June 23, 2015 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

The Duke – Carramar

Waiting for a local pub in the Perth northern suburbs is a bit like waiting for a bus. You wait for ages (in this case 9 years!) then two come along at once! The Duke, like The Ashby Bar & Bistro, is long awaited pub in our area. It opened officially on Monday, though we got the hot tip and went there on Sunday for a cheeky pint. My Dad, a proud Yorkshireman, was very pleased to see that a couple of his favourite tipples Old Speckled Hen and Newcastle Brown Ale are on tap. There’s a good range of beers and a decent wine list too.

It is a different pub to The Ashby. Though modern, it has a more traditional British feel to it, which no doubt is a nod to the many British ex-pats that live in the Carramar/Tapping area. It’s smaller than The Ashby and has a warm feel to it – we sat by the fire as the rain poured outside – and it felt very cosy!At The Duke there is the main bar, dining room, sports bar (with TAB, pool table and huuuuge TV screen) and a few outdoor courtyards – which will be nice in the warmer months!

We were seated in the dining room (which was full before 6pm) and ordered a spot of dinner. The menu is brimming with typical pub fayre and has some British classics on there – a Ploughman’s platter, Steak & stout pie, Scotch eggs, pork scratching’s, lamb hot pot and much much more.

My Mum and Dad both enjoyed their beer battered fish and chips ($23). The fish was tasty and flaky in a crisp golden batter. The rustic-looking chips (skin on) are double fried and there’s a side of mushy peas and tatare sauce.

Chef said his thin crust beef pizza ($21) hit the spot. It was topped with salted rump, chili, artichoke and smoky BBQ sauce.

I just had an entrée as I was still full from going out for a big lunch in the city (I know – food blogger problems…lol). I enjoyed the pulled beef brisket tacos ($14). The soft shell tacos were lightly toasted and the tender beef sat upon a bed of lettuce, tomato and cheese and topped with sour cream and chilli. It was a good little snack.

Little Chef was also well catered for with a kids menu and colouring pack.

My parents also squeezed in a sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Which got the thumbs up.

First impressions were positive – we all enjoyed our food, which was well priced and the staff were all friendly and helpful with our questions. We’ll absolutely be back for more good times at The Duke!

November 19, 2014 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

“Heston Magic” at The Hinds Head, Bray

The Fat Duck, Bray

If you ask our five year old who Heston is – he’ll tell you all about him. Little Chef knows that he makes bacon and egg ice-cream and he made a giant lunchbox full of fantastical treats at Legoland. He may even tell you that Mr Blumenthal is his favourite chef –if daddy isn’t within earshot! Since our holiday to England in August, Little Chef lights up every time he sees Heston on TV and tells anyone who’ll listen he’s eaten at Heston’s restaurant – where he got to taste some “Heston Magic”… Chef and I first heard of Heston Blumenthal in about 2004, when we lived in the UK. It was before he got really popular – but he was making big waves in the culinary world with molecular gastronomy. It had been on our bucket list to eat at the Fat Duck, in Bray, but with Little Chef in tow that wasn’t really going to work – so we opted to go for Heston’s more family friendly gastro pub next door, The Hinds Head. We were also dining with my lovely cousin H and her family. The Michelin starred Hinds Head is a historical 15^th century pub. Think low beams and wood everywhere! It felt like a proper village local. You can even pop in for a pint and bar snack – Scotch egg anyone? We weren’t really sure what to expect, but we were surprised at just how welcome and at ease the staff made us feel. We’ve dined at many Michelin starred restaurants and most of them you get quite stuffy and sometimes even snooty silver service from the wait staff. The waitresses and waiters at the Hinds Head were very professional – but in a warm way. One waitress in particular kept up a hilarious banter with the kids, which was just lovely and made us all relax. She whisked the boys away for a few moments to let them poke their heads around the kitchen door and see the chef’s cooking their dinner. We thought that was a wonderful idea, sitting in a lovely restaurant sometimes it’s easy to forget there are many people busily cooking to create a wonderful meal for you! The boys were also kept entertained with pencils and an activity sheet that turned into a chef’s hat! You’ll notice from the food pictures that the dishes look very simple. It can be a bit misleading, especially when you’d probably expect something with all the bells and whistles on coming from one of Heston’s kitchens. It is a much different style to the Fat Duck. The produce used is still of an exceptional quality. The classic British food at the Hinds Head is done exceedingly well. For “starter” Chef loved the fresh raw highland estate venison, with a carro and horseradish puree and shallot dressing (£10.50) I chose the Smoked Guinea Fowl and Foie Gras Terrine (£9.95). The silky terrine was absolutely mouth-watering and complimented with a side of apple chutney. Loved it! Cousin H had beetroot and goat curd with cider poached pear and pumpkin seeds (£8.75). The plating of this dish was beautiful and she really enjoyed it. Chef, ever the carnivore, chose the Hereford prime rib eye, (£33.95) for his main. It was the most expensive item on the menu, but Chef absolutely raved about the very tasty piece of meat – worth every penny. He drizzled the bone marrow sauce over it and soaked up all the meaty-ness with a side of French fries. There’s not much in life I love more than a slow cooked egg! When our waitress brought out my empty plate she said ”there’s your dinner” with a wink. Shortly afterwards, my wild mushroom macaroni (£17.95) followed, the extra plate was to spoon my macaroni onto. The hen’s egg was deliciously runny and I really relished the earthy and cheesy flavours. Delish! Banana and custard quaking Pudding (£7.95). We’re avid Heston watchers and we know he loves his historical food. Chef jumped at the chance to try the quaking pudding and he wasn’t disappointed! It was the perfect end to my brilliant meal – I had a Cherry Bakewell with yoghurt Ice cream (£7.95). The Bakewell was spot on. The yogurt ice-cream was quite different and worked really well with the nutty flavours. Little Chef had a bowl of ice cream and the waitress sprinkled some “Heston’s Magic” over it – which is actually chocolate popping candy! His little face was priceless! It was an incredibly special experience to dine as a family at the Hinds Head and one that we’ll never forget. We even got our menu signed by the talented kitchen team. The food was superb, in an understated British way – we thought it was really well priced too. The service was absolutely wonderful – easily the best we’ve ever had, by a Berkshire country mile. We all certainly experienced a bit of Heston Magic and hopefully it wasn’t the last time! Outstanding.

February 16, 2014 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Inn Mahogany Creek

The service at Inn Mahogany Creek was fabulous. Our waiter was superb – right from the initial phone booking. One of the things that really stood out for me that he interacted with our son “Little Chef”. So many people don’t even acknowledge children when dining out; but he gave him a high five, asked him questions and was generally very welcoming towards us all.This was our first visit to the Inn. I had expected something a little more “old-y world-y” but after a refurb in the last couple of years it’s interior is actually very contemporary. It’s one of the oldest hotels in WA. Though it got pipped to the post for title of the oldest, by just one year, by Guildford’s Rose and Crown. This 186 year old inn has is steeped in history and was even a hideout for the infamous West Australian bushranger Moondyne Joe. He was reportedly captured here after years on the run.

We sat in one of the very cosy dining rooms – the outdoor area under the trees looked inviting, but it was a hot day.

We were dining with my parents, we ate;

Steak Sandwich ($19) Chef really enjoyed this pub food classic. The steak was perfectly cooked and it came with fresh beetroot relish, tomato, lettuce, Swiss cheese, red onion jam, aioli on toasted ciabatta bread and French fries.

Barramundi ($33) This was a moist and crispy skinned barra, sourced from Cone Bay; north of Broome. Served with fries, salad and gribiche sauce (french-style mayo with capers, herbs etc).

Pork Belly ($35) Beans, braised cabbage, Cauliflower puree, broccolini & red wine jus. My Dad loved this dish – especially the pork belly topped with crunchy crackling!

Garlic Prawns ($30 main size) Generally, though I love this dish, I don’t order Garlic Prawns when I’m dining out. When we have a BBQ at home, Chef makes them and they are the bomb! This time, I had my wisdom teeth out a couple of days before, so I was on the lookout for soft food! This fitted the bill perfectly and it was a very tasty dish. The tender prawns, creamy garlic sauce & fragrant rice was all spot on.

We all really enjoyed Inn Mahogany Creek. It’s well worth a visit if you’re in the Mundaring area. Great service and well cooked, quality bistro style food.

January 6, 2014 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Swan Valley Tour

My work mates and I spent an afternoon driving through the Swan Valley recently. On this occasion, we stuck to venues on and near to Great Northern Highway. After 2012 being full of hens days wine tours, I’d not been to the swan valley for a while. There were a few places I’d been looking forward to visiting. The Cheese Barrel and Sitella Winery in particular.

First stop was a wine tasting at Houghton’s modern cellar door. The historic winery is amongst gorgeous lawned grounds, shaded by the flowering jacarandas. Houghton have some pretty good wine too. I was very keen on their sparkling classic. I’ve been to Houghton before for food and I can tell you that their food patters are fantastic!

Next stop was the Kimberly Rum Company. Here spirits were on the menu! At this distillery you can try “Canefire” – their rum-like spirit. It is made from sugar cane, which is grown in the Ord River Valley around Kununurra. They also have vodka etc to try. We could have 3 tastings here and I opted for the slushy cocktails – the Fruit Tingles were the best!! The yummy cocktail mixers are available to buy – just add booze!

We then stopped at Mondo Nougat. We had a sample of the scrumptious nougat. I really liked the coffee flavour. If you are after an actual coffee, there is also a café at mondo, where you can sit and enjoy there wide range of sweet Italian delicacies.

Recently, local Perth Company Morish Nuts also set up shop next door to Mondo Nougat. There were a few different types and flavours of nuts to sample. The nuts indeed proved to be extremely Morish! I loved the wasabi macadamias and treated myself to a bag of them. The very best Australian nuts are used at Morish, they are all delicious.

Sittella Winery was a gorgeous place to stop. As we arrived there was a very festive air about the place and soon, as a bride appeared it became apparent why! Sittella is surrounded by lush vineyards and has beautiful gardens overlooking a dam and gazebo. We had a wine tasting at the cellar door, they lovely and knowledgeable Sharon guiding us through the various wines. My pick was the 2012 – SGT – Shiraz Grenache Tempranillo – I loved it.

We then headed to the Cheese Barrel. I’d heard good things about this cracking spot for wine and cheese. It’s right next to Olive Farm Wines (on Great Northern Hwy). I would recommend that you also visit the winery, as they have some stunning wines there. At the Cheese Barrel you will find very high quality farmhouse and artisanal cheeses from all around the world. Make your own cheese platter and pair it with locally produced Olive Farm Wines. If you’re the designated driver you can still enjoy a wonderful “5 Senses” coffee, they have a fantastic Synesso Hydra Espresso machine, imported from Seattle.

It is also very child friendly; down stairs is a large shaded sandpit. We shared a few different platters, being in a large group.

Each platter had a few different cheeses and accompaniments like fruit, olives, lavosh, smoked hams and chicken. There were some delicious cheeses. My all-time favourite, Irish Cashel Blue is on the menu. They also have genuine Brie – imported from the Brie region in France.

It was a gorgeous day, but unfortunately we didn’t make our last stop – Feral Brewery. Our bus driver said we had gone over our schedule and had to head back home. Oh well, that’s something for next time I think.

January 2, 2014 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Typika Artisan Roasters

Chef, Little Chef and I like dining out mid-week. We can enjoy some of the most busy and popular dining rooms in Perth, without having to deal with the weekend crowds. Saying that, with the FIFO culture in WA, there are still a lot of people eating out on a midday morning. We popped to Typika, in Claremont. I’d heard many good things about the latest venture from the people that bought us the fantastic coffee at Chimbalinos (Nedlands, Cottesloe & the CBD).

You can’t actually book a table, though they say waiting times are kept to a minimum. The day we visited we waited 10 minutes for a table (at 10.30am); we were happy to do that. We were seated at a green-leather covered booth. Though it is a loud venue, we were a little away from the main hussle and bustle. The service was friendly and there was no searching for staff; they were at our table promptly (and with a smile) to take our order.

Typika is not solely a café. They roast their own coffee on site. The finest green coffee beans are sourced from around the world and the end product is a dam fine cuppa coffee. We sat opposite the roasting room and could see the roasters at work. Chef had a coffee (his regular double shot flat white), which he enjoyed.

LC and I had juices, they were really good. I liked my “Boost” a lot (carrot, lettuce, beetroot, spirulina & wheatgrass). Spirulina is highly nutritious micro salt water plant, found mainly in Africa and South America. LC had the “Red Passion” (watermelon, strawberry and apple). I did think though, that for $6, the glasses should be a bit bigger.

We ordered;

The Typika Breakfast Stack ($21) Shredded Potato Crisp, wilted spinach, half an avocado and their delicious house-smoked ocean trout. This is all topped with a perfectly fried egg – sunny side up. I loved this dish and it was a bit naughty and nice; it is mainly healthy, with some crispy potato hiding underneath! Yummo.

Chef had Spiced Beef Benedict ($18.50) Two soft poached eggs, on a bed of slow-cooked spiced beef, on top of chibatta toast. This is all covered with a harissa hollandaise. Chef thought this was well cooked, really tasty and loved the spicy twist to this classic breakfast dish.

Oh and Little Chef had his favourite – a ham and cheese croissant 🙂

Typika, is not your typical suburban café. I thought the food was really outstanding. It’s open 7 days for breakfast, brunch and lunch. We loved Typika, which I thought we would. It’s my kind of food. The breakfast menu is extensive and the lunch menu looks fabulous too. I’m keen to get back there to try the ribs, as they’re apparently not to be missed!

November 17, 2013 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Eat Drink Blog 2013 – Day One

Butterflies didn’t even begin to cover how nervous I was feeling. I was seriously putting myself WAY out of my comfort zone. Though, as I kept telling myself, it was for MY OWN GOOD!! A few months previously I had applied to be a delegate at the EAT DRINK BLOG national bloggers conference. Each year it is held in a different capital (this year Perth) and being in my home city, I was very keen to go. As well as myself, there were 80 bloggers from all around the country attending the 2 day event.

At 8.30 I arrived at Perth City Farm. We were treated to all sorts of breakfast goodies – 5 Senses Coffee, yogurt, coconut water and pastries. I got chatting to a few fellow Perth bloggers that I been following for a couple of years, Laura Mosely, Chi (Perth Scout), Michelle (Foodie Cravings) and Carly (Perth Munchkin). At nine on the dot, we took our seats as Ai Ling welcomed us all. The first Session was a panel chat between Chef Russel Blakie (Must), Ed Charles (Tomato) and Adam Roberts (Amateur Gourmet). This was focusing on “The current State of Blogging”. Russel said that he liked to engage with bloggers often. They are generally positive and create a buzz around new business and the hospitality industry. Generally the social media was good and that bloggers are now part of mainstream media.

Adam Roberts, who flew to Perth from US, was fantastic. He was one of the food blogging pioneers and has made a career out of blogging – leading to TV work and Cookbook deals. He kept the session humorous and shared his most popular blog post. Janet Jackson nipple cupcakes!! In the middle of “nipplegate” Adam made some boobie cupcakes and within a day of posting he’d had hundreds of thousands of hits on his blog. Brilliant!

Untitledeedb We then had a session on Coffee, which was held by Five Senses. I found this really interesting and found out lots about coffee that I never knew, like coffee comes from a coffee cherry! We were treated to goodies from Littlesweet Baking for Morning Tea. Megan, is one of my all-time favourite Perth bakers (check out my Cookie Dough Post for more on her cupcakes). I tried a few of her mini cupcakes and slices; I was also excited to find a Littlesweet Brownie mix in our goodie bag, at the end of the day.

We then had sessions on Food Writing and Food Photography. I got some invaluable tips. Chefs Kiren Mainwaring (Co-Op Dining and Dear Friends) and Sophie Budd (Tate Budds Catering) and Paul Kilmurray (Urban Locavore) had an interesting panel chat about shopping for local produce. They both get most of their fresh veg from markets like Perth City Farm and Kalamunda Farmers Markets. People after my own heart!! I LOVE farmers markets, you can’t beat them!

Lunch was a delicious spread – created by European Foods. There were beautifully presented cheeses, Antipasti, Salads etc European Foods (in Northbridge) is a Perth food icon. They’ve been around for almost 80 years. In the queue for the delicious treats I chatted with Whitney (Dine Whit Me) and Sandy (Hungry Again in Perth). Again, I was blown away by how lovely the Perth (and Australian) blogging community is.

The sessions after lunch included; Mobile Blogging and Legal Issues. That was full of good tips by Michael Tucak from Creative Legal. Nobody wants to be sued for defamation!! Ethics and Working with PR brought up some interesting points of view. Cynthia (The Food Pornographer) often embraces PR opportunities; Phil Lees (The Last Appetite) on the other hand is what you would call a blogging “purist” and will not accept any freebies or invitations at all. The discussion was a little feisty and I loved it. It was something I hadn’t considered a lot myself, but I came to the conclusion that I’d consider every opportunity on a case by case basis, always disclose a freebie and be honest in my opinion. People can smell bullshit a mile away.

By this time were were very hot and tired, sitting in what was basically a hot shed – though I was still having a really great day. Sure, City Farm was rustic and a little rough around the edges – but it was real. That’s what blogging is all about – being real and authentic. It was amazing to put a face to the people I’d been talking to in cyberspace; like Peggy (Cake Crumbs and Beach Sand) and Bhavna (Just a girl from Aamchi Mumbai). And to meet people like Cynthia and Juji (Juji Chews) who’s blogs I’d followed for years was fantastic.

We were in for an absolute treat for dinner. In the grounds of Perth City Farm was a pop up mini hawkers market. It was fantastic!! All the fun of the Hawkers Market without the queues! We had Butty’s Burgers, Marcelita’s Empanadas, Jumplings, Delicious Ice, etc etc I have to admit I didn’t have my fave Butty’s Burgers. On this occasion I decided to try something new. But knowing Tam, chef and co-owner of Buttys I sang his praises and sent many of the bloggers over for his sous vide rib burger! And they loved them. I tried empanadas for the first time – which were delicious. The pork and Lime was the standout. I also tried the Jumplings – Wow!! They were divine.

I got a lot out of EDB13. I still consider myself a newbie blogger, and the conference was a big learning curve for me. Afterwards, I felt hugely inspired and I also felt like I had found some long lost friends. It was fantastic to meet like-minded people. People with the same interests and quirks as myself. It was somewhere where it wasn’t unusual to be taking photos of cupcakes, using copious amounts of hash tags and to pause a while before eating (to take more photos!).

Thanks to all the organisers and sponsors – it was an amazing day that left me feeling informed, inspired and very excited about the future for my own blog.

And that was just day one!! Day two post coming soon…

August 26, 2013 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Kettle Café

I’ve long had a bit of a phobia about dining alone; to the point I’d never done it. It wasn’t so much scary, as awkward – what would I do – sit there twiddling my thumbs, talking to myself?! It used to be awkward enough sitting at a bar alone, waiting for Chef to finish work. However, I was so keen to try The Kettle Café, I popped there for a late lunch on my way home from work. And I was very pleasantly surprised – both about the lovely café and eating solo.

Firstly, it struck me that the Kettle Café is the kind of place where you’re never really alone – even if you turn up by yourself. I noticed that so many of the customers were referred to by their names by the staff; this is a true local. The café is only a moment off the bustle of busy Orrong Road, opposite a leafy park, on a quiet Lathlain street. I felt like I’d stumbled upon a little local secret. It’s very bright, fresh and welcoming.

I often crave brunch, but I’m usually guilty of turning up at 11.32am. By that time I’ve missed the boat and it’s “Sorry bunch just finished”. Not at the Kettle Café! They have a 7 day brunch menu – till 2pm!! The menu was full of things I wanted to try. I had the Creamy Mushrooms on polenta with Rocket and Parmesan $14 – I also found their prices very reasonable.

OH. MY. GOODNESS. WOW. This was so tasty; I was very pleased with my choice. The mushrooms, sautéed in their creamy sauce, which was great, soaked up with the polenta. The creaminess was balanced well with the sharpness of the parmesan cheese and the peppery rocket. I was disappointed when I’d finished eating it all, I was already planning my next visit!!

The coffee at Kettle Café is great too. My Chai Latte was deliciously spicy and served pipping hot – which I find VERY rare!! Usually coffee comes so cool, I could drink it all straight away. But here I could leisurely sip it for 10 mins of so before it went cooler. I loved that.

So I was over my solo eating phobia. I found a lot of enjoyment in sitting at the long communal table, leisurely flicking through the daily West Australian paper, sipping my coffee and tucking into some great food. You’ll be glad you tried Kettle – but “shhhhh” don’t tell anyone *wink*

August 14, 2013 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Aus Culinary Team – Pattaya Cup – Thailand 2013

Chef competed as part of the Australian Culinary Team last week, in Pattaya, Thailand. This international culinary competition had teams from all around Asia and Europe vying for the Pattaya Cup.

The competition involved the team of five, preparing an edible buffet for 20 people, in four hours. There had to be eight dishes involved, including salad, tapas, soup, mains, cake etc. Halfway through the competition (about two hours in), a mystery ingredient was thrown into the mix and the chefs quickly had to come up with something to make 10 portions of, with the beef strip loin.

*The Australian Buffet

*Appetiser – Kokoda of Seabass

*Sunrasia Gateaux (Chocolate, pineapple and orange flavours)

As well as the competition itself and all the preparation and planning involved, the team did have a small chance to have a look around the expo too and see what other chefs around the world are creating. As well as some amazing cooked food, there were also some impressive fruit and vegetable carvings. Chef saw some amazing calved watermelons – the lady who carved the intricate design said it only took her 40 minutes to complete – unbelievable!!

And some pics of other interesting food spotted at the expo…

The team also enjoyed some traditional Thai Cuisine while they were there too.

Unfortunately, the Australian team didn’t come away with the cup – they were runners up for the 3rd year in a row. Hong Kong won the Pattaya Cup by ONE point! Australia scored a very high mark and also came away with a gold medal, which was a fantastic result.

July 29, 2013 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Grill’d Burgers

*Cheap Eats*

We’re often up at Lakeside Joondalup Shopping Centre, but since we’re not too fussed by what’s on offer in the food court, we usually visit Grilld.

A franchise that had originally started in the eastern states, has become very popular here in Perth and grown rapidly in WA. They seem to be popping up everywhere lately; Hillarys, Scarborough, Subiaco, Claremont, Mount Lawley and there’s a couple in the CBD. We’ve visited almost all of them now and they’re consistently good from store to store. We think the best burgers are at Joondalup and Subiaco; though they’re all good really. We especially like the atmosphere of Grill’d in Brookfield Place (CBD).

I’m a bit guilty of ALWAYS going for the same burger. There are so many tempting varieties, but the Summer Sunset gets me every time. It is sooooo tasty!! Next time I’ll try something new… Really…

SUMMER SUNSET ( $13.50)

Grilled grass fed lean beef, avocado, crispy trim bacon, golden pineapple, salad, relish & herbed mayo.

Chef branched out a little more and went for the Moroccan Lamb burger. I got “Burger Envy” and he was kind enough to let me have a bite! It was delicious.

MOROCCAN LAMB ($13.50)

Grilled 100% grass fed lean lamb, roasted peppers, tzatziki, salad & relish. The chips, tossed in herbs are great too, especially with a dunk into the herb mayo.

Grill’d is cheap-ish, but the quality of ingredients is not compromised. It’s also a cheerful place, they even get involved with the local community. Each month, through their scheme “Local Matters”, they donate $500 to a worthy group. This is decided by the customers, by placing their bottle top (given with each burger) into a jar of their choice; volunteer fire fighting groups, surf lifesaving and other charitable and sporting groups are encompassed. Grill’d is simple – their yummy scrummy burgers mean we’ll be back again and again! And I’d say their claim – on the below sign – isn’t too far off the mark!

2014 /15 ENTERTAINMENT BOOK DISCOUNTS

* voucher – 2 for 1 main menu item

July 29, 2013 by The Chef, his Wife and their PERTH-fect life

Rose & Crown

The Rose and Crown Hotel, on the lovely Swan Street in Guildford, is a stunning heritage building. It is the SECOND oldest operating pub in Australia – the grand old building has been restored beautifully.

We’ve visited the Rose and Crown a few times over the years. Its somewhere we take overseas guests to and we just love a lazy afternoon in the shady beer garden. Pre-blog we had enjoyed lovely dinners and lunches here. Little Chef also discovered every child’s fave dessert – “Frog in a pond” here, on a warm summers day.

On this occasion, we were merely passing through, on a cold winter’s afternoon. After a long drive, we all needed a caffeine/beer/sugar hit, as well as a roaring fire. The Rose and Crown ticked all the boxes. We found a beaut spot right next to the open fire.

Chocolate Peanut Marquise ($13). This rich, velvety French dessert was divine. We loved the house made marshmallows too. Needless to say it didn’t last long!! And it won’t be long until we’re back again!!