Barque - East Fremantle {CLOSED}

Charming George Street has to be one of the prettiest neighbourhoods in Fremantle, with its historic terraced cottages and quaint eating spots. The old Grand George Hotel, presides over the east end of the street, looking down at the many cafes, boutiques and restaurants on the historic dining strip. Soon the hotel which has been closed for almost forty years, may be restored to it’s former glory, which would be wonderful to see! Chef and I are enjoying a stroll along the tree lined street and stop at one of the popular restaurants, Barque. We have the option to sit in the sun drenched courtyard, on the veranda or inside the little blue colonial cottage.The Freo doctor is a little blustery and we opt to sit inside. The renovated interior is eclectic and inviting.Our waitress immediately brings us water and their drinks menu. The wine list is a decent size, though only four reds and four whites are available by the glass. Mostly Australian drops feature with a few Europeans thrown in for good measure. I choose the local Stormflower Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a smooth and fruity drop from Margaret River which has notes of gooseberry, nectarine, passionfruit and guava. A perfect match for Asian flavours.The menu at Barque is described as modern Asian fusion. The dishes are designed to share and we choose two small plates, a side and two more substantial dishes. Will that be enough or too much, I worry. Our waitress assures us that we’ll have plenty of food and we put our trust (and hungry tummies!) into her hands.The first dish from the kitchen’s pass is soft shell crab, $11. It’s a make your own snack and we set about wrapping the crab in an iceberg lettuce leaf. The deep fried crab, topped with spicy kimchi (shredded chili cabbage), fresh mint, coriander and crisp lettuce make for a delicious start to our meal.This is quickly followed by lamb ribs, $18. The generous serve of ribs are very moist and bursting with rosemary. They are well-seasoned and a touch fatty, which only adds to the lip-smacking meaty flavour. Though the smoked bbq pork shoulder, $27, is on the “substantial” part of the menu, we think that three slices isn’t really substantial enough. A well balanced grilled peach and fennel salad accompanies the smoky slices of pork. The tasty meat is more-ish and we certainly want more of this dish!The prized half roasted duck, $36, arrives at our table. Along with the whole fish, it is one of Barque’s most popular dishes. The tender duck is served on the bone and it has wonderfully aromatic and crisp skin.For an additional $8 we order pancakes, hoisin sauce, cucumber & spring onion. We eagerly make our duck pancakes, with lashings of plum sauce. This is another get your hands dirty kind of dish. I’m not one to pick at bones in restaurants, so I would have preferred the meat was shredded for us. I think there would have been less wastage that way too.We’re not yet full and for dessert I pick the vanilla cheesecake, $14. The creamy dessert is served with poached rhubarb that has been spiced with cardamom and star anise. It’s a deconstructed style dish, with a nut brittle on the side, instead of the traditional biscuit crumb.Chef devours the rich chocolate marquise, $16. Sprinkled with salted caramel oats, the silky smooth chocolate marquise, is made from bitter Vietnamese chocolate and finished with a dollop of sour crème.Barque is a great little spot for a date night or to share meal with friends. We wander off into the summer night, our hungry tummies satisfied. This part of the world leaves me with a romantic notion of living in a quaint old cottage with a food-topia like George Street at the end of my street – East Fremantle locals I envy you!