June 12, 2017 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Gipsy Boy, Joondalup

Run by sisters Kacie and Bekki, Gipsy Boy just celebrated it’s 3rd birthday. The café is a rare gem in Joondalup, a large town void of many quality independent cafes and restaurants. This lovely local of mine is just the type of place I like to brunch, but without the drive to inner city suburbs of Leederville and Mount Lawley. We’ve visited lots of times, as it’s so close to home, so this post is a combination of a few visits. I think we’ve tried most of what their yummy brunch menu has to offer!

The vintage-styled café is brimming with old style décor, teapots, lampshades and comfy chairs. Gipsy Boy is open for breakfast, lunch and “coffee and treats” – and not all of them are naughty! In the cabinet you’ll find a good range of raw snacks.

We think the coffee is top notch too. At Gipsy Boy they use a locally roasted blend from Micrology Coffee Roasters. They have a good selection of tea too, I really love the chai.

Behold…. the bacon and maple syrup French toast! A decedent brunch that just HAS to be tried. Served with fresh fruit and vanilla mascarpone.

Chef thinks the Breakfast enchiladas ($17) stuffed with Spanish beans, chorizo, rice, buttery scrambled eggs and cheddar with an avocado salsa on the side (and another side of bacon!) are a really tasty way to start the day and would totally order them again. Continue reading →

May 23, 2017 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

5 Top Foodie Spots in Mandurah & The Peel Region

Mandurah and the wider Peel area is home to great produce and some top foodie experiences. Relax by the water at a Mandurah café or restaurant and watch the dolphins swim by or head to the hills and enjoy a long lunch at a top winery. Here’s my pick of the top foodie spots in the Peel region for your Anytime Adventures:

Café Moka

Mandurah locals are very lucky to have the waterside Café Moka on their doorstep. Found at Dolphin Quay, the bustling café overlooks the marina, which is a lovely backdrop for a breakfast, lunch or coffee n cake. There’s a lot to choose from on the all day brekkie menu. Our picks are the flavoursome shashuka and the decedent pancake stack, complete with ginger bread and house made banana ice cream.

Millbrook Winery

A lunch at Millbrook Winery is not to be missed. Found in historic Jarrahdale, in the Perth Hills, the winery is home to a wonderful restaurant. Head Chef, Guy Jeffreys’ fresh produce philosophy means that you’ll have a unique dining experience each time you visit. Most of their produce is grown onsite by the chefs, in the huge vegetable garden, where many unique varieties of veg is found. The exciting food coupled with excellent wines and a beautiful vista from the lakeside restaurant, will make for a memorable meal.

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Flics Kitchen

Flics Kitchen is found on the bustling Mandurah foreshore. The Head Chef and owner, Felicity Evans, has created a tastebud tempting modern share menu. Her wait staff are warm and helpful. The drinks offering is well curated with wines, local craft beers and more. We really enjoyed each of the dishes we tried, particularly the sticky n sweet, twice cooked pork belly with crisp puffed pork crackle, crunchy peanuts and a rich chilli and lime caramel. We’d recommend that you visit the popular Flics Kitchen if you’re in Mandurah too – they’re open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Pinjarra Bakery

Pinjarra Bakery is a good place stop for a quick n casual bite to eat. The bakery has won a bag full of awards and we love their sweet and savoury baked goodies. Dine in or takeaway and eat by the Murray River.

DPM Café

We stopped for our morning coffee fix at DPM on Mandurah Terrace (found next to Flics Kitchen), where they claim to serve the best coffee in Mandurah. The teeny tiny café has a cool vibe and there’s seating outside for sunny days, overlooking the foreshore. There’s also a small selection of fresh bagels, croissants, raw treats and other yummy take away foods. The Geisha coffee really hit the spot!

Let me know in the comments below if there’s anywhere awesome I should try on my next trip to Mandurah and Peel.

Thanks to Mandurah & Peel Tourism Organisation (MAPTO) we were guests of Millbrook Winery, Flics Kitchen and Café Moka. Nothing is exaggerated or embellished. All words and opinions are my own.

May 19, 2017 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Café Moka, Mandurah

To me, there’s not much sweeter than finding a gem of a brunch spot. Mandurah locals are lucky to have the waterside Café Moka on their doorstep. Found at Dolphin Quay, the bustling café overlooks the marina, which is a lovely backdrop for my Mothers Day breakfast. It’s part of our May weekend staycation in Mandurah, and we’d been invited to enjoy a tasty brekkie there by Mandurah & Peel Tourism Organisation, who have expert local knowledge for the perfect brunch spot for my foodie family.

Chef and I ordered a couple of flat whites ($4.50). The Toby’s Estate roast really hit the spot! And being Mothers Day I also got given a rose – what a lovely gesture!

Continue reading →

April 17, 2017 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Crowne Plaza Hotel Perth

From the moment we pulled up at Crowne Plaza Hotel and handed our keys to Concierge to valet park the car, we felt relaxed. With limited time, a family staycation with just 25 minutes travel required, suited us down to the ground.

The four and a half star hotel is right on the edge of Perth’s CBD, with many attractions just a short stroll or free bus ride away. Crowne Plaza Hotel is found on Langley Park, opposite the Swan River.

Check in was very quick and by the time we’d headed up to the 10th floor in the lift, our bags were already waiting for us in the room. We opted for a Premium River View Room (with a trundle bed for Little Chef), so we could enjoy a river facing balcony. Large family rooms are also available, which have two queen beds and larger en-suites. Before we headed out to explore the rest of the hotel, East Perth and track down some food, we had a good look around our lovely room. Continue reading →

February 24, 2017 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Margaret River Bakery

We’ve often stopped by Margaret River Bakery for a early morning pie. I can tell you that their buttery pastry and hearty fillings really help with winery/brewery induced hangovers! We’d heard great things about their breakfasts, so we stopped by for a more substantial bite to eat.

It’s not your typical, sterile shop-like bakery. Margaret River Bakery is eclectic. The furniture and crockery are completely mis-matched. The café has a bustling atmosphere with a real mix of customers too. There are lots of freshly baked treats and breads available, as well as good coffee. It wasn’t particularly busy when we went, though I had to ask twice to get the previous customer’s dirty plates and glasses moved, which were still sitting on our table when our food arrived (see below pic).

Little Chef, with his plate barely fitting on the full table, devoured his fresh croissant that was filled with gooey cheese and good quality ham. Chef loved his brekkie burger, brimming with crisp bacon, runny egg, Swiss cheese, relish and rocket. It also came with a bottle of fresh juice.

Continue reading →

January 30, 2017 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Flinderz – Hillarys

Flinderz is an old favourite of ours. Back in 2014/15 Chef was the Head Chef there, before he left for the bright floodlights of Domain Stadium and the WACA, cooking for his sporting heroes. Chef loved Flinderz, but pretty much never had an opportunity to actually dine there, because he was always so darned busy at the bustling suburban gem. We were really excited to revisit Flinderz after owner Louise invited us in for brunch.

Flinderz is in Hillarys, but it isn’t found at the Boat Harbour. The modern café is located at the leafy Hillary’s Shopping Centre on Finders Avenue. I like to dine in their shady alfresco area, with it’s pretty greenery and chilled atmosphere. It a good spot for a lazy brunch or lunch.

There’s a good choice of drinks – coffee, tea, smoothies and more. We’ve always found them to have quality coffee.

Little Chef ordered his favourite – a babycino. I also enjoyed a refreshing juice after my caffeine fix.

Since I last visited there’s been some interesting new additions to the Flinderz brunch menu. I really liked the sound of their house smoked Atlantic salmon and the French toast, but opted for my favourite House made granola, $17. Continue reading →

September 20, 2016 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Chatford & Co – Kalamunda

At the moment it seems the café scene in Kalamunda is rather like waiting for a bus. You wait ages – then two perfectly fine busses come along at once! I’ve enjoyed a couple of brunches at Mason and Bird around the corner and now at Chatford & Co too.

Chatford & Co’s Head Chef Gavin Charter was formerly the Head Pastry Chef at Rockpool no less. I’d also heard that he trained at the legendary Loose Box, under Alain Fabregues. So I had high expectations for our brunch and it didn’t disappoint.

My Mum and I entered the cosy café, tastefully decked out with pressed tin wall features and we were greeted by a friendly waitress. The brunch menu is available all day long (7.30am till 2pm) and there are additional lunch options also available between noon and 2pm. Starving, we quickly ordered and though their signature dish of bacon and egg doughnuts with maple syrup tempted me, I made a more conservative choice.

Much of their produce, like honey and olive oil, is sourced from artisan suppliers in the Perth Hills. Their meat and small goods are from fabulous local butcher, Sebastian’s, found on Kalamunda’s main street. As a side note… we used to buy the best fillet steak from Sebastian’s when we lived in the hills. Chef used to ask for them cut extra thick!

First, we enjoyed a couple of big mugs of coffee. The roast used at Chatford & Co is Five Senses, which is a coffee I can never fault.

I chose the Chorizo omelette, $17.50 . The picture below shows a humble omelette, but I can tell you this was absolutely packed with flavour and it was perfectly made too. I savoured the flavours of the delicious omelette, filled with chunks of chorizo, roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes and red onion. On the side are two buttered slices of organic wood fired sourdough. The toast was a welcome extra and was perfect for mopping up those eggy juices – I could only manage one slice before I became too full though.

My Mum chose the baked eggs, $17.50, which I also loved the sound of. The two baked eggs sat on a bed of creamy leek, tasty eggplant and well seasoned sautéed greens with a side of organic wood fired sourdough toast. I had a little bite and it tasted just as good as it looked. Mum raved about it and reminisced about a similar dish my Nanna Ruby used to bake for her family of 9, over 60 years ago in England. The fresh bread is baked by The Wood fired Baker in Maylands.

As you can imagine, with a superstar Pastry Chef in the kitchen, the cabinet is brimming with cakes, pastries, tarts, cream-filled doughnuts and lots of other scrumptious delights. This month Chatford & Co began serving high tea – so I have yet another reason to revisit this excellent little café again soon. The food and service is on point and Chatford & Co comes highly recommended.