Maharaja

Trips to restaurants celebrating any cuisine in which chilli is a central ingredient causes a great deal of consternation amongst the hedonists. Despite being a dedicated foodie, the Indeterminate has a lower than average tolerance for chilli. In fact it is so low that anything spicier than a potato causes her to break out in sweats and reach for the water jug. Naturally, this causes much hilarity for the other hedonists.

So it was with some trepidation that the hedonists (one of them, at least) headed to Maharaja restaurant. Open since 1978, the relatively venerable Maharaja is located in the Windsor Cinema complex in a very distinctive setting. The building is very interesting and well set out. A good restaurant makes you feel as you are in a bustling, vibrant setting, but still lets you have your own space. Maharaja achieves this very well.

Food

The benefit of going to any Indian restaurant is that the Indeterminate will, for once, not take too long in deciding what she wants to eat. One of the only dishes that she can enjoy without risking steam out of the ears is Butter Chicken. The other dish order was Paneer Masala, which, as is common in Australia, uses ricotta cheese instead of Paneer as the bulk of the dish.

Before our meals arrived we had order a Mango Lassi and a Lassi to drink. These were beautifully smooth, refreshing and delicious and were a perfect accompaniment to the Curries we were to eat. Neither of the Lassis were overwhelmingly yoghurty, but had a nice blend of dairy, sweetness and sourness that made for a lovely beverage.

To accompany the curries, we ordered a single serving of plain Naan, a serving of Garlic Naan and steamed rice. Be forewarned two servings of Naan bread and two servings of rice between two people will not only be enough for you meal, but enough for lunch tomorrow. However it is worthwhile to have more than enough of this bread. The naan is crisp and doughy and has the beautiful charred marks give the Naan an excellent depth of flavour.

No matter how good the sideshows are, a performance is nothing without the main event. In this show, the main attractions were not too bad, but nor are they the best curries available in Perth. The Butter Chicken tasted as if there had been a reasonable amount of tomato puree added which not only over-sweetened the dish, but masked the flavours of the spices.

The Paneer Masala was a good solid curry. There was a nice balance of spices and flavours, however the dish needed a little bit more of a lift. The cheese does not in itself provide an extra hit of flavour that you would get from other vegetables or meats. Accordingly, there probably needed to be a more judicious use of herbs or even some garam masala which would have given the curry a little more oomph.

Service

The service was very good. The Maharaja staff were unobtrusive and very kind. The main issue was that our food took a fair amount of time to arrive.

Highlight: The drinks and the naan bread.

Lowlight: The curries were a little below the standard you may expect from an Indian Restaurant.

Ratings

Food: 6/10
Service: 4/5
Value: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Total: 17.5/25

Details: 96 Stirling Hwy, Nedlands. Ph: 9389 6566. Bookings recommended.

Sado Island

There was tension amongst the Hedonists as to whether Sado Island constitutes a Stirling Hwy restaurant. Sado Island's address announces it as being on the neighbouring Bay View Tce. However, the Gourmand, showing the use of legal training, determined that as Sado Island had a wall adjoining Stirling Hwy as well as looking out onto the utilitarian vista of Stirling Hwy. Accordingly it was sufficient to review.

In all honesty the hedonists felt like trying this place and we sought any justification we could to fit it into our schedule.

We went on a Wednesday night and arrived to a largely empty restaurant. The set out of Sado Island is quite attractive with a rather good view of the senior chef working on sashimi. Unfortunately, it looked as though Sado Island was having a rather slow night. Very few of the tables were full. Although this is not the fault of the restaurant, it is inescapable that an empty restaurant invariably has a dampening effect upon your initial impression of the restaurant.

Food

We started with a Sashimi tasting plate. The four seafood items were Salmon, Yellowfin Tuna, Snapper and Octopus. These were served with soy sauce, wasabi and sliced daikon radish.

Sashimi is unadulterated food, which relies purely upon the quality of the ingredients. There is no masking of flavours in sashimi, so if the ingredients are not good, the dish will be terrible. Sado Island's sashimi was of a good standard however it was not the best quality seafood that I have tasted. The salmon and the tuna weren't quite at their flavoursome best and the octopus was slightly tough. Yet the seafood was tasty and did have that delicious, slightly salty, flavour of the ocean which indicates good fresh produce.

We were disappointed when it came to selecting our main dishes. Sado Island provides only five options for main course. Out of these five options, the first three were Teriyaki Beef, Teriyaki Chicken and Teriyaki Fish. Although I am far from an expert on Japanese cuisine, I would tenatively venture that there is much more to Japan's food than teriyaki sauce.

We ordered the Mushiyaki Chicken (roasted chicken in a sesame paste sauce) and the Teriyaki Chicken. Both dishes looked good on the plate. As you would expect considering the menu, the teriyaki sauce did have a good flavour, however the sauce hadn't really penetrated into the flavour of the meat, meaning that the dish lacked harmony and depth of flavour.

The Mushiyaki Chicken was well executed with the sesame paste sauce complimenting the chicken well. This is no mean feat as sesame paste has a very strong nutty, toasted flavour which has the ability to destroy the balance of a dish. Too little and there will be no flavour, too much and you will taste nothing but sesame seeds. Sado Island's Mushiyaki Chicken managed to tread this fine line making a flavourful and well balanced dish.

Service

The service provided by the staff is a standout for the restaurant. Although a difficult art, good service depends should be quiet, unassuming but available when you want it. Sado Island's staff managed this very well. Our orders were taken without fuss and all dishes were served promptly.

Highlight: The service. The sashimi was also good.

Lowlight: The atmosphere and slightly unimaginative menu.

Ratings:

Food: 6.5/10

Service: 4.5/5

Value: 3/5

Atmosphere: 2.5/5

Total: 16.5/25

Details: 57b Bay View Tce, Claremont. Ph: 9284 6667. Bookings recommended but not strictly necessary.

Pata Negra

It was with great excitement that we read late last year that David Coomer, one of most highly regarded people in the Perth food industry, would be opening a Spanish restaurant/tapas bar on Stirling Hwy. There is a lack of quality Spanish tapas bars and restaurants in the Perth area and it has been hoped that Coomer's latest venture would provide a welcome boost of quality into the Spanish cuisine scene in Perth. I can say that those expectations have been exceeded.

So only a few weeks after Pata Negra opened the Gourmand, the Indeterminate and the Hutt made the short journey to Pata Negra's door. The interior has a charming retro feel with limited lighting. It was full which was an encouraging sign. We later realised that although much of the restaurant is left for bookings, there are a few tables nearer to the door that are left over for those who haven't booked. This is an excellent idea and a welcome boon for those of us who aren't very organised when it comes to selecting restaurants.

Food

The menu is split into themes. Tapas at the top, then Jamon (hams), the Sea, the Earth, the Land, the Dairy and Pastry. The menu, is commendably restrained and excellently thought out.

We started with a couple of the smaller tapas. The wood roasted babaganouge had all the beautiful smoky flavours of the roasted eggplant which were lifted by the garlic and oils, creating a stunning dip. This was served with wood-fired mountain bread. This dish made full use of the woodfired oven left over from the previous pizza tenants of this location. A few of the dishes on Pata Negra's menu utilise the wood fired oven to delicious effect.

The other tapas was a small wafer with a tomato salsa topped with an anchovy. This simple tapas had a lovely balance of texture and flavour as well as letting the superb ingredients speak for themselves.

After the tapas, we treated ourselves by ordering the jamon iberico de bellota. Although not cheap ($30.00 for 30g), it does deserve its reputation as one of the best cured meats in existance. The flavour is subtle yet so rich and delicious. The jamon really does melt in the mouth. This is one extravegance very much worth having.

To accompany all of this lovely food, we had ordered a bottle of cider from Pata Negra's eclectic wine list. The only disappointment was that there was only one choice of cider available. It is the opinion of this unlearned Hedonist that cider is actually a beautiful accompaniment to many Spanish tapas as the lighter fruit flavours can help cut through some of the stronger flavours that often characterise tapas. Having said that, the cider was excellent and teamed extremely well with the dishes ordered.

After much deliberating we settled on for our larger dishes, the Fabada; Chicken Livers with caramalised onion and a seared Tuna with Romesco sauce and a preserved lemon salad.

Arriving first were the chicken livers. This dish was very strong and had some delicious gamey flavours. In my opinion, chicken liver, if not accompanied by something lighter or sweeter can overpower the palate. The accompaniment of the caramalised onion gave a good balance to the dish, however we would have preferred more caramalised onion as we ran out before completing the livers.

The Fabada arrived next in a beautiful small cazuela dish. We were first struck by the aromas of this dish. The smoky, spiced chorizo and slow cooked ham hock had us salivating before even looking at the dish. I cannot think of a more perfect winter's dish than this. The beautiful duck, chorizo and ham flavours were absorbed by the lentils to make a dish that is hearty and would enliven the unhappiest soul. There is simply no fault to this dish, it is perfectly cooked and flavoured.

Lastly we were served the seared tuna and romesco sauce. After the previous two stronger dishes, this was a lovely way to finish. The tuna had been seared perfectly having the smoky charred flavours on the outside but leaving it tender and flavoursome on the inside. Combined with the sharp and smooth romesco sauce and fresh preserved lemon salad, this was a masturfully created and executed meal.

To our great regret, the hedonists were feeling very satisfied after our meals and had no room for dessert. It would have been more of a tribute to the hedonistic spirit that we kept on eating until we required a wheelbarrow to be moved. However, this wouldn't have done justice to the food to eat too much. It would have merely spoilt the joyous feeling from the great food.

Service

The service was genuine and very friendly. The Gourmand was also impressed with the food knowledge of the waitstaff. The Gourmand fell slightly in love with one waitress who he was able to talk to about the virtues of cider.

One disappointment with the staff is that after we had ordered our larger dishes, we received them on their own. Although this was not a problem, after each dish had been eaten, and while we were still waiting for our other mains, we were approached a number of times by staff asking whether we wanted to order more.

Value

Considering the quality of the food available, the value is superb. It was only just over $50.00 a head for two courses and a bottle of cider.

Highlights: Almost everything. Pata Negra has the ability to be one of the top restaurants in Perth. For a new restaurant to be executing dishes with such flawless skill bodes well for the future.

Lowlights: Possibly the overattentive service. However I am clutching at straws to say even that. The real lowlight is that the Hedonists have probably visited the best restaurant on Stirling Highway at only the second attempt. We may review it twice to see if it's still brilliant.

Rating:

Food: 9.5/10
Service: 4/5
Value: 4.5/5
Atmosphere: 4.5/5

Total: 22.5/25

Details: Pata Negra is located at 26 Stirling Hwy, Nedlands. Ph: 9389 5517. Bookings are strongly recommended.

I cannot recommend highly enough to go to Pata Negra. As much as I would love for there to always be tables, I'd be happier for everyone else to love it too. This is an enjoyable restaurant celebrating a wonderful cuisine in a really great way.

Thach Quan's Restaurant

The first stop on our culinary journey was a short trip down the road to Thach Quan's Restaurant which is better known by the zippy moniker of TQR. In the true hedonistic spirit the Gourmand contended that he and the Indeterminate should drive the 200m to TQR as it was a little cold outside. After eventually realising that they may have to park further away than it would take to walk, the Hedonists decided to use their legs and walk to TQR.

Although a booking had been made, it became apparent that on this Wednesday winter's night, no such booking was required. TQR was less than half full. The venue itself is well set out and it seems as if it would have a very good atmosphere when full. Although this does not directly reflect upon TQR, a restaurant is not often as enjoyable when there are fewer people as the atmosphere can be slightly muted.

Food

The greatest disappointment in TQR was with the state of the menu. The restaurant announces itself for 'authentic Vietnamese culinary creations'. Unfortunately little of that could be seen on the menu. Many of the flavours on the menu owed more to Thai, Malay or even Cantonese cuisine than true Vietnamese flavours. There were little evidence of the beautiful fresh herbs, vergetables, flavoursome stocks and fish sauce which are central ingredients in Vietnamese cooking. Feeling slightly disappointed, the hedonists ordered two fairly mainstream dishes, the Lemongrass Chicken ($17.50) and Peanut Beef ($17.50).

Despite these regrets, there is little to fault in the execution of the dishes that were tried. The Lemongrass chicken was aromatic, subtly flavoured with chilli and soy yet still let the chicken speak. The Indeterminate was very impressed with her dish. After one taste of the peanut beef, Gourmand loudly exclaimed his love for the sauce. Being a fan of nuts (after all, you are what you eat...) the Gourmand was very impressed.

To drink, both the Gourmand and the Indeterminate ordered a favourite tipple, young coconut juice. At it's best, this drink is subtly sweet and very refreshing. However TQR's version was too strong and sweet and not terribly pleasant to drink.

Value

Although the prices of the food at TQR compares very favourably to most restaurants within WA, it is a fair generalisation that Vietnamese restaurants are usually cheaper meals. When compared to other Vietnamese restaurants in Perth, TQR is slightly more expensive than some of the other options existing around Perth.

Service

The service was attentive and very friendly, but slightly confused. The drinks were ordered before the meals however it was only after the meals had been on the table for a few minutes that we received our drinks. But despite a couple of mistakes, the service was good.

Highlights: The execution of the dishes.

Lowlights: The Pan-Asian Menu.

Rating:
Food: 6/10
Service: 3.5/5
Value: 3/5
Atmosphere: 3/5
Total: 16/25

Details: TQR is located at 27 Stirling Hwy, Nedlands. Ph: 9386 2889.
Bookings are recommended, but not strictly necessary.