Warm Bodies

Tis the season to rug up and head somewhere cosy - preferably with a fireplace or a warming drink on hand. Gail Williams reports.

COSY CORNERS Right, Boucla's pretty as a picture ruby masala is worth rugging up for, while a visit to Cherubino City Cellar is the perfect winter treat. Storehouse at Vibe Subiaco Hotel makes a mean margarita with stunning views, while the Unicorn Bar proves small is beautiful.

Winter is coming.

So when the rain is beating down and the mercury drops to a single figure there’s no better place to be than tucked up at home wearing Ugg boots and watching Game of Thrones.

Well, actually that's not quite true.

Especially if you live in Subiaco where dozens of cosy nooks and crannies transport winter punters to the warmth of an outback Kimberley rock, without them having to even leave the suburb.

Plush armchairs and slow-cooked casseroles are the normal winter staples but this season, many frostbitten souls are finding that liquid love is setting their cockles on fire. Hot ticket drinks are being poured in highball glasses, martini coupes, flutes, teacups and mugs to entice Subi-ites off their couches.

If you’ve never felt the inner warming glow of tequila spreading enticingly from throat to tummy, it’s time to head to the rooftop at Vibe. Take up a luxurious logue at Vibe Subiaco Hotel’s Storehouse Restaurant and Bar while nursing a smooth El Mikan Margarita, their signature winter cocktail and enjoy the sweeping views as you ward off the cold. It starts with an in-your-face kick of reposado tequila and Grand Marnier and finishes with grilled orange garnish.

Marveloso!

Who needs an open fire when you get the same warm thrill savouring a Negroni in a Riedel glass?

At The Unicorn then focus is inward. In their Nana’s Lounge, you’ll find few bespectacled old ladies drinking sherry while they knit – although The Unicorn would gladly welcome them. Instead locals of all ages cram into the little enclave to sip Negronis – a fabulous drink

WARM UP Right, Chef Caleb brings the heat to his eponymous kitchen, below and opposite, the Unicorn Bar has made its Negroni a must-sip experience this winter.

any time of the year. Here it takes on a special nutty zing with a dried orange garnish added to equal parts vermouth, gin and campari.

Some might mourn one recent change - that old stalwart and icon, the Subiaco Hotel has lost its popular fireplace during renovations last year. But there’s plenty to make up for that in the snug booths of the Lobby Bar where it was once housed. There, consolation comes in the form of espresso martinis or a Glenmorangie 10-year single malt as diehard fans congratulate themselves on their choices. Tucked away upstairs is Henry’s Loft perfect for a private winter function.

The wood fire burns bright in the open kitchen of Caleb Restaurant and Bar, as much for the theatrical appeal as what comes out of it – rustic cauliflower and smokey salmon dishes.

But it is the lure of sipping mulled wine upstairs on the heated rooftop that has many lingering long after hours. Cinnamon-spiced merlot is reduced until the syrupy mix can be poured into a pretty cocktail glass and garnished with cinnamon.

Die-hard regulars also swear by

STOREHOUSE BAR AND RESTAURANT'S El Mikan Margarita

45ml Reposado tequila 15ml Grand Marnier 30ml fresh lime juice 10ml grilled orange spiced agave 15ml fresh mandarin Chill the cocktail glass with ice. Rub fresh orange around the rim and dip it into cinnamon sugar. Put all the liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well with ice and double strain or fine strain into the cocktail glass with fresh ice. Garnish with baked orange wheel and cinnamon quill. r g arita E l M i k an M a

the bar’s heavenly hot chocolate served in a mug and a side serve of chocolate flourless cake.

As if anyone needed an incentive to head to Cherubino Wines City Cellar. The state-of-the-art fit out is purpose-built for cosy chats on the couch while tucking into a shared platter of meatballs. Add a glass of chianti, look up at the skylight to watch the rain drizzle down and you have a date night from sun-drenched Calabria. A nebretti barolo might also just do the trick. Add an Old Fashioned made with Starward Two Fold, demerara sugar, bitters, orange and cherries and winter worries dissolve away.

Boucla has been named the number one best cosy cafe in Perth and it’s not hard to see why. Everywhere you look in this Moroccan-decorated cafe reminds you of a sunny holiday on a Mediterranean island. The staff are obliging if you order their famous Ruby Chai, an award-winning exotic chai, handmade in Osborne Park.

Their Ruby Masala – a malty, aromatic black tea with a rich, full flavour - works well with milk. Invigorating and served in a tumbler garnished with star anise it’s guaranteed to lift your spirits, spice up your life and help discover the ever-warm summer inside yourself.

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