prosperous fragrant chicken

prosperous fragrant chicken, originally uploaded by suddenly.

i love how chinese restaurants give their dishes romantic names like “prosperous fragrant chicken.” that was the star dish at the red teapot in northbridge–a small, unfancy but still kinda groovy place that looks to be hosted and waited on by the owner’s reticent teenage son.

and who says chicken is boring? this was half a clucker with crisped skin and supremely moist flesh, dipped into a shallow pool of tangy vinaigrette.

it was finger-lickin’ good.
$17.80AUD for the chicken. $50AUD (about $32US) total for two meat dishes, one veg, fried rice, steamed rice, and jasmine tea.

oh, and early bird diners get 10% off if you leave by 7 pm.

the red teapot
413 William Street
Northbridge WA 6003
Tel : +61 8 9228 1981

perth skyline

perth skyline, originally uploaded by suddenly.

it’s rare that i get to bicycle in a city without fear of vehicular collision, road rage-induced driver abuse, or massive exhaust inhalation. but somehow perth got it right. $70AUD (=$45US) for a weekly bike rental gives us access to the smooth cycling paths along swan river, into the different neighborhoods, and even to the beach. yesterday was australian labour day which meant barely an automobile in sight and two out-of-town bikers ruled the roads.

i ate kangaroo meat

kangaroo meat, originally uploaded by suddenly.

and now i have a spring in my step.

marinated kangaroo skewers with bush tomato chutney
at little creatures brewery in fremantle

the ‘roo was highly spiced, so much so that it could’ve been chunks of beef or lamb, for all i know. but the texture was tough, despite the 48-hour marinade. it wouldn’t be my first choice for red meat but i thought i might as well try a little kangaroo while i’m down under.

btw, little creatures is a fantastic microbrewery. luv their bright ale, the S.O. prefers their pale ale. we both adored our ray-of-sunshine pixie waitress. their shop lets you rent their logo-emblazened bikes for free (provided you have ID, which i didn’t).

ducks crossing

ducks crossing, originally uploaded by suddenly.

so let’s see…the animal signage in australia is:

kangaroo crossing – on the highways in cairns
tassie devil will rip you to shreds (WITH UPDATED COMMENTARY) – on the back roads of tasmania
ducks crossing – city streets of perth

fremantle

fremantle, originally uploaded by suddenly.

hot day in perth = lounging on the beach. this one’s a small obscure strip in fremantle which was blessedly uncrowded. it was just us, the indian ocean, and the seabirds.

eat here now: bar one, perth, western australia

bar 1

we’ve left the hustle and bustle of sydney and moved on to smaller, gentler perth in western australia. it seems no matter where you go down under, something delicious is right around the corner. we had a fantastic meal of italian small plates at bar one in the CBD (central business district).  two italian chefs taking the best ingredients, treating them simply, then adding a modern aussie twist is a recipe for awesomeness. the one chef even has his mamma turning out handmade pastas every day. gotta luv it!

from the menu to our bellies:

• Capesante
  Grilled scallops on shell, beetroot & vinegar
• Calamari
  Salt and pepper squid, rocket, lemon aioli
• Capellini
  Angel hair pasta, blue manna crab, tomato and XV olive oil
• Char-grilled asparagus, Reggiano, truffle XV olive oil
• Crisped barramundi atop tartar-style potatoes and watercress salad