Feasts for All

IMAGE Ryan Cubbage

Feasts

for all

Christmas is the perfect time to make a brunch, lunch or dinner date in Subiaco, says Ed Gillard. Take your pick from highend dining to relaxed outdoor cafes.

Subiaco is such a special place at this time of year – try to resist feeling Christmassy as you stroll through the pretty streets, shopping for gifts, picking out new outfits for festive dos or just enjoying the build-up to the big day.

And one of the most lovely things about our perfectly formed suburb is that, whatever time of day, if we’re feeling like a bite to eat or a refreshing treat, we’re spoilt for choice as far as places to pull up a chair goes.

Let’s take a look at some of the wonderful cafes, bars and restaurants that you should definitely find time to drop into this Christmas season.

As far as back gardens go, it’s hard to beat The Little Pantry in Nicholson Road. This pretty little café offers superb coffee, imaginative breakfasts and scrumptious cakes and pastries to die for, all in a relaxed, dog-friendly environment. Check to see if their in-house chef has knocked up their delicious Christmas fruit and mince tart – and ask about their range of vegan treats supplied by the very talented Chris' Kitchen.

Later on in the day, head to Bar Amelie on Rokeby Road and bag a spot on the deck. This fantastically laidback venue offers lunches and dinners designed to be shared, and they are also masters of great wine and cocktails.

Book now to make sure you have a spot to try their Christmas menu. There’s an array of treats, including Shark Bay scallops, mushroom arancini or tomato bruschetta to start, Linley Valley pork belly, roast Angus beef fillet or confit duck leg for main – followed up, of course, with Christmas pudding with brandy Anglaise, if you’ve still

got room. Catch live music at Bar Ameie's Supper Club series, which runs from 9 to 11pm featuring local musicians most Saturdays during the run-up to Christmas.

If a night out dining with live music is your jam, and if you want a spot of top jazz while you wait for Santa, check out Bark on Hay Street.

This super-friendly little neighbourhood bar which is renowned for its share plates and charcuterie boards, as well as its great beers, wine and spirits, has live jazz every Wednesday from 7pm ’til 9pm.

And if you want to get your Saturday night off to a fun start, why not drop in from 4pm to 6pm for one of their bottomless cocktail events – $65 buys you a grazing board full of yummy treats and two hours of bevvies, be they cocktails, house bubbles, wine or beer.

If you’re feeling more Feliz Navidad than Merry Christmas as the big day draw nears, check out La Condesa on Hay Street. This is the bright and airy must-try destination is where you’ll find Talummeets-SoCal Mexican cuisine in Subiaco. Expect seasonal cocktails, locally-sourced seafood and authentic tacos on a menu that offers traditional classics, plus some contemporary twists.

If people-watching is your thing, then grabbing a table outside Juanita’s on Rokeby Road is the place for you. The bohemian bar offers a prime

Naughty and nice Opposite, fresh oysters make a delicious start to your Christmas celebrations at Bar Amelie, while La Condesa's cool SoCal vibes get the party started. Left, Juantia's legendary parfait is unmissable, while Bark's continental rolls are a great go-to when you need a break from shopping. Above, Lady of Ro's sensational Greek menu hits the spot.

position to watch the world go by, as well as boasting an interior bursting with character. One of our favourite games is “guess where the chair’s from” – the furniture takes eclectic to another level. Oh, and the food and wine, of course, is just superb.

Right next door, Lady of Ro is a BYO hot spot that will transport you to a harbourside table in Corfu. Don’t miss the halloumi and slow-cooked lamb (and grab a bottle or two from Vintage Cellars on Nicholson Road) before you take your seat.

Smack bang in the middle of it all is the beautiful old girl that is The Subiaco Hotel. On the corner of Rokeby and Hay, this traditional Aussie watering hole offers up everything you could wish for – a steady stream of theme nights and events, plus every big sporting event. Is there a

better place to settle down for the Boxing Day Test?

Dilly Dally on Rokeby Road, meanwhile, offers a sophisticated but laid-back menu and is just made for catching up with friends over Italian-inspired food, fine wines and craft beers. While you’re there, check out Bar Loiter, Dilly Dally’s partner in criminally good nights out. The Rowland Street bar is perfect for a pre-show drink or an all-nighter with your best buds. Is there a better place to settle down for the Boxing Day Test?

FILL UP Clockwise from left, Asian dishes from Koba, Restaurant Caleb's signature lobster dish is a showstopper, El Peruvian Food Co's pork slider is a real gem, and Boucla offers a brilliant brunch

One of the best things about Subi is its diversity, and if you’re looking for fine Asian dining, then Rokeby Road offers up Koba, a wonderful new venue whose mission statement is to combine the traditional cuisines of Asia with the contemporary cooking techniques and disciplines of the kitchens of today.

In the mood for something Gallic? Say no more, monsieur et madame, we have the perfect pied à terre for you in the form of Bloody French, also on Rokeby Road - don't miss their Raclette (think gooey cheese and potatoes). New addition La Bastide on Onslow Road is serving up contemporary versions of country French bistro classics, and a continental breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays.

Staying in Europe, but heading down a bit and to the right, fans of top-notch Italian food can also find it on Rokeby Road at Piccolo Trattoria, or at Caleb Restaurant and Bar on Railway Road. Can’t decide which one to try – hey, it’s Christmas, why not try both?

In need of refuelling after some Christmas shopping? Head to Boucla on Rokeby Road, and try to resist their stunning breakfast and lunch menu. It’s also a useful spot to head to for a last-minute, unique gift.

An enticing alternative is Layers, where everything is, as they say themselves, French-baked that morning. The bustling café on Station Street has pastries so good you’ll never get away with pretending you made them yourselves, as well as possibly the most perfect filled baguettes in the southern hemisphere. Louis Boeglin Patisserie on Bagot Road is the place to head for a show-stopping sweet Christmas centrepiece - place your festive order and pick up some speciality tarts or pastries for dessert while you’re at it.

And our list of candidates for top deli definitely includes The Wholefood Circus on Nicholson Road, which should really be your go-to local gourmet providore. Check out their Christmas Catering Menu online, a mouth-watering list

Louis Boeglin Patisserie

of ready-to-serve or readyto-cook dishes that will make your festive gathering the toast of the town. If caviar’s on your must-have list for Christmas Eve, Simon Johnson on Rokeby Road has an excellent selection and some of the most beautifully wrapped foodie gifts in Subi.

After all that, I think we deserve a drink – and a few places spring to mind. If you haven’t checked out the Golden West Brewing Co on Hay Street yet, then just what have you been doing instead? This welcome addition to our bar scene has a long history behind it – it’s the rebirth of a quintessential West Australian brand that produced beer and other brews for three-quarters of a century until the 1970s.

With that amount of experience, you know you’re in for something special. In the mood for some fizz? Head just down the road and take a pew on the cute deck out the front of Lums Wine Bar, another heritage building given a new lease of life by the team behind Bark Bar. Don’t miss their marinated Fremantle octopus and pork, mushroom and truffle meatballs for a simple snack with your frosty Prosecco or unoaked chardonnay.

Alternatively, drop into Fenway off Rokeby Road for upmarket pub grub and boutique beers in a laid-back space that perfectly captures the community-within-a-city essence of Subi.

Simon Johnson

Visit Subiaco’s new custom faming studio and art gallery on Rokeby Road. Talk to owner Philip Morrison about all your framing needs. Discover limited edition prints of the whimsical art of Dr Seuss in a gallery dedicated to this beloved artist’s work. Spend some time with all your favourites and choose a very special Christmas gift this year from ‘The Cat in The Hat’, ‘Horton’, ‘The Grinch’, ‘The Lorax’, ‘Oh, The Places You’ll Go’ as well as some of his lesser known stories and Secret Art. All prints are available for sale with free, same day, local delivery. Enquire too about our hanging service.