One of the greatest joys of travelling is the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the aromas and flavours of the region we’re visiting.
Some of our most treasured memories can often be tied to the food we devour on our travels, whether it’s that little street food stall in Mexico with tacos that to this day leave you salivating, or that family-owned hole in the wall in Italy that had the best arrabiata you have ever tasted.
The borders are finally set to open next week but in the meantime, you can go on your own little world tour around Perth. We have put together some international dishes to sample around the city that are so authentic, you could close your eyes and almost feel like you’re in some far-flung corner of the globe again.
Birria
This traditional Mexican stew is having a bit of a moment in Perth. Commonly served in tortillas with a side of birria sauce to dip them into, it is a moreish dish that is appearing on plenty of Mexican menus around town. At Decanter, a smoke house and bar in Victoria Park, it has quickly reached star dish status, where the slow-braised beef, grilled corn tortillas, cheese, cilantro, onion and lime are served with rich beef broth to dunk them in before devouring.
Where: Decanter, Victoria Park
Portuguese tarts
A trip to Lisbon isn’t complete without trying one (or a few) of its custard tarts. Crispy on the outside and delectably soft in the inside, it’s hard to find tarts of the same calibre outside of Portugal. But in Cockburn, a little cafe aptly named Portuguese Delights is hitting the sweet spot when it comes to serving up authentic Portuguese tarts. Pastry chef Antonio Martins, who worked in Portuguese pastry shops in his younger years, has perfected the art of making these sweet little treats. Take a bite and you’ll be transported straight back to the cobble-stoned streets of Lisbon.
Where: Portuguese Delights, Cockburn
Jian Bing
Few things are more enjoyable when travelling through Asia than meandering your way through a street food market and sampling the rich and diverse flavours on offer. Until you can physically walk the streets again, get your fix of those authentic street-side offerings in Perth. We recommend hitting up Master Panda and trying its Jian Bing — a popular street breakfast in northern China. The Peking savoury crepes originated thousands of years ago as a basic staple for ancient Chinese families, and has been evolving over the years. The batter is normally made of mung bean flour or wholegrain flour, which is evenly applied on top of a crepe machine to form a thin pancake. A whole egg is then cracked on top of the pancake, drizzled with roast sesame seeds and fresh spring onions before being wrapped up with various fillings, such as Peking roast duck, roast pork belly, tofu, fresh salads, homemade sauces, and the most important ingredient, the crispy fried wonton skin, which is the soul of the dish. Drooling yet?
Where: Master Panda food truck
Lamb tagine
Morocco is quite possibly one of the most Instagrammable travel destinations in the world. The only thing that rivals its bright and colourful landscape is its equally colourful cuisine. Step inside Hadiqa in Perth’s CBD and its exotic interiors are a pretty good substitute, but sample the menu and you’re as good as there. While Hadiqa likes to play with cuisine from all over the world and use local produce where it can, its menu is inspired by Moroccan spices and flavours. Lamb tagine is the restaurant’s most regionally authentic dish, celebrating the Maghreb region of northern Africa, including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Mauritania. Its dish uses ras el hanout translating to “head of shop” — or top-shelf spices, which can allegorically be compared to Chinese five spice in terms of north African spice mix including cinnamon, coriander, allspice, black pepper and ginger. Piquillo peppers and dried apple add a modern twist, working with a bit more acid to cut through the earthy spice.
Where: Hadiqa, Perth
Cacio e pepe
Oh, how we miss Rome — for its architecture, history, shopping, and of course, pasta! We can’t give you the landscape but head to Garum, within the Westin Perth, and you will get the most quintessentially Roman dish there is — cacio e pepe. This classic pasta dish is synonymous with the Eternal City the same way Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and Savini’s Trevi Fountain are. Cacio e pepe, which in Italian literally translates to cheese and pepper, has been a staple among Romans for centuries. The creamy texture is a result of a perfect emulsion of pecorino cheese and cooking water, which is tossed in fresh pasta and a generous serving of black pepper. At Garum, the team serve their cacio e pepe the traditional way with their signature handmade tonnarelli pasta — just as the Romans do.
Where: Garum, Perth
Pad Thai
As well known as Thailand’s tuk tuks and beautiful beaches is its pad Thai. The western favourite is a classic stir-fry rice noodle dish commonly served as market and street food. There are plenty of places in Perth offering a stellar pad Thai but we recommend Long Chim in the State Buildings for that vibrant, buzzing atmosphere we miss so much about Thailand. Plus, they use noodles directly sourced from Thailand using 100 per cent rice flour.
Where: Long Chim, Perth
Arepas
Delicious arepas, made from pre-cooked and ground maize flour, are traditionally eaten in the northern regions of South America but you can try these little beauties in all their glory at Cottesloe’s Latin American pop-up, Indigo Oscar. The eatery’s signature dish is inspired by Venezuelan arepas, which are traditionally cut open and filled with seafood, vegetables and meats. At Indigo Oscar, they are finished in the wood-fired oven next to a pile of sugar gum wood. They are then topped with Shark Bay crab meat, aji verde and fresh coriander. A delicious snack by the water in a venue that nails the South American vibe.
Where: Indigo Oscar, Cottesloe
Miso black cod
In Japanese cuisine, the black cod is often cooked saikyo yaki style, marinated for several days in sweet white miso or sake lees then broiled. The Japanese-Peruvian-American chef, Nobu Matsuhisa, introduced his version of gindara saikyo yaki at his restaurant in Los Angeles, before introducing the dish as black cod miso to his New York restaurant, Nobu, in 1994. It has since become renowned as one of Nobu’s most famous signature dishes globally. Order it on your next visit and you’ll quickly see why.
Where: Nobu, Burswood
Nasi goreng
Bali will likely be the top travel destination West Aussies return to when border restrictions ease and we’ll even wager the nasi goreng will be the first dish many wolf down soon after they land. But before you return to WA’s favourite holiday playground, you can get the oh-so-satisfying Indonesian fried rice dish at The Stables when Bottomless Botanicals hosts its Around the World – Bali event. On March 19, the venue will be serving up the fragrant Balinese staple along with all the other Bali flavours you’ve been craving, including honey cake and cocktails that flex traditional flavours of the beloved Indonesian island.
Where: The Stables, March 19 at 12pm or 3pm