos was a favourite restaurant.

“The veal costela carpaccio, Mrs Scaffidi’s pasta and the molten cioccolatino along with incredible wine list and the high level of service and training made it one of the places all my friends wanted to work,” he says.

“When this spot near Boucla came up we leapt at the prospect of a revitalised Subiaco community. Subiaco is a fulcrum to our CBD. It is the historic old heart, you can feel the village in the streets. It’s so liveable and central. In 10 minutes, you can be in the city or the beach or university. You know that Mt Eliza watches over Subiaco and that can never be overlooked.”

Jean-Claude and Erna Sterchi

Chez Jean-Claude Patisserie 333 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco

“There is really nothing better than that crunch!” Thousands of customers of Jean-Claude’s patisserie would agree with him.

He’s talking about the baguettes he bakes which takes the Swiss pastry chef right back to childhood holidays in France.

Jean-Claude and Erna moved to Perth 24 years ago and began delighting locals with their sweet and savoury European delicacies which saw their now landmark patisserie garnering long queues.

Says Erna: “We immediately fell in love with Subi, with its gum-tree-lined streets filled with kookaburras and its family-friendly shopping precinct which had everything we needed. Our kids were only little at the time, and we felt that Subiaco was the perfect place to raise a young family. Playing in the local parks was a daily activity, with trips to Kings Park only around the corner. It was a fantastic start to our lives in Australia.”

Boubakar

Barrie and Jennifer Hoogenboom Bloody French 279 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco 0432701909

Parisian-born Boubakar and his Australian/German wife Jennifer, had their tongues firmly in their cheeks when they named their restaurant Bloody French. Many fans say they should have added “Bloody Good”. Five years on, the locals are swearing too – with the odd “sacre bleu” – as they savour a little bit of France in Boubakar’s dishes like boeuf bourguignon, confit duck cassoulet, French onion soup and raclette.

“We chose Subiaco because it reminds us of Europe with the architecture and the vibe you get when you walk up and down the street,” says Boubaker. “The side of Rokeby Road where we are is known as Little France, so we always thought this was the place for us.”

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