Hunter and Barrel, Raine Square

At The Pass

by Gabi Mills @gabikate

Heaving platter to kick things off

HUNTER AND BARREL, RAINE SQUARE

The clue’s in the name of the newest addition to the CBD’s Raine Square’s roster of eateries. Any notion that this is anything less than a temple to carnivores and booze-lovers is dispelled by the large, stylised antler motif hanging over the floor-to-ceiling bar. Actually, that bar at the back of the room looks like the perfect spot to spend a lazy few hours before hitting Perth’s streets for more. We were there for lunch and the vibe was buzzy, friendly, the kind of place you’d say you’d have just the one cocktail and then say ‘same again’ soon after. The Love of Lychee was our chosen poison for the day. Sure, it was a mocktail (damn you, work), but it looked and tasted like something far more potent. Same again, I said.

We were hungry so went, all guns blazing, for the heaving sharing board to kick things off. There were scallops served in hot shells with feathery laces of crispy leek and a herby Cafe de Paris-style butter, calamari, golden and tender with a spritz of lemon and a zingy nouc cham dipping sauce on the side, spicy chicken wings and then there was the hot cheese served in a

Large skewer and tongs

skillet the size of a table tennis bat. Dipping flat bread into this oozy sun yellow puddle reminded me of how it’s the simple things in life that make you go ‘ooh’. Melted cheese and bread doesn’t sound revolutionary but it is when it tastes this good.

We may have been ladies who lunch but we were also ladies who fancied a bloody great steak, if it’s all the same with you. I’d read recently that the steak served at the Whitfords Hunter and Barrel had left one diner so impressed, they’d said it was even better than a similar serve at Crown Perth’s Rockpool. Surely such a sacrilegious opinion couldn’t actually be the case - could it? The chunk of wagyu I was served, burnished bronze like Arnie’s thighs, was a perfect juicy morsel. Cooked rare as requested, you could choose to have it served with in house basting or pink rock salt and a lemon wedge. I’m a NaCl girl all the way but did fancy a bit of sauce so went for the blue cheese option, amping up the umami to the max. My equally blood thirsty companion chose the eye fillet and we continued to empty the H&B larder with a side of seasonal greens and some Hunter’s mash.

If you’re dining with a crowd, it’s worth considering ordering one of the multi-featured options: choose from the Hunter’s, King’s or Royal Feasts and you’ll be ploughing your way through piles of meat, chips, skewers and that star in a skillet, the hot cheese dip, for days.

We both loved our mains, the simplicity of being served a well executed hunk of meat on a plate with

Skillets-R-Us

33 some delicious co-stars a reminder that a good meal doesn’t begin and end with foams and microplaned fronds of this and that. Alternatives to steak include barramundi, kangaroo, slow-cooked lamb and crispy pork belly, skewers and ribs. This ain’t the place to bring Vanessa the Vegan. Rolling towards dessert like two inflated beach balls, we went all in and chose the apple skillet pie (clearly we’re Skillet Gals) with orange syrup and a delectable Fior di Latte ice-cream - and because that wasn’t quite enough gluttony, we also tried the walnut brownie which was such a generous portion, you could have taken it home and used it as a significant contribution to your new home’s slab. If you’re in Raine Square for a movie, make room for a Hunter and Barrel session. Just make sure you’re wearing the loose pants.

Hunter and Barrel, 115 William Street Raine Square Shopping Centre, Perth WA 6000, Tel (08) 6163 8889 or visit hunterandbarrel.com