It can be all too easy to hibernate once the winter chill sets in, but that would mean missing out on the dishes that are heating up Perth.
Hot-listed (and hot temp’d) to warm you up from the inside out this winter, these are the Perth dishes to devour the next time you’re craving something cosy.
Coccodrillo’s guazzetto di pesce
Seafood stew, but make it sexy. Hidden under a canopy of warm, blistered flat bread, you’ll find a medley of just-cooked seafood bathing in an aromatic broth spiked with garlic, cherry tomatoes, and a kick of heat from fresh chillies.
As you lift the edible lid, a cloud of fragrant steam hits you in the face and clears your sinuses, revealing clams, prawns, squid, fish, mussels, and more soaking up the rich, briny base beneath. Tear off a piece of bread, dunk it in deep, and feel your winter-brittle bones warming.
Servo’s Baharat lamb shoulder
Big flavours, bold colours, and belly-warming comfort, Servo’s Baharat lamb shoulder brings it all to the table this winter. Cooked low and slow until it’s falling apart before your fork makes contact, the lamb is coated in a Baharat spice blend that brings just the right amount of warmth and depth.
It’s served atop a bed of creamy labneh and finished with a scattering of crunchy buckwheat, pops of pomegranate, and a generous hit of zhoug — a verdant, vibrant Middle Eastern sauce made from fresh herbs, green chillies and warming spices. Add a glass of red wine and you’ll forget all about your winter woes, if only for a minute.
Varnish on King’s cheese fondue
If there’s one sure-fire way to seek comfort this winter, it’s the warm embrace that only melted cheese can offer. Varnish on King’s take on the 1970s dinner party staple consists of melted cheddar and gruyère spiked with a nip of whisky to keep things interesting. Plonk the piping hot cauldron in the middle of the table and dip bacon, bread, carrots, gherkins, and more into the bubbling concoction.
Here’s the real kicker, though: just as you think you’ve hit the bottom of the pot, it’s topped back up, inviting you to dive back in again and again for 90 minutes. Only available on Wednesdays from 4:00 pm, bookings are essential.
Nieuw Ruin’s devilled ox tongue on toast
The devil is in the detail at Nieuw Ruin. This winter, the too often-overlooked ox tongue is getting the star treatment at this Fremantle hot spot: slow-braised until terrifically tender, then pan-fried until it’s golden and crispy on the outskirts.
From there, the tongue is tossed through a ‘devilled’ sauce laced with cream, shallots, brandy, and a good hit of Dijon. It’s all heaped generously onto toasted sourdough, the rich sauce spilling over onto the plate before being finished with a lick of walnut vinaigrette, garlic flowers, and fresh parsley.
The result is a decadent winter dish far greater than the sum of its parts. Add a moody red and stay a while.
Fallow’s skillet sticky date pudding
Arriving at the table in a skillet still warm from the oven, Fallow’s Instagram-famous dessert dish is rightfully venerated. The ultra-moist pudding is rich, spongy, and unapologetically sticky from the incredibly addictive salted caramel sauce.
Topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s as sinful as it sounds. Spoon through the sweet, salty, cold, and warm layers for the perfect balance of textures and temperatures.
Georgee’s steak and Guinness pie
This is no half-time pie at Optus Stadium. East Freo’s newcomer Georgee Pies lifted the lid on Perth’s best pastries when it opened in March of this year, and the steak and Guinness creation has been a firm favourite since day dot.
Tender chunks of beef come swimming in a thick, Guinness-based gravy that’s rich, a little malty, and good enough to drink. The piping hot centre is sealed with the kind of golden pastry lid that leaves buttery crumbs in its wake long after the last bite.
Get in early and brave the queue for a piece of the pie (literally).
Ten and Sen’s spice ramen
There’s regular ramen, and then there’s Ten and Sen’s signature spice ramen: a steaming, crimson-tinged bowl that’s as comforting as it is chaotic. Built on a deeply savoury, tonkotsu pork bone broth, it hits with an umami punch before the slow-building chilli heat creeps in.
Hot and heady, thick slices of char siu pork melt into the broth, with seasonal vegetables and wavey egg noodles soaking up the spice and depth.
Honourable mentions must also go to So Perth’s long-standing noodle favourites, Tosaka Ramen Bar in Northbridge and Hifumiya Udon Noodle House, both well worth slurping your way across town for.
Il Lido’s risotto alla Milanese
Golden-hued, slow-stirred and silky to the spoon, Il Lido’s risotto alla Milanese is proof that simple doesn’t mean boring. This classic northern Italian dish is made the traditional way with plenty of parmesan and butter in the velvety bisque.
Topped with subtly-smokey chargrilled Shark Bay tiger prawns and garnished with a simple wedge of lemon, its bright yellow hue from the saffron will brighten even the most dreariest of days.
Lulu La Delizia’s pappardelle
If you happen to be dining at Lulu La Delizia (or its charming new off-shoot, Cantina di Lulu) when this particular pasta special graces the menu, consider yourself blessed. A heap of hand-cut pappardelle arrives glistening, with each silky ribbon perfectly al dente. Crumbles of fennel-spiked pork sausage are tangled throughout the folds, with grilled radicchio bringing a bitter edge.
Though this dish is particularly soothing for the soul on a cold, wet day, whatever pasta special is on offer will likely have the same soul-soothing effect. At the moment, that includes ricotta gnocchi topped with fresh truffle and a slightly lighter squid ink bigoli. Both are very, very good.
