Best laksa and chicken rice in Perth

If you are after the best laksa and authentic chicken rice in Perth, Tak Chee is your answer! I am not even going to be eating these when I go back to Singapore this weekend because I've found really good ones here! 

Usually we will go for the fried chicken (which is actually the roast chicken) but they were sold out so we ordered the panfried garlic chicken rice. It was just as delicious! 

Tak Chee House

182 William St Northbridge, WA

Aritagaya Ramen House at Northbridge

My partner and i went to Aritagaya Ramen House at Northbridge for dinner. The place looks very inviting and 'japanese', it is colourful and japanese characters are sprawled all over the restaurant. I wish i am in japan right now! Had one of my most memorable holiday in japan.

Aritagaya serves complimentary hot green tea and ice water. Love it!

Takoyaki

Wikipedia: Takoyaki (たこ焼き or 蛸焼^?) (literally fried or grilled octopus) is a popular Japanese dumpling made of batter, diced or whole baby octopus, tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, andgreen onion, topped with okonomiyaki sauce, ponzu, mayonnaise, green laver (aonori), and katsuobushi (fish shavings), first popularized in Taisho-era Osaka,[1] where a street vendornamed Endo Tomekichi is credited with its invention in 1935 [2]. Takoyaki can be found in shops called issen-yoshoku (壹銭洋食), which roughly translates to "one-penny Western food" [3]. Yaki is derived from "yaku" (焼く^?) which simply means "to fry or grill" in Japanese, and can be found in the names of other Japanese cuisine items such as teriyaki orsukiyaki. [4]

This takoyaki was not bad, one of the better ones i've tried in perth, this is one of my favourite japanese dish

but nothing beats the real thing in osaka... 

my chicken karaage tsukemen 

this was tasty and it was my first time trying tsukemen (cold ramen noodles dipped into soup). it was quite different to the usual hot broth ramen i had, but it was quite interesting

chicken karaage ramen with miso base soup

I found the ramen noodles a bit too thick in this ramen restaurant, the broth was really thick and full of flavours (a bit too thick for me). My partner said the soy-base soup (Shoyu) is much lighter and tastes better. 

I think this place is good for a quick dinner if you are in northbridge area. The food here is average but reasonably priced.

Location: 62 Roe St, Northbridge

ever wondered why there are these guardian lions in almost every chinatown in the world? let me wiki it for you : 

Chinese guardian lions, known also as stone lions (石獅, Pinyin: Shíshī) in Chinese art and often (incorrectly) called "Foo Dogs" in the West, are a common representation of thelion in pre-modern China. They are believed to have powerful mythic protective powers that has traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Pairs of guardian lions are still common decorative and symbolic elements at the entrances to restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other structures, with one sitting on each side of the entrance, in China and in other places around the world where the Chinese people have immigrated and settled, especially in local Chinatowns.

The lions are always created in pairs, with the male playing with a ball and the female with a cub. They occur in many types of Chinese pottery and in Western imitations^[1].

CNR James + Lake

Short note: Dear readers, i apologise as i have not updated this blog as frequent as before as I was busy with my exams. I just finished my FINAL exam paper in my LLB and my 5.5years of university is finally over. WOOHOO!! However, I will be going to Singapore for a one month internship. Don't worry I still have a lot of perth posts that I have backlogged and i will still continue posting on this blog. I will also share my food adventures in singapore with all of you while I am there! So don't think i've neglected this blog because there are no frequent posts. =) take care everybody and stay warm this winter. 

I decided to check out this funky and modern looking cafe in Northbridge one morning before work.

Haven't been to Northbridge for quite a while but this was my usual dinner hangout when i was in high school. Northbridge has changed quite a bit! This area where the cafe is, is newly developed and looks spectacular. Perth's chinatown really needs more developments like that, it looks so neglected and abandoned. There is a large tv screen too for morning news (which no one was watching or nobody cares) and i heard it will display all the world cup matches! I think there is a potential that northbridge is going to be a hip place and people will discover the beauty of it! -- i think it may even be happening now.

This cafe looks beautiful and spacious from the outside, and inside it gives a very casual feeling with modern architecture. Magazines and newspapers were provided and there is also a big alfresco area for coffeelovers to sit and people-watch

can you see the menu on the board? 

Once we stepped into the cafe (it was still empty as it was really early) we were greeted by a warm welcome, the owner (i presume) said "good morning", what a friendly dude, great start to the day! 

My Latte (Five Senses Coffee)

Heart-shaped pattern on the froth - this is what i need every morning so i will not be so grumpy at work. LOL Anyway, they use Five Senses Coffee ( i was shrieking with joy when i found out because i didnt know they serve that until i saw their menu). I was also watching the barista during the coffee making process (it was very obvious he takes pride in making coffee and everything was really detailed). He poured the five sense coffee beans into the machine (freshly grind beans in your cup every time!) and the milk is good quality too as i used to work in iga, im pretty sure! not the usual milk we buy at home. Then he proceed to make the coffee presentable and plays with the design on the froth. This is definitely a GREAT place for coffee and it was velvety smooth and is of perfect temperature. While we were having breakfast, a few regulars came to take away coffee, obviously with the good service and coffee, this place is a hit. Can't believe i didn't find out about this place sooner.

Hot Chocolate

The hot chocolate was rich and delicious, perfect drink for the cold windy morning

Mushrooms and Bacon on ciabatta bread with fetta on top $15.50

The serving was really generous in this cafe. The mushrooms were big and fresh and was a good combination with the fetta

Eggs Benedict $14.50

One of our must-order breakfast favourites is eggs benedict. The hollandaise sauce was served at the side for this one, and the toast was crispy and fresh out of the oven.

The Sink - $19

Free range eggs, bacon, mushroom, tomatoes, sausage, potato gratin on sourdough toast 

My friend's over which is the 'big breakfast' kinda dish where you just want everything onto your plate. haha the serving was really generous, looks much bigger in real life.

This is such a good place for coffee and breakfast. Their coffee was amazing and the staff were attentive and cheerful, it was a cafe bursting with positive energy. Perfect place to start your day :)

I can't wait to go back for my next cup of coffee.

Location: 44 Lake Street, Northbridge (opposite time zone)

Rating: 4.5/5

Perth - Phong Vinh

Phong Vinh is one of the newer Vietnamese restaurants in Northbridge. With so many well-established restaurants around, Phong Vinh still manages to stand out and have people rave about it! So I've decided to give it a try one day to see for myself.

It is located along William Street just next to Dominos. Very well-lit and spacious restaurant.

It is very clean inside too with lots of table. My other favourite Vietnamese restaurant is Tra Vinh. Both restaurants are strikingly similar! With the same variety of sauces available and almost the same menu. I wonder if they are opened by the same owner. 

Fried Rice with Crispy Chicken $10

The fried rice was flavoursome, evenly mixed with all sorts of sauces to create this tasty dish. This is not ordinary fried chicken, vietnamese fried chicken is different as they really DEEP FRIED, even the bones are breakable. It was really crispy and went well with the sauce provided.

Rice Vermicelli With Grilled Pork (dry) $9.50

Bun Thit Nuong

This was my order. My friend who recently came to Perth for a visit introduced me this dish (she used to study in perth). It was such a refreshing dish as it is a cold dish, and sort of like a vietnamese salad with lots of lettuce, vermicelli (thin rice noodles) and other vegetables, topped with cut up grilled pork. There is special sauce (sweet and slightly tangy) to drizzle over the pork and vermicelli. The pork was perfectly grilled, with a slightly 'flame-grilled' taste to it. It was well marinated and tender.

I have actually dined here quite often but I did not bring my camera as I always eat the same thing! The food is almost identical with Tra Vinh's except this restaurant is newer, and there is no surcharge for EFTPOS under $30. Parking can be a pain in the ass unless you don't mind the walk. Both are very authentic vietnamese restaurants as they are always full of vietnamese, which is a good sign! They are my top 2 favourite Vietnamese restaurant so far. 

Rating: 4.5/5

Tel: 9228 8238

Location: 3/ 323 William St, Northbridge WA 6003

Closed on Thursday.

Mon - Wed 10am - 9pm

Fri to Sun - 10am - 10pm 

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Shanghai Tea Garden

Bored out of my wits during a Sunday night trying to finish all my ilectures, I googled up "Perth Xiao Long Bao" and realised that Perth actually has Xiao Long Baos now?

omg i've been hiding at home for too long! For YEARS i've been complaining that Perth does not have Xiao Long Bao, Krispy Kreme and Gourmet Cakes (like those in lindt cafes). Need to go explore more and find them!

Well Xiao Long Bao - is a kind of dumpling that originates from Shanghai. The distinct feature of these dumplings is their soft silky skin, with meat filling, and there is SOUP inside these dumplings! There are lots of xiao long bao chains in Singapore, Indonesia, and eastern states of Australia. Now there are actually some in Perth (not sure where are the others but they are out there) this is so exciting! 

I was so excited to try my first xiao long bao in Perth, i have been living here for 7 years. This new restaurant looks really nice and I've always wanted to try it one day, thanks to urban spoon i found out that they actually have xiao long bao. Without hesistation i drove down there within 30 minutes.

Very nice interior and atmosphere, with white table cloth. I find that white table cloth makes any restaurant classy. The setting of the table was beautiful. I think the lady boss of this restaurant owns Cafe Mozart (and cakes unlimited) that was the cake shop (very yummy cakes) before it is converted to this restaurant. The restaurant still sells her cakes, so you can always have a cup of coffee or cake if you don't feel like dinner. The lady boss (i presume) who served us was really friendly, she even recommended what I should order, felt so motherly to me. Big plus for service!

Fried Squid - approx $6

fried squid with salt and pepper - this was hot! very good starter. however i was expecting those crispy squid tentacles, nvm. it was still good

Shanghai Xiao Long Bao - $10

These babies were the reason why I am here! They looked pretty awesome. I heard that the skills of the chef who make these are judged by the number of folds they have on top of these dumplings. The skin of these dumplings were alright (slightly thicker than the ones i have in singapore) but I still think they are absolutely delicious. The soup inside these dumplings was piping hot. *please do not put the whole dumpling in your mouth, you will definitely regret it as you won't be able to taste anything for a day after that**

These dumplings normally go with vinegar and ginger (served as dipping cause). Usually, i bite the top of the dumpling, suck the soup out of those naughty things and eat them!

a good xiaolongbao is when you hold the skin, and it doesn't break even though it is 'heavy' with soup and meat. The broth inside these dumplings were flavoursome, and the filling was yummy. For those who hasn't tried xiao long bao, please try it! Most yumcha places in perth serve these dry dumpling disguised as xiaolongbao, there is no soup inside and the skin is so tough. Shanghai Tea Garden serves pretty authentic ones.

Now i have a place to go to satisfy my xiaolongbao cravings!

Crystal Prawns - approx $25

Recommended dish by the lady boss. She was right, this was delicious! It is actually a dish that looks and tastes very simple, but it brings out the wonderful freshness of the prawns. And the prawns are so nicely coated with sauce and oil, they glistened in the light!

Braised Beef with Onions in a stone pot - approx $25

The gravy was thick and full of flavours and the beef was tender. However, I found this dish a bit ordinary compared to the rest.

Flavoured Chicken - approx $16

This was another star dish of the night. This roast chicken lived up to its name, it was really fragrant. It is coated with a sweet and savoury thick sauce (maybe some honey in it) and was heavenly. I will definitely order this again!

Then we proceed to order another serve of xiao long baos, because one can never get enough of dumplings! 

The price of the food is a bit high, but the ambience of the restaurant is really good, and the quality of the food is of high standards too. In addition to that, the lady boss and staff are all very attentive, service is very fast and awesome.

Rating: 4.5/5

Location: 1/399 William Street, Northbridge

Telephone: 92277066

Opening Hours :

CLOSED ON MONDAYS,

Tues to Sun : 11am - late.

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Perth - Tak Chee House

When I want Hainanese Chicken Rice (steamed chicken rice) the first place i will think of is Tak Chee House in Northbridge. This place is really famous for their steamed chicken rice, but their other dishes are delicious as well! They serve cheap and authentic penang style/malaysian cuisine.

ordered one of their refreshing homemade ice lemon tea

Penang Char Kway Teow (stir fried flat noodles)

The proportion of the ingredients to the noodles were well balanced. The noodles come with generous serving of seafood and beansprouts. Yummy!

Hainanese Chicken Rice (steamed)

This is their famous dish! 

The juicy chicken is served on a bed of beansprouts and sauce that is not too salty and slightly sweet, which brings out the flavour of the chicken. The rice was flavoursome as well and you can taste the chicken stock that was cooked with the rice.

This dish is often sold out by 8pm so make sure you go there early before it's gone! 

Tak Chee House. Unit 1, 364 William St, Northbridge, WA, 6865. Phone: (08) 9328 9445.

Rating: 4.25 /5

Dinner - open from 5pm

Lunch - open from noon

Perth - Tra Vinh Vietnamese Restaurant

There are plenty of good vietnamese restaurants in Australia due to the large population of vietnamese who migrated here.

With so many choices, there is one that I would particularly recommend!

Located at the corner of northbridge (perth's chinatown) there is a very popular vietnamese restaurant. It is always full of locals so I think the food must be really authentic.

Variety of sauces that is available at each table. Free piping hot tea will also be served in a flask when you are seated.

Goi Cuon Tom Thit -Rice Paper Roll with Pork and Prawn - $4.60

To me this dish has an acquired taste factor to it. I did not use to like it before and now I absolutely love it! The prawns are big and fresh, the flavours of the herbs inside is also a very good combination. Dip the roll in the sauce provided and let the flavours explode in your mouth

Bun Bo Hue -Pork and Beef Rice Vermicilli in Spicy Soup $10.00

This is one of my favourite noodle soup dishes as i prefer my soup spicy. If you can't take spicy soup then you can just order their plain raw beef/ or beef ball noodles which is still very tasty. The soup is clear and light but the stock is full of flavour. The big plate of vietnamese mint/onions/chilli/bean sprouts and onions was served with the dish. I like to pour it into my noodles. I like how vietnamese food uses lots of fresh herbs and vegetables which makes their food yummy and healthy

Crispy Chicken Noodle (Dry)

This is a delicious bowl of thin eggnoodle (as usual topped with beansprouts, springonions, lettuce and a prawn cracker) and it is served with a plate of crispy chicken (fried vietnamese style). I will usually add chilli sauce or sweet sauce to the noodles. The noodle is so chewy and taste really good with all the sauce mixed into it. The chicken is so crispy even the bones can break due to the high heat used in frying them.

The 3 dishes above are my favourite dishes and I will order them all the time when I am there. I'm not very original when it comes to food as I usually order what I like and rarely order something that i've never tasted before. If you like vietnamese food, you should go to Tra Vinh!

Rating: 4.5/5

Location: 149a Brisbane St, Northbridge, Perth