
PERTH
El
Público
Never one to miss out on a party, Perth's favourite Mexican
cantina (pictured left) is getting its fiesta on for Saturday's Beaufort Street Festival. Like you, we'll have
to wait until the weekend to find out what the pop-up Shady Shack
bar in the rear car park is all about, but we'll gladly vouch for
Sam Ward's work in the kitchen. His pickled pig's feet tostadas
have certainly turned my head: tortillas fried golden and crunchy,
then piled high with coriander, pickled onion and beautifully
gelatinous piggy bits. Party-starting food? I think so. 511
Beaufort St, Highgate, WA, 0418 187 708 MAX VEENHUYZEN
HOBART
Provenance Growers Salads
It's not a restaurant dish that's captivating us at the moment;
it's a plastic bag full of the most amazing collection of salad
greens and flowers you'll ever come across. Each bag is prettier
than a florist's posy, and in a salad bowl the explosion of
flavours is mind-blowing. It must have something to do with
springtime in the foothills of Mount Wellington, where Paulette
Whitney's vegetable plot is located. Anything that has survived and
flourished through its fairly brutal winter seems to have an
intensity that your average sea-level gardener could never hope to
achieve. This is as good as meat. Mind you, it's likely to be even
better if it accompanies a slow-roasted lamb shoulder or some fatty
pork. We'll see you at the market on Sunday. Provenance
Growers, Farm Gate Market, 49 Melville St,
Hobart, Tas, 9am-1pm, Sunday SUE DYSON & ROGER McSHANE
MELBOURNE
Brooks
The city basement space formerly known as Momo/Fifteen/Kitchen Cat
has been colonised by the team from North Carlton's Gerald's Bar.
They've brought an upmarket, clubby vibe - linen-dressed tables,
besuited staff, banquette seating - but have also transplanted
Gerald's relaxed, louche allure and excellent taste in wine. Former
Embrasse chef Nic Poelaert is in the kitchen fancying things up.
His tiny crisp pillows of rye stuffed with a sensational chicken
liver parfait and topped with a blob of blackcurrant jam are the
stuff dreams are made of. Basement, 115-117 Collins St,
Melbourne, Vic, (03) 9001 8755 MICHAEL HARDEN
BRISBANE
Champ Kitchen & Bar
Finally, a worthy, airy all-day spot to regroup before a show or
gallery-trawl of South Bank. Owner Justine Whelan's restaurant
credentials include the founding of West End's charismatic The
Gunshop Café and the award-winning Anouk in Paddington. Champ
opened in August and its focus is split between a café-style
"market table", laden from breakfast to dinner with ever-changing
fresh treats, and a more serious but reasonably priced carte,
featuring anything from a clever entrée of capellini coated in sea
urchin butter to a zingy crab omelette at breakfast. Ground
floor, ABC Building, 114 Grey St, South Bank, Qld, (07) 3844
4470 FIONA DONNELLY