7 minute read
First among Brunches
Brunch is the new black – and Swan Valley has some of the best in the biz.
By GAIL WILLIAMS
DROOL-WORTHY
Padbury’s Cafe Restaurant has created a lemon meringue pancake masterpiece (this page), while opposite, Maison Saint-Honore is well-known for its delectable macarons and pastries.
SEINFELD FANS KNOW only too well that there is food for thought, and modern day philosophy, in everything. And no one summed it up better than Jerry’s new girlfriend who mused in the popular TV series over the term “brunch” on their first date.
“So what’s the deal with brunch? If it’s a combination of breakfast and lunch how come there’s no lupper or linner?” she asked.
Jerry thought he had died and gone to heaven having found a girl who nailed, so adequately, the sublime marriage of breakfast and lunch, a coupling which doesn’t quite work for other mixed meals. Brunch, though, is the seductive reward for those who can roll out of bed on a weekend and zhoush themselves up to head to a cafe to clear the cobwebs. Such effort deserves something way more than Fruit Loops and orange juice.
Chuck in a strawberry waffle, banana bread smothered in butter or a full-on huevos rancheros and well … now that’s a brunch! Pour some bottomless bubbles and then bite into a smoked salmon bagel or … what the heck? a chargrilled scotch fillet with caramelised onion and even the lionhearted are satisfied.
That’s what’s on offer for the early and a few late-rising birds at Padbury’s Cafe Restaurant, an old heritage-listed building in Guildford, which is the optimum launching point for cruising the Swan Valley’s top brunch spots.
The COVID-19 close down inspired owner, Helena Tran, to combine her breakfast and lunch menu which means punters can now dine on scotch fillet from 7am till 2pm every day of the week.
A meaty start with a glass of red might not work for everyone, but Padbury’s supervisor Ethan Wang, has something for sweet tooths.
Their lemon meringue pancake dish is a jawdropping vertical work of art involving lemon curd, honeycomb, torched meringue and two fluffy 2cm buttermilk pancakes, all made in-house and once tried it’s never forgotten.
Padbury’s staff churn out around 40 of these beauties on any busy day often with a cheeky glass of pink Olive Farm sparkling to add a decadent touch. No wonder it is the most popular dish on the menu.
Next stop is a scenic – or scenique – 10-minute drive to a French pitstop for petit dejeuner at Maison Saint-Honore, a cafe/factory set among rolling vines evoking France’s Loire Valley. Macarons in 20 different flavours, made by the outlet’s founder, Alexandre Lui-Van-Sheng, are the icing on the gateau in this charming mecca for Francophiles.
Fresh eggs come any which way you want, but it’s hard not to go past a couple poached-to-wobbly perfection crowned with a slice of top quality ham or salmon. Add a true blue Aussie serve of smashed avo, if you must. Or go for chorizo crepes with bechamel sauce and mozzarella with sauteed mushrooms. Many devotees here opt for the sweet route with crispy, flaky, buttery croissants made with butter and chocolate imported from France. Pastries, bread, ice cream and crepes are the deft handiwork of Alexandre, who hails from Reunion Island and could happily lay claim to the title of Patron Saint of Bakers, the English translation of the cafe’s name.
This popular venue, which has two sister outlets in Mount Pleasant and Floreat, is reason alone to foray into the Valley. Wash it all down with a special house blend of Precision coffee – or a local wine – served with savoire fair by co-owner Laure Vallereau, the house manager. Sweet or savoury, this cafe hits the spot on any level.
And don’t leave without a stash of salted caramel macarons.
Who says you can’t have beer with breakfast? Well at Mandoon Estate’s Homestead Brewery, you can. Sort of. While they open for breakfast every day of the week at 7.30am, a hearty pint of Thunderbird Pale Ale is not on offer until 10am when the bar opens. But there’s plenty to keep the punters happy until then. A lot of them have tumbled out from the 32 hotel rooms on site but many day trippers cross dozens of suburbs for the relaxed and welcoming vibe. Not only are they surrounded by evidence of the brewing activity in the shiny Shulz tanks, they can smell the hops as they tuck into nasi goreng and truffled duck sausages, hot ticket items in the new menu of executive
Guide to Swan Valley Brunch
Padbury’s Cafe Restaurant
114 Terrace Road, Guildford Phone: 9378 4484 Website: padburys.com Open for brunch: 7am-2pm daily
Maison Saint-Honore
100 Benara Road, Caversham Phone: 9377 4674 Website: maisonsainthonore.com Open for brunch: 7am, Mon-Fri, 8am - 5pm Sat - Sun
Mandoon Estate Homestead Brewery
10 Harris Road, Caversham Phone: 6279 0500 Website: mandoonestate.com.au Open for brunch: 7.30-9.30am every day
Oakover Grounds
14 Yukich Close, Middle Swan Phone: 9374 8000 Website: oakovergrounds.com.au Open for brunch: 9am-11am, Sat-Sun
The Mallard Duck
10 John Street, Henley Brook Phone: 9386 0080 Open for brunch: 8-11am, Sun Website: themallardduck.com.au
Other brunch spots:
Cottage Tea Rooms
8560 West Swan Road, Henley Brook Phone: 9296 6886 Website: cottagetearooms.com.au
Open for Brunch:
10am, seven days
Taylors in the Valley
510 Great Northern Highway, Middle Swan Phone: 0403 628 233 Website: taylorscafe.com.au
Open for Brunch:
7.30am, Tues-Sun
The Chocolaate Cafe at Margaret River Chocolate Co
5123 W Swan Road, West Swan Phone: 08 9250 1588 Open: 9am every day Website: chocolatefactory.com.au chef Michael Hartnell.
There’s also perky Japanese wellness bowls brimming with sushi, rice, avocado and bok choi. Down one while overlooking rolling vines and exercising pinkie fingers raising pots of English breakfast or Chamomile tea. That’s until the clock strikes 10am when many punters order a pint and segue out on to the lawns for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Roger Federer was one customer who, a couple of years back, enjoyed the
Mandoon Estate experience with his family. It’s not clear whether he later joined the knees up with live music on the Llawn. But the verdict was definitely love all.
Then there’s the self-styled ‘cool as duck’ venue which wins all the prizes for its witty approach to feeding us. Next to a large lake, The Mallard Duck in Henley Brook works hard to create a sanctuary from the daily grind. To that end, if you’re here for brunch, you may as well succumb and give up any hope of returning to real life in any state other than satisfied. Try the This Little Bene-Pig (fried potato rosti, maple pork belly, poached eggs and hollandaise) or Shakshuka are perfectly grown-up versions of ubiquitous staples. Kids are welcome on Thursdays and Fridays but apart from that this is really a place to flock (but not at weekends), birds of a-feather, together.
For the final chapter in the perfect brunch experience punters can follow their noses to Oakover Grounds, in Middle Swan.
The wafting aroma of freshly roasting Fiori coffee beans, courtesy of the artisan coffeeroasting outlet on site is the warm welcome to this bustling location which boasts a fine food marketplace, cafe, cellar door and a smokehouse. Oh, and anyone for cricket, croquet, water trikes or giant Connect Four?
It’s the perfect spot to sit and contemplate the early pioneers who cleverly recognised some fertile land suited to planting vines back in 1850. Do it over the Farmhouse Big Brekky – a combo of bacon, roast tomato, field mushrooms, pork and fennel chipolatas, hash browns, grilled sourdough and poached egg – a feast which an early settler could only dream of. Sadly, brunch is only available on weekends, but snacks and lunches are available every day.
The menu is simple no-nonsense fare of wholesome hard working goodness: burgers, hotcakes, sourdough with home made preserves and eggs benedict. For the littlies there’s rice bubbles. And it’s all – apart from the rice bubbles of course – sourced from local, organic, fair trade and animal friendly suppliers where possible. “It’s not only the right thing to do, it just tastes better!” says the website.
And with that, Seinfeld, would certainly have to agree. And that goes for lupper and linner too. SV
Mash Brewing and Kitchen provides a laid back, family friendly venue to enjoy their award winning handcrafted beers and ciders, with a selection of local wines, spirits and cocktails.
The food is passionately prepared in an open kitchen with tasty seasonal menus. Visit today and enjoy the family friendly atmosphere.
Kids eat FREE* Fri/Sat from 5pm. Open 7 days.
BRUNCH BEATERS
Oakover Grounds and Maison Saint-Honore (opposite) and Sittella have elevated brunch to new heights.
