I’ve just returned home from a quick trip to Perth, my other favourite city on the west coast of Australia. These kinds of trips always seem to go too quickly, before I’ve had enough of a fix of this vibrant little city I’m starting to love more and more. I have been wanting to tell you about Little Creatures for a long time now, since we stopped in there on a whim on the trip before last. It is a brewery and restaurant located in a converted warehouse in Fremantle, on a beautiful little spot right near the water. The atmosphere at lunchtime is relaxed and easygoing but I can imagine it would be a fun place to spend a Friday or Saturday night.
The restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike. Since I visited the first time, their Pale Ale has become my favourite Australian beer and my favourite topping for home made pizza (potato and rosemary) was inspired by my trip to the Fitzroy Dining Hall last October. The menu consists of shareable goodies such as pizzas and a variety of dishes showcasing Western Australia’s finest produce. If beer isn’t your thing, they also have an impressive list of local wines from Margaret River. The staff are casual, friendly and with full tableside service, leaving you free to soak up the sunshine and watch the group a few tables over, dressed up as pirates for a birthday gathering.
The frites were fried to crisp perfection and served with skin on, which is just the way I like them. They were served with a tasty aioli that was a nice change from tomato or sweet chilli sauce. The portion size is perfectly suited to sharing. The chorizo, sweet corn and fetta pizza was an interesting melding of flavours you might not expect to see together but which somehow work in harmony to create a delicious combination – spicy, creamy and sweet with the occasional juicy pop of a corn kernel in your mouth. It is also a treat to walk past the kitchen and watch the pizzas being made, fresh.
Another notable meal from the trip was at TigerTiger in the city, a quirky little place – half café, half bar that I’d heard about from Reemski. Their website said they served an all-day breakfast but when we arrived we were given new menus with a variety of delectable lunch and brunch options including savoury tarts and a steak and merlot pie. But when our waiter returned, he told us that their oven was on the fritz so the pastries weren’t available. I settled for a CBLT – chicken, bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich – and a long black and the boy had poached eggs on sourdough toast.
The coffee was excellent, and served with irregular shaped raw sugar cubes. I was a bad blogger and forgot to take a photo before I started eating. You see, it was nearly 12.30pm and I hadn’t eaten anything all day! But the CBLT was delicious, and huge, and even now I am surprised I managed to finish it all. Word has it, the eggs were good, but a little runnier would have been better for the toast soak up. I loved the mismatched furniture that looked like it had been collected from second hand shops, but I especially liked all of the posters on the wall, their abstract and colourful style appealed to the graphic design geek in me. I would like to visit again one day, if not only to try the pie but to see how this little place grows over time. Perth seems to change so much every time I visit, and I can’t wait for the next trip.
8 Comments on “Little City”
I grew up in Perth and I count myself lucky for that! I’ll always love Freo and Little Creatures and if given the choice I’d seriously consider moving back.
I guess I’ll always remain a Perth-girl at heart 🙂 Welcome back Lisa!
Ahhh Lil Creatures is awesommee ^^! and so is that pizza yuuumm!
Pity about the oven at TigerTiger cos breakfast at anytime of day is so good haha
Lisa! those frites! oh my goodness! I love a good, really good, dipping sauce. Wonderful photos.
Karen, I didn’t know you grew up in Perth! It’s a great little city, I really do love it over there. Can’t wait to go back 🙂
FFichiban, I know! I always want to go there when I’m in town. They just need to open up a Dining Hall in Sydney and I’ll be all set for the inbetween times.
Dawn, they were amazing, seriously amazing. The aioli was fantastic too, and the perfect accompaniment.
That pizza sounds unusual and good. So many people have been telling me Fremantle is beautiful.
That pizza looks great. I love the idea of chorizo, corn and feta. Spicy, sweet and creamy. It might be good with a little fresh coriander on top because I like the bitter balance.
Oh I love Little Creatures! There’s something very lychee-ish about their pale ale (though I think it’s only me who thinks so!). I’ll have to keep those two places in mind if I’m ever in Perth.
Arwen, Fremantle is lovely, very eclectic with gorgeous old (but very well maintained) buildings. We spent the whole afternoon wandering around.
Brittany, a bit of coriander would have been nice, or maybe some fresh rocket on top. Will have to experiment next time I make pizza at home!
Y, I didn’t pick up any lychee flavour either, sorry haha.