i try solomon's cafe

I really like this place. I really, really like this place. That's all you need to know. You can probably just get away with looking at the pictures from here on in...but if you would like some details then read on...

First things first. Here's the menu.

It's a rare thing to find you'd be happy with anything on a menu. Literally anything. I could've closed my eyes and randomly selected my dish by swirling my finger around then landing it somewhere on the menu. Instead I elected to go for the Solomon's salad of organic chicken breast, quinoa, brown rice, broccoli, almonds and seeds with fresh asian inspired herbs and spices (pictured, $28).

This is a big call, but I'm going to put it out there and say this is one of the best salads I ever had. Ever. It was fresh, a little bit zingy and generous. Highly recommend this one. I was dining with my sister who opted for the entree sized sweet potato gnocchi with a citrus and coriander pesto, served with a side of salted coconuts and assorted seeds (pictured, $18/28).

I've never been a great lover of gnocchi, so I have to admit I was a little sceptical about vegan gnocchi. I did sample one of the little pieces of gnocchi. And. I. Was. Wrong. These fluffy little morsels were delicious. They had a very light breadcrumb coating and were given a good boost of flavour by the pesto. My sister thought they tasted "a bit bready" but I thought they were delicious. We also shared cripsy beetroot chips (pictured, $6).

Looking around it seemed like every other table had ordered beetroot chips. For good reason. They are light, crispy, flavoursome and go well with the fresh orange and salt that accompanies them. 

It's easy to see what these guys are about. Healthy food. Nourishing food. Unprocessed food. It's also worth mentioning that everything on their menu is organic, gluten free, dairy free and sugar free. The staff are exceptionally friendly. Even the chef thanked us as we walked out. The space is that shabby-chic-mixed-with-industrial-cool type fit out. I really like this place. Alot.

Oh, and apparently they do a great brekky.

Solomon's Cafe

487 Beaufort St

Highgate, WA

6003

PH: 08 9328 7995

i try halo espresso

Dr Gab and I meandered down Angelo St in South Perth in search of some brekkie. Halo Espresso is a relatively new addition to the Angelo St strip. It looked trendy enough and seemed quite busy. We ventured in. Dr Gab ordered the vegetarian breakfast with eggs, garlic thyme mushroom, cherry tomatoes, buttered spinach, baked beans and toast (pictured, $16.90). Controversially, Dr Gab added some bacon for an extra $3.

Everything was well-cooked and aptly seasoned. The poached eggs were perfectly runny in the middle.  The bacon wasn't greasy and the tomatoes weren't over-cooked. The serving size was quite generous too. I wasn't in the mood for a cooked breakfast so opted for the home made bircher muesli topped with yogurt and honey. It was just right. Drizzled with a perfect amount of honey and sprinkled with cranberries, slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds it was very moorish. Nom nom nom.  

The service at Halo was prompt and friendly. The decor is very modern and although we didn't ordered coffees on this occasion I am told they are the best on the street. They have a cake/treat cabinet to rival some of the best cafes around too. The rest of the breakfast menu looks like this:

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i try zumbo

There we were, Dr Gab and I, standing on the side of the street staring at the map on my phone. We had typed in the address for Zumbo and according to the little blue dot that represented us we were in the exact right spot. We walked up the street and back again, looking around like lost puppies.

Then we noticed someone emerge from an understated doorway around a corner, carrying what could only be a pastry box. We approached the doorway and just above it was a small sign that read "adrianozumbo patissier".

We walked in to see a cabinet full of pastries, tarts and macarons. The colours and shapes were exquisite. I was overwhelmed. The only flavour of macarons that remained were licorice. Adriano Zumbo single handedly turned Australians into macaron lovers. I. Love. Macarons. But, licorice just wasn't going to cut it.

We settled on a tarte aux fruits de la passion - passionfruit curd and pate sucree (pictured, $6) and sacher's sister blanca - white chocolate sponge, white chocolate pear ganache, kumabo ganache and vanilla glacage (also pictured, $8).

Dr Gab and I cut both our deserts in half and shared them. We started with the tart. The vivid colours of the tart acurately reflected the passionfruit explosion that occurred when we dug in. It was smooth and slightly tart, the pastry: perfectly thin and beautifully crumbly.

The many layers of the pear sponge worked together in perfect harmony. A stunning combination of flavours and textures, from the smooth ganache to the soft sponge to the small chunks of pear, all brought together with subtle splashes of white chocolate. Heaven.

Adriano Zumbo and his team create genius works of art and put them on a plate. They look amazing. They taste even better. Every trip to Zumbo is overwhelming because everything looks and sounds (and is) delicious. If you haven't been to Zumbo you need to get yourself there. Now. Right now! Are you still reaing this? Go!!

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