This year I’m bringing you the best of the Eat Drink Perth Festival’s “Collabs” category. What’s better than visiting one delicious venue? Visiting two, three or many more on a walking tour! Or trying lots of mouth-watering morsels at one exciting venue. Here’s my experiences on the Wandering Wok Tour and delicious Hyatt Vodka High Tea and a round up of the “collabs” events and offers for eating your way through the city of Perth.
Northbridge Ramble and Relish – Wandering Wok Tours
I met foodie Pauline Lynch from Wandering Wok Tours at the Northbridge Piazza. From here, Pauline guided me through the streets of Northbridge to discover the influence of Chinese, Italians, Greeks, Yugoslavs and Vietnamese immigrants to the Northbridge and wider Perth food scene.
The interesting walking tour takes two hours and includes at least eight food tastings along the way – you may try tasty morsels like BBQ pork, home-made spring rolls, Italian pastries, Turkish delight and much more. Since I’m gluten-free, Pauline found some yummy GF food for me to sample.
First we stopped at one of Perth’s favourite gourmet Italian butchers, Torre. It has been run out of the same Lake Street cottage by many generations of the same family since it was established in 1950. Here you can sample the most delectable roast ham. They’re currently installing a massive dry aging room – watch this space!
Next we enjoyed a coffee and sweet treat from The Re Store, which has been a Northbridge stalwart for over 80 years. The Italian owned store is an emporium of imported European goods and everyone loves their continental rolls!
We popped into Corica Pastries, full of the aromas of freshly baked traditional apple strudels. Also on Aberdeen Street, I salivated over huge cheese wheels at European Foods, which is also home to The Northbridge Coffee Roasters. We strolled down colourful alleyways, covered with vibrant murals, to Newcastle Street.
Next up was Sallys Yong Tau Fu, an Asian grocery store on William Street, which specialises in yong tau fu. There are rows and rows of Asian goodies. I had no idea what anything was used for, Pauline is a wealth of knowledge on many of the products and ingredients.
As we explored the streets and back alleyways of Northbridge, my tastebuds got a workout too! Roasted ducks hanging in the window of Ming’s BBQ House enticed us inside. Here we tried roast pork, as well as delicious shredded duck in lettuce cups. Yum!
The post-war migration of Italians and Greeks gave Northbridge it’s alfresco dining scene. In 1929, one of the newly arrived Greeks, Angelo Kakulas, opened the iconic grocery store – Kakulas Bros, on William Street. The store is like an Aladdin’s cave for foodies, and has a huge range of goods and spices, flours, rices and grains, all sold from their original sacks.
Here I tried dark chocolate covered macadamias and some traditional Turkish delight.
Lastly, we walked through Chinatown, to Old Shanghai. I tucked into some silky rice flour rolls, filled with plump prawns. The slippery lil suckers were hard to eat with chopsticks (for a novice like me!) but the delish rolls were totally worth the effort.
The Northbridge Ramble and Relish tour was a brilliant way to delve a little deeper into what Northbridge has to offer. I certainly learned a few new things from Pauline, who has been running walking tours of Northbridge since 2001. The tour is great value for $65 per person. Find out more and book a tour here.
Vodka High Tea Sundays – Hyatt Perth
Who loves vodka? Me! I tucked into a Vodka High Tea at the luxurious Hyatt hotel with a delish Belvedere champagne punch cocktail, an exclusive offer for Eat Drink Perth.
The Hyatt is close to my heart for a number of reasons. I met Chef back when he was an apprentice at the Hyatt. He took me on our first date at Café, our second date was at Joes Oriental Diner and my first ever fine dining experience was when Chef was working at the fancy pants Gershwin’s Restaurant. I was excited to be back at a spot where I’d spent so much time in the early 2000s.
High tea is the perfect reason for a girly catch up. I took my Mum along for an afternoon of decadence under the Hyatt’s conservatory atrium. First, we were served our cocktails (or mocktail in the case of my Mum). I loved the Belvedere champagne punch, with its pineapple flavours.
My Mum and I nibbled on some pre-high tea appetisers. There’s a delish giant tempura prawn, mushroom tart and croquette. I was pleased with their gluten free offering.
The Hyatt’s high tea is a mix of savoury and sweet morsels. There’s light and fluffy strawberry lamingtons, red velvet cake, orange and almond cake, fruit tarts and more.
On the savoury tier there’s dainty finger sandwiches, smoked salmon canapés, and mini chicken wraps.
And no high tea is complete without the tea! Tea Forte loose leaf English Breakfast was poured from the most beautiful Royal Albert teapot (I want one!).
At $65 per person, the High Tea at the Hyatt is lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, it features the vodka cocktail each Sunday during March. Hyatt Regency Perth also offers a Rosé High Tea experience each weekend.
Find out more and how to book here.
Other Collab Events on during Eat Drink Perth 2018
• Self Guided Cheese Tasting Tour at Fromage Artisans
• Gluten Free Expo at PCEC
• New flavours at Gusto Gelato
• Easter-ific Hang Out at Cathedral Square
• Northbridge Outdoor Movies – Free Flicks for Kids – Foodie Series at The Piazza
• Foodie Family Fun Day at Forrest Place, Perth
• Dinner and FREE Ben & Jerry’ Dessert Deal at Guzman y Gomez
• Varsity Burger of the Month Pineapple Club ( Northbridge )
• Battle of the BBQs – Long Chim‘s Lucas Fernandes and Petition‘s Jessie Blake
• Night Noodle Markets – Good Food Month at Elizabeth Quay, Perth
• Great Southern Wine Dinner at the State Buildings Postal Hall.
• The Ultimate Perth Craft Beer Tour by Eat The Street
• Tap and Table ft. Artisan Brewing at Belgian Beer Cafe
• Ginstronomy Experience – Best Brew Bar & Kitchen at Four Points by Sheraton Perth
• Lamont’s Winery Sundowner & pop-up cellar door
• Pasta Battle by Perth’s most acclaimed and accomplished restaurants at Post
• Bites, Bars and Backstreets Adventure – Food Loose Tours
• The Beautiful Dinner presented by James Squire at Post
• Sage Amour Package at Sage Hotel West Perth
Find out more details on all these exciting events here. I can’t wait to eat and drink my way around some more of them!
This blog post is sponsored by The City of Perth. All images, words and opinions are my own.
