A warming winter buffet dinner at Straits Cafe in the Rendezvous Hotel, Scarborough

Disclaimer: Hungryagainperth was invited as a guest to Straits Cafe, however all thoughts and musings expressed are honest ramblings by me to you.

Straits Cafe Winter Buffet, Rendezvous Hotel, Scarborough

The weekend is nothing to me, as I work a full day on Saturday. To keep me going physically and mentally on a day where I know everyone else is kicking back relaxing, I end up snacking throughout the day roughly every 2 hours until I get home and demolish dinner like I have never eaten dinner ever before.

With Straits Cafe's Winter Buffet was on the agenda for dinner, I meticulously plan out how to structure my day's meals and most importantly, when should be the last time I could snack before dinner rolled around. 

A hot, cold and dessert spread at Straits Cafe's Winter Buffet

Many people would remember the buffet at Rendezvous as the Pines, but it has since had a grand refurbishment into its present day look - a stylish new venue in a prime location right on the doorstep of Scarborough Beach. Accompanying this is the return of the Winter Dinner Buffet, available every Friday and Saturday night at $59 for adults and $20 for children aged 5-12. Diners are able to eat their way through a selection of WA's quality produce that has been worked into traditional wintery comfort foods whilst enjoying picturesque views of the sunset and waves through the restaurant's massive windows. 

Grilled salmon with salsa verde

Green Pea and Ham Soup

Roast Lamb

Not surprisingly, everything at the buffet is house made with the exception of the cheese. We lift the lids and covers off all the hot dishes to see a fantastic roast lamb dish, salmon, a Singaporean chicken curry, Basmati rice and steamed vegetables, spinach and ricotta ravioli, roasted root vegetables and a cheesy potato gratin complete with a golden crust. On this particular night, roast beef graced the carvery station, but I found my thick piece dry so doused it with a heavy pour of gravy.

Sushi, shucked oysters, fresh prawns and crab

The cold selection included fresh seafood and assorted sushi pieces - mostly egg and smoked salmon. I was hanging out for some sashimi but unfortunately it isn't part of the buffet! I settled for a few oysters and prawns, which were unbelievably sweet and fresh that I ate all of them without any sauces or condiments. I ended up working my way through three plates with just prawns, which deviated very far from my original, good intentions of just one plate.

Other dishes at the cold selection of the buffet

Other choices alongside the seafood was a roasted red pepper quinoa salad, an antipasto platter, cold meats, a selection of breads and a make-your-own caesar salad station. On the other side of the table is a mirror image of the same dishes, with everything being topped up regularly.

Dessert spread

Arguably the dessert table is the most appealing to diners at a buffet - regardless of how full one can be, dessert provides the final ultimate satisfaction. Over time I still have not yet learnt how to contain my greed and still suffer from the 'Big Eyes Small Stomach' syndrome', where my eyes can forever eat more than my stomach can ever follow through with.

Although the selection initially appears to be small, it is a satisfying little spread of sweets and treats all made in house. There are also two house made ice cream flavours to choose from; a tangy strawberry flavour and a chocolate on the night we went.

My partial dessert plate

I love how the dessert spread offers miniature portions, so it leaves you room to sample everything (you know you're going to take one of each anyway!) The lemon tart is a beautiful square of tangy meringue and provides a refreshing change from all the other sweet choices. I also had myself a chocolate mud cake cube, a jar of fruit trifle, a chocolate mousse and a strawberry cheesecake, but the one that truly captivated my heart was the sticky date pudding. Kept warm inside a chafing dish, the cake is gorgeously moist even without the hot caramel and butterscotch sauces available to pour over.

And this time, my stomach managed to conquer all :)

Kiwifruit pavlovas and chocolate eclairs (which unfortunately came out after I unwillingly made the difficult decision to stop eating)

Depriving ourselves of food prior to a buffet is common (and such logical!) practice in anticipation of all the food we could potentially eat continuously over 2 hours. I have such an immense, nearly dangerous some might say, passion for buffets that Andy has threatened to ban me from visiting them because I eat until my stomach legitimately hurts. This time, I am wiser - I stop right before that point of food regret but not before I stuff down my second sticky date pudding before I call it quits.

If you want to talk value, the smaller selection of hot and cold dishes might leave you disappointed. There isn't a huge range or variety to choose from, but you can revel with the comfort that all the food is freshly prepared and not sitting on the counter top drying out or served in bulk to last a lifetime without being replenished. I would have loved more variety, but appreciated that I was able to get a fresh new serving of lamb when the last few meagre pieces of dehydrated roast lamb just wouldn't cut it.

I'm the type of food glutton who feeds off greed and loves a little bit of a lot, but I really need to start practicing what I preach when I am forever telling my students, "Remember, quality over quantity!"

The restaurant is spread out over a spacious and big open-spaced area, with seating divided into several sections that offer a quieter space away from the main buffet area. The staff are very accommodating and we received some of the best service I have had in a while; professional and helpful yet down-to-earth enough to share a joke and laugh with (or perhaps at) me when he well and truly thought I would have been onto dessert by the time he came around and collected around five plates of finished savoury food off me. Thank you big stomach!!

My advice: Start with the seafood and book for an early dinner session to catch the sun before it dips below the horizon. With the exception of great company, a brilliant sunset is the perfect accompaniment to a satisfying and warming dinner.

Entrance to Straits Cafe; this looks striking but naked at the same time!

Straits Cafe, Rendezvous Hotel Scarborough

Straits Cafe

Normal opening hours

Monday - Friday: 6:30am - 9:00pm

Saturday - Sunday: 6:30am - 9:30pm

Winter Buffet Dinner available Friday and Saturday nights only from 6pm during Winter months

(08) 9340 5746

Lobby area of Rendezvous Hotel Scarborough, 148 The Esplanade, Scarborough WA 6019

Beautiful brunch dishes at a neighbourhood cafe at Flinderz, Hillarys

It let out the necessary ooze of liquid gold...

Coming towards the end of a postgraduate degree goes hand in hand with the unavoidable late nights, oodles of stress, squeezing and destroying of stress balls and the attractiveness of big, give away panda eyes. When I sat down last weekend for a late leisurely brunch, I was shocked to realise that it was my first brunch at a restaurant in 2 and a half months.

Food blogger, you say? What food blogger, I say.

Flinderz Restaurant, Hillarys

Even though I haven't set foot in a restaurant for a disgustingly long time, I have remained active on Instagram - active meaning the vicarious browsing through beautifully photographed breakfast and lunch meals that have saturated Instagram. As my thumb routinely did its usual up/down movement on the feed, it did a double take and halted on something beautiful that ignited my hunger pangs.

It was this from the lovely Amanda over at The Chef, His Wife and their Perthfect Life.

Exactly 2 days after, I woke up and texted Andy: we're going to brunch. Flinderz. Now.

He said it was the fastest decision I had ever made about deciding where to eat.

Menus in the alfresco seating area

When I turned into a little neighbourhood shopping complex, I knew immediately that it was going to be one of those places that I have a thing for. I am forever won over by those local and quiet, less well-known, 'neighbourhood gems' for lack of a better description, type of cafes. No need to hustle and bustle or fight for a table; it was simply go and take a seat wherever you would like. I like that.

Outdoor seating that's perfect for the sunny days

We chose to sit outdoors under their patio, with plenty of breeze. The grand carpark view doesn't deter anybody - everybody chose to sit outside to dawdle a beautiful sunny Saturday morning away. Unfortunately we didn't get any assistance after we sat down but I was more than happy to get up and grab menus myself. In hindsight I didn't even need to - I had already meticulously studied the menu at home and knew exactly what I would get.

Water and Cold Drip Coffee (Long) - $6

First to come was the cold drip coffee, which got Andy excited when he spotted it on the menu as he has been deprived ever since our dose at Plantation in Melbourne. We opted for the large over than the single shot, which came served in a glass with lemon slices inside and a small pot of sugar syrup. We were quite perplexed about the lemon - and if that is the norm, then us coffee newbies know nothing about it - but it gave a refreshingly citrus twist to an otherwise strong coffee.

Pulled Pork Benedict - $18

The Pulled Pork Benedict arrived next, with luscious hollandaise slowly dripping down its sides. Toast, braised pork shoulder and garlic spinach is nestled under 2 poached eggs slathered with golden spiced hollandaise and is exactly how I pictured the dish to be.

Gah!

The eggs, really, were poached perfectly and let out the necessary ooze of liquid gold. A good, satisfying serving of #yolkporn.

We didn't say much to each other after the waitress walked away after putting down the dish on our table. Our knives and forks did all of the talking.

Flinderz Taste Board - $19

It is perfectly safe to say that having any kind of 'taste board' on any menus means no choice is required of me - I'm onto it 110%. It's my greedy way of fitting everything I can into the one dish, and thank goodness for it, because I would have been torn between the Quinoa Granola I came for and the Flinderz Taste Board. Two birds with one stone. Score!

The Flinderz Taste Board is a long dish of a few goodies, namely a miniature version of their quinoa granola, a smoked salmon and scrambled egg slider, a zucchini slice and a small jar of fresh orange juice. The menu does include yoghurt and fruit compote, so I was a little disappointed to see that my taste board did not have these. Everything else that was there however, made me literally clap my hands in glee.

Zucchini slice (part of the Flinderz Taste Board)

The zucchini slice is akin to the innards of a quiche, soft and eggy with cubes of softened zucchini. It rests on a bed of rocket and overall that portion of the board is a bit plain and bland for my liking. It would be more exciting if it were spruced up with sauce or similar, which also applies to the mini slider. Besides the saltiness of the salmon, the rest of the slider is quite plain with a soft bun that would have been great if toasted just a little more.

The mediocrity of its counterparts meant that the star of the dish truly stole the show. I wished for a bigger version of the quinoa granola (true thoughts of any foodie) after the first mouthful, or that I had ordered the main sized portion of this pretty little thing. At the centre is a small mound of banana pannacotta, surrounded by a colourful moat of blueberries, strawberries, bananas, granola, nuts, honeyed jersey milk and tiny purple flowers. As with all pretty dishes, it looked too good to eat for a second (and only a second!)

You little beauty, you!

It's funny because I am against ordering any muesli/granola type breakfast at a restaurant, because quite frankly I got sick of it after eating it everyday for breakfast when I first discovered how great it was. Put a few more things in it and it's a different story (and dish) altogether - I think it's a high possibility that I will return to Flinderz and be won over by the main sized quinoa granola all over again. The aesthetics of the dish, its contrasting soft and crunchy textures and its aesthetics (again), beautify this dish in many delicious ways.

Banoffee Pancakes - $16

Instagram is beneficial in many ways, and its usefulness came in the form of Banoffee Pancakes. I spied Flinderzs' (well that was hard) posting of this sin (there's no other way to describe it) that was not written down on its menu prior to visiting and had decided against ordering it until halfway through our meals. Sure, we were full, but why would you let the feeling of fullness stop you from ordering another dish, right? RIGHT?!

Birds eye view of the Banoffee Pancakes, because you need to view it from every angle

We called a waitress over to make our order as her eyes gleaned over our unfinished plates of food, and smiled. A lightbulb started to flicker in my head when she asked whether we wanted to order TWO plates of Banoffee Pancakes, but I decided to be sensible and quickly flicked the lightbulb switch off. We stuck with the one plate.

Sigh. No words.

The pancakes were definitely a head turner. There were 3 thick pancakes stacked atop one another surrounded by vanilla cream, caramelised banana and drizzled with oozy salted caramel sauce before being crowned by a ball of deep fried vanilla ice cream with coconut. The salted caramel and fried ice cream make it such a decadent dish that is quite filling, so it would be a wise (and seemingly considerate) idea to share. I found that I yearned for a contrasting texture amongst the soft and creamy mouthfuls but boy, this baby should stay on their menu!

The interior of the restaurant is flooded with loads of natural lighting

As we sat for hours, I couldn't help but notice the relaxed nature of everybody else around us as I chatted to the next table. There was no sense of urgency with this neighbourhood cafe, and I quite enjoyed people and dog-watching from our table outside in the alfresco area. It is hard sometimes to really feel a sense of community in the neighbourhood, but when I watched a man backtrack in his steps and put down his multiple shopping bags to help a dog untangle himself from his own leash around a pole, I couldn't help but smile.

It's the simple things in life that matter.

Flinderz, Hillarys

Flinderz

Monday - Tuesday: 7am to 5pm

Wednesday - Sunday: 7am to 10pm

Tel: (08)9403 5225

110 Flinders Avenue, Hillarys WA 6025

Must go destinations for food and beer sampling at Lamont's and Feral Brewing Company, Swan Valley

Lamont's, Swan Valley
A sandwich made evil by immersing it into the depths of a deep fryer...

Lamont's, Swan Valley

A few weekends ago, a group of us piled into a car and sang our way on a road trip to Swan Valley for the day. The weather was extremely kind to us that weekend and we were blessed with a warm, cloudless sunny day right in the middle of the winter season. This picturesque, vineyard saturated region with rolling hills and green fields is as popular a tourist destination and a weekend getaway visit for locals, even though it is only a 10 minute road trip for a few of my friends who live down the road from this beautiful untouched region.

Outdoor seating, right off the beaten track

We arrived at Lamont's location, with no Lamont's in sight. We got over the initial confusion and drove straight into the barren field and followed the dirt track around the bend and met with the restaurant, spread out over an impressively large outdoor area. The seating area with large wooden benches is inviting, spacious and littered with sunlight, shaded by a large patio.

Alternative outdoor seating

Next to the patio are several wooden barrel tables shaded with large umbrellas and stools that provide alternative seating options.

Inside Lamont's

In addition to outdoor seating, there is ample indoor seating amongst the cosy and surprisingly homely ambiance of Lamont's. The artwork on the walls, pops of colour from flowers in vases dotted around on tables and various items for sale (even hats and bags) add charming touches to this indoor area with a busy, neatly cluttered feel.

Indoor seating options

We are greeted by a friendly lady from behind the counter who we tell that we are ready to eat everything from their kitchen. Armed with a handful of paper menus (which change frequently) and an army of rumbling stomachs, all of us have undeniably voracious appetites. With a recommendation to order 8 dishes from the 9 items on the menu to share between the 6 of us, we argue over what not to get. Everything, and I mean everything, looks mouthwatering at this stage, even though they are nothing more than words on a page.

What ordering everything on the menu looks like

We make our way back inside the restaurant to place our orders at the counter. The dishes on the 'Small Tastes' menu are designed to be plates to share, which makes it a great opportunity to try absolutely everything on the menu. And I am quite sure this is the first time I have ever walked into a restaurant and was able to say, "I'll have everything on the menu, thanks".

Hot chocolate; Straight cut chips and rosemary salt - $9.50

A few drink orders arrive around the table once we start digging into some dishes. The chips are unbelievably crunchy, as suggested by their golden brown colour and straight, crispy edges.

Duck and cognac parfait, crushed toasted hazelnuts, mandarin oil and crostini - $17.50

The first item to arrive in record time is the one thing I had the highest anticipation for. Nothing makes me weaker in the knees than a rich, decadent parfait, and sure enough this plate was stationed in front of me and became my own main meal.

One of my pet hates is the lack of bread with parfait in some restaurants, that it almost feels like it is a sneaky tactic to encourage diners to order more servings of bread to have with the parfait. My eyes boggled at the sight of generosity on the plate in front of me; a hefty slab of creamy parfait loaded with a layer of crunchy toasted crushed hazelnuts and an unbelievably large mountain of crostini on the side. The parfait and crostini is served with a light drizzle of mandarin oil which I am grateful for - it is certainly easier to have the already-rich parfait with fresh, crisp bread that is not saturated with oil or butter. Explains how I demolish half of the block of parfait. Alone.

Pork and peppercorn rillettes, roast pears, Malbec syrup and crostini - $16.50

The next dish is a similar looking dish to the parfait, in terms of the same pile of crostini served with the main component of the dish. The pork and peppercorn rillettes are a favourite amongst a few of us - it has the look of shredded tuna with a creamy, soft consistency.

Adding more to the flavour of the melt-in-the-mouth tenderness of the pork is the malbec syrup and the three delicate roasted portions of pear balanced on top of the rillettes, providing a complementary light sweetness to counteract the otherwise fatty, heavy feeling from eating the dish after a while.

Potato croquettes, smoked salmon and horseradish creme fraiche - $20.50

The potato croquettes and smoked salmon is a more guilty version of your usual Tom, Dick and Harry breakfast dish of hash browns with an extra side of smoked salmon. The potato croquettes have a golden crispy exterior and a thick, fluffy filling. The element that made the dish pop for me was that horseradish creme fraiche; its lightly savoury flavour tying all the other components of the dish together.

Beetroot, rocket, crisp pancetta, marinated feta and raspberry vinegar - $16.50

The beetroot and rocket salad was initially the underdog dish which was wildly unpopular amongst everyone on our table except one. She ultimately gained the bragging rights to making the great decision to push through with her choice which we were all grateful for, after being defeated by the rich, creamy and many deep fried components on every single other dish. The rocket and raspberry vinegar dressing was a refreshing saviour with its acidity to cut through the satiated feeling. The long, paper-thin strips of pancetta were crisp and so brittle they cracked apart easily, providing a different texture to the softness of the beetroot and marinated feta. The earthy taste of beetroot is not something I usually fancy, but in this instance was a good pairing with the rest of the dish with its raw and fresh flavour.

Deep fried sandwich, shaved ham, mozzarella and anchovy butter - $14.50

There was quite the hype for the next dish, which created a lot of commotion when someone first spotted it when scanning the menu. The equally as heart-stopping as it is heart-racing deep fried sandwich is a combination of the classic ham and cheese sandwich made evil by immersing it into the depths of a deep fryer. We really can (and do) deep fry anything these days!

You dangerously beautiful thing, you.

The crunchy golden crust on the sandwich encased two slices of bread, already cut into sections with anchovy butter and melted mozzarella oozing out from its centre. The crunchiness, the creaminess, the 'meltiness' of the cheese; it's a sinful treat that tugs at your heartstrings with its guilty pleasure.

Duck and orange arancini and orange syrup - $18.50

Carrying on with the deep fried theme of the day comes the duck and orange arancini and orange syrup. Similar to the sandwich, the outer crumb is a thin, crisp layer that conceals a hot, molten heart of creamy, cheesy rice and thin shreds of duck.

Grilled "Butterfield's" scotch fillet, hot onion jam tartlet and aioli - $22.50

We all reach eagerly for the next dish - a grilled and sliced scotch fillet on aioli alongside a hot onion jam tartlet. Whilst the beef is soft, tender and cooked to perfection as we had all expected of it, the onion jam tart is a small pie with pastry that was a little dry. In terms of flavour however, this dish was a winning combination for me.

Coq au Vin pie and pumpkin cream - $18.50

The last dish to arrive after a long while was the coq au vin pie, a colourful, vibrant plate that is reminiscent of fresh, warm wintery flavours edging onto spring.

Dill, red onion and parsley adorn the crown of the small pie, housing a filling of wine-braised chicken with a strong, nearly musky flavour. It isn't everyone's cup of tea, but the moat of pumpkin cream that surrounds the pie is what keeps the dish close to me - spoon after spoon is light, buttery and moreish.

A beautiful picture on the wall that could easily double as a window to the similar views in the Swan Valley region

We were too hungry to notice the small print on the menu, and unfortunately I only now notice Lamont's offers complimentary wine tasting with your meal. In addition, there is a discount for your purchases if you decide you need to buy some, right there and then!

We made a new loyal friend that sun-baked at our feet during our entire meal, who followed us around from when we first stepped out of the car

Lamont's offers a seasonal menu with great food to share at reasonable prices in a picturesque environment surrounded by nature, which definitely adds much to the experience. Being far away from the hustle and bustle of city life, busyness and the general buzz of city sounds makes the usual weekend brunch even more relaxing and special, especially when Mother Nature becomes your main dining companion.

Lamont's, Swan Valley

Lamont's, Swan Valley

Thursday - Sunday: 10am - 5pm

Tel: (08) 9296 4485

85 Bisdee Road, Millendon WA 6056

The Feral Brewing Company

Considering the myriad of wineries and breweries in the Swan Valley area, a full day of destination-hopping and sightseeing is essential to experience all that this region has to offer. After brunch, we wander aimlessly up and down the different roads without a plan and pull over to whatever catches our eye. After a few inevitable touristy photos, we pull into the Feral Brewing Company for some beer guzzling.

Feral Brewing Company

This family-owned handcrafted microbrewery and restaurant in one incorporates a large restaurant with shaded outdoor seating and a large beer garden setting, making it a perfect backdrop to enjoy a few beers.

Seating areas with picture perfect views

The backyard of The Feral Brewing Company

Beer Tasting Tray - $16.50

We are all quite defeated by brunch at Lamont's and don't order much else besides this visually stunning tasting tray after we pass many tables on the way into the restaurant with this on them.

There are six miniature glasses holding the variety of Feral Brewery beers, which regularly change between their different brews. The glasses are lined on a wooden tray and are numbered for easy distinguishing between the beers. On this particular day, the sample of beers (L-R) is the Feral White, Sly Fox, Hop Hog, Kelisaison, Smoked Porter and the Land of Plenty.

The range of beers range from light, citrusy, spicy flavours to strong, smoky tastes with a bitter after taste. We taste and sip, passing the six different beer parcels around the table and share them around like tapas dishes. Whilst I really don't know how to appreciate the strength and flavour of the after taste of some of the beers, what I do appreciate is having such a wide choice of renowned food and drink right in our own backyard.

The Feral Brewing Company, Swan Valley

Feral Brewing Company
Sunday - Thursday: 11am to 5pm
Friday - Saturday: 11am to late

Tel: (08)9296 4657
152 Haddrill Road, Baskerville WA 6056