What's So Great about Perth?

Freo’s caffeine hub – Hush Espresso

Renee — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:02:23 +0000

Hush Espresso, Fremantle. Photo by melbournecoffeereview.com

To me, Fremantle is a great big playground. People flock to beaches like Leighton or dog-friendly South Fremantle, they get sloshed in local breweries like Little Creatures and Mad Monk or stuff themselves silly in the city’s restaurants like my new favourite – Chinese restaurant Joy Kitchen.

Another reason to love Freo is for its coffee. The main drags, Market Street and South Terrace, are filled with ubiquitous cafés. But where can you find Freo’s best? Answer: Hush Espresso.

I kept hearing about how great this café was, so last week I dropped by for lunch.

I jumped off the train and found Hush a mere 300 metres from the station. Uh-oh. Proximity to public transport almost never means good service or wares. I resolutely entered to face yet another red flag: only two other customers were inside, and it was 2pm. Yikes.

Then I caught sight of the glass case stocked with sandwiches and treats. I heard and smelled the grinding 5 Senses coffee. I ordered my customary “iced coffee without the ice cream” and received a momentary confused look rather than the typical look of horror most baristas give that request.

The coffee and my vegie sandwich took six minutes to reach my table – odd, since I was the only customer waiting for an order. Luckily, though, it all tasted excellent. As I happily munched away the coffee shop starting to fill with late lunchers like myself and those in search of a mid-afternoon caffeine hit. I browsed a magazine, enjoyed the soft breeze blowing in and watched passers-by on Market Street.

It became instantly clear that many of Hush’s clientele are regulars as people walked in and greeted the baristas by name. A glance at the company’s Facebook page confirms its wide fan base.

While I’ve already claimed East Fremantle’s Hubbles Yard as my local, Hush Espresso has definitely given me a good reason to visit Fremantle. Did I really need another?

Perth’s quirkiest homes

Renee — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:24:45 +0000

Spending the last four months house hunting in Perth, I’ve come to appreciate the variety of homes out there – from ridiculously ginormous mansions in Dalkeith to generic apartment blocks in East Perth to sweet-yet-crumbling Victorian houses in Highgate. But just when you think you can categorise Perth’s homes, you stumble across some unique, dying-to-be-photographed property. Here are four of my favourites:

1. Hubble St, East Fremantle

This gem of a house is as quirky as it gets. Owner Andrew Hayim De Vries is not only an artist but clearly a great fan of recycling, too. The exterior wall outside of the house – dubbed the “wall of life” – is decorated with recycled objects Andrew has picked up or that people have dropped into the bucket outside asking for “found object” donations. The interior was constructed using recycled materials. The bedroom was once a railway carriage, a 1950s phone box is now the shower and the kitchen is a transformed boat wheel house. No wonder the house is heritage-listed. The absolute greatest part of this house? It’s available for short term rental! Oh, I can’t wait to send my family here when they come for a visit.

2. Pearse St, North Fremantle

This colourful house, tucked behind North Fremantle’s Queen Victoria Street, looks to me like a house you’d see on a theatre stage somewhere, showing the play version of Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet, directed by someone with a flair for anything dramatically over the top. I love how bold it is – straddling the line between quirky fun and gaudy. I imagine someone’s eccentric favourite aunt lives here: a woman with a penchant for playing the radio loud, always having cookies baking in the oven and constantly forgetting about them while pruning her roses in the back garden. Seriously, who lives here? Can we be friends? And more importantly, will you paint my new house which is in desperate need of a face lift?

3. Victoria St, Mosman Park

Mosman Park is home to some incredibly stunning homes – mostly those spilling over from the uber-posh Peppermint Grove neighbourhood (you know, the one whose houses are slated to cost a median of $25 million dollars in 10 years). This stunner might bring that average house price down a notch, but it offers more than its fair share of personality. Whoever lives here appears to not give a damn what the neighbours in their cookie-cutter houses might think – and they let their kids go wild in sprucing the house up. Those are some cool parents. One question though: why the collection of white microwave ovens (to the back left of the picture)? They must be planning a visit to 100 Hubble to construct a 3-metre high microwave lawn statue.

4. Charles St, North Perth

This beaut made my list simply because its owners decided to name it, thus winning my deepest and most enduring love. Growing up, my favourite book was Gone with the Wind. Nearly all of the story surrounds an old Georgian plantation affectionately named Tara. The house is a full-fledged character in the novel. Ever since reading the classic I’ve loved the idea of a house having a name, and therefore a soul. Melbourne is filled with named houses, proudly displayed on their mostly Victorian facades. This is the first I’ve spotted in Perth. Curiously, this North Perth home bears the name “Evening Shadows”. I’m dying to know why. I’ve got a hunch it carries a sombre meaning, seeing as how the shades are drawn tight and the roof is fenced off. Wait, why exactly is the roof fenced?! This place is definitely hiding some secrets. Love it.

Why I heart the Freo Doctor

Renee — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 06:49:54 +0000

Saturday morning sailboats on the Swan River

Fremantle Doctor is the affectionate name given to the southwesterly breeze that springs up nearly every afternoon in Perth. I adore it. Here’s why:

It gives me a lovely tailwind when cycling north and makes me feel superfast

It keeps the flies away

It blows away that nasty cigarette smoke coming from the table next to you

It sucks the moisture out of clothes on the line

Wind farm planned for Merredin. Photo by PerthNo

It creates clean energy (a new wind farm has been approved in Merredin which will reduce annual greenhouse emmissions by 700,000 tonnes)

It orientates you – even at noon on a cloudy day you know where southwest is

It swishes around lovely Perth smells: eucalyptus, roast chicken, barbecue and salt water

It makes for excellent sailing, kite surfing and windsurfing conditions

It cools off a hot summer’s day

It gives you that windblown model look (unless you’re bald, then no luck)

It blows all the leaves from your garden into your neighbour’s

But on the other hand….

…it sucks for frisbee, picnics on the beach or days you want to wear a flowy skirt!

Best autumnal activities in Margaret River

Renee — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:51:41 +0000

They say autumn is here, but you wouldn’t know it in Perth. Temperatures still in the high 20s, air cons haven’t been switched off and everyone’s still in flip flops (the latter never really changes, though, does it?). If I had my way, it would stay this warm all year, because, let’s face it – Perth was built for summer with its gorgeous beaches, alfresco bars and open air markets and cinemas.

Nevertheless, cooler months are approaching, bringing with them shorter days, doonas and fading tan lines. For Perthites, the season offers a fantastic excuse to spend a weekend away in their favourite playground – Margaret River. Here’s a list of some autumn activities in Margs:

Drink

Ned Kelly at Providore

We’ll start with the most obvious. Margaret River is the premier wine-producing region in WA, so sampling it is a must. Go wine tasting on your own or with a tour (Bushtucker is a great one I’ve been on) and choose from the region’s dozens of wineries. Better still, attend the annual Margaret River Wine Region Festival, showcasing over 200 wines and happening 8-12 April.

Eat

Wine always tastes better with food, so take advantage of what’s on offer. Try the award-winning baked ricotta from the Margaret River Dairy Company, raspberry preserves from Providore, Olio Bello organic olive oil, or – my favourite – dark chocolate from the Margaret River Chocolate Company. There are heaps of great restaurants offering multi-course dinners throughout autumn. Head to award-winning Must for oysters and cocktails, eat Easter dinner Voyager Estate on 3 April or lunch at the scrumptious Wise winery.

Shop

Autumn means harvest time, so a visit to the region’s farmers markets is a must. There’s the Margaret River Farmers Market and Town Square Markets which both happen fortnightly and the Saracen Market Days every Sunday.

Walk

Margaret River is a walker’s paradise, since the trails are accessible all year and really showcase the region’s natural beauty. Do part or all of the Cape to Cape Track, a 135-kilometre trail running along the coastline between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste. A great – and cushier – opportunity exists for anyone interested in the Bibbulmun Track – a seven-day guided tour of a section of the long-distance trail, running from 10-17 May.

Cape to Cape Track above Smiths Beach

Learn

Karli Dore painting. Photo by margaretriver.com

Hey foodies, want to improve your cooking skills? Take a Mad About Cooking Class with friends at Wildwood Valley, run by two chefs specialising in Italian and Thai cuisine. If you’re more keen to learn about wine, then head to Gnarabar. On the first Thursday of every month the restaurant hosts Wine Talk – an evening spent with a local wine maker, sampling wine and tasting accompanying specialties from the award-winning kitchen.

Be entertained

There are endless entertainment options this season in Margs. International sensation CowParade, running from March to June, is a collection of life-sized fibreglass cows decorated by 77 artists and displayed throughout the Margaret River region. There are also numerous art exhibitions taking place like an exhibition of Western Australian artist Karli Dore, open now until 20 May, at Hay Shed Hill in Willyabrup. Grab a blanket and catch an outdoor movie at the Cape Mentelle Twilight Movies. If live music sounds more appealing, then don’t miss Angus & Julia Stone in concert at Settlers Tavern.

Greenhouse – a restaurant with a conscience

Renee — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:06:28 +0000

These days, we’re all looking for ways to make our lives greener. We aim to eat more WA-grown food, buy environmentally friendly products and reduce energy use. Well, we try anyways.

A new Perth restaurant is doing more than merely trying. Greenhouse, located on St. Georges Terrace in the CBD, is not only dedicated to wowing taste buds, but being environmentally responsible as well. Restaurateurs Paul Aron and Jason Chan, and designer Joost Bakker have joined forces to create the ultimate eco-restaurant. It’s mission:

“Greenhouse aims to harness the growing understanding of the human footprint to offer alternative solutions that tread a fine balance between functionality, sustainability and beauty… [It] hopes to be one of Perth’s most exciting destinations, with the emphasis on tasty, honest food and drink, and some simple ideas for a considerate and non destructive lifestyle.”

This means that the construction and decoration adhere to rigid standards. Building materials are recycled and/or recyclable, no harmful chemicals are used and the structure was designed for easy assembly and disassembly. Recycled hay bales insulate the walls supported by 100% recyclable steel. Light shades are fashioned out of reclaimed fencing wire. Wafer board recycled from old wooden palettes was used to build the bar stools and tables. 4,000 terracotta pots housing strawberry plants line the exterior of the building – a welcome splash of green amongst the gray concrete of the CBD. Perhaps the most impressive fact is that construction was completed over a mere six weeks. Watch this time lapse video for a fast-forward view of the floor construction – made from recycled plastic pallets and concrete:

Naturally, the menu reflects a similar philosophy. Breakfast, lunch and dinner comprise ingredients sourced locally and even from the restaurant’s rooftop garden. Water and organic waste from the kitchen and bar are recycled in the garden’s worm farm. Yep, above the dining room live thousands of worms that provide fertiliser for the plants. That somewhat off-putting thought will vanish from your mind once you taste Greenhouse’s delicious fare, prepared by Greenhouse chef Matt Stone (formerly of Pata Negra).

My partner and I visited Greenhouse on a mellow Saturday arvo in search of wine and nibbles. We shared a bottle of ’06 Yering Station chardonnay chilled in a recycled gas cylinder. We chose the chorizo pizza, and weren’t disappointed – the thin, wood-fired crust was perfectly crisp and the toppings delicious. Next was the indulgent three-cheese platter made up of taleggio, gorgonzola and pecorino – clearly Matt Stone is a fan of Italian cheeses!

By the time we were finished, the dinner crowds were starting to stream in. As we paid the bill we promised ourselves we’d return for lunch (the girls behind Perth Food Engineers gave it a rave review), or breakfast (I’m dying to try the intriguing watermelon, strawberries, labne & rosewater salad), or drinks on the rooftop bar, or dinner with a group of friends, or…

Greenhouse

100 St. Georges Terrace
Perth WA 6000

Mon & Tues 7am – late, Wed to Sat 7am -12am

10 things to do on a rainy day in Perth

Renee — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:32:28 +0000

Perth rainstorm. Photo by WA Today

It certainly doesn’t rain much in Perth. Perhaps that’s why I like it so much, after spending most of my life in soggy Seattle. I must have timed my arrival to Perth perfectly because I’ve been living here 4 months and it’s rained twice. The entire summer has seen a total of .02mm of precipitation. Great for beach-going, bad for water reserves.

Well, that all ended with a gigantic hail/rain/lightning/thunder storm today, one that unfortunately caused serious headaches in the form of home and automobile damage and power outages across 150,000 homes.

It got me thinking: what’s there to do in this sun-loving city when the weather turns wet? I’ve come up with ten ideas:

West Australian Museum. Photo by WA Visitor Centr

1. Visit a museum

Choose between the West Australian Museum (for dinosaurs, butterflies and birds), Edward de Courcy Clarke Earth Science Museum (for plate tectonics, fossils and meteorites) or Berndt Museum of Anthropology (for Aboriginal art and cultural items).

2. Fill up on popcorn at the cinema

Rainy weather gives you the perfect excuse to watch those Oscar-winning movies you haven’t had time to see yet (anyone else dying to see Crazy Heart?). Browse Perth’s dozens of cinemas to find the closest one to you.

3. Drink a cocktail in a small bar

A mojito definitely cheers up a rainy day, so choose one of Perth’s beloved small bars, like 399, Helvetica or Ezra Pound. You can sip as you watch the waterlogged people walk past, wishing they were you!

4. Read Cloudstreet

If it’s too wet to walk, why not sit down to read the Tim Winton classic, Cloudstreet? Set in Perth – and soon to be a television mini-series – this book is a must for Perthites. It’s a fantastic story of two families sharing a dilapidated old house and lots of ups and downs. Betcha you’ll be saying “fair dinkum” before you’re done.

5. Sip a cappuccino in a coffee shop

This is what us Seattleites do when it’s wet outside (thus explaining why the coffee there is so good!). We grab a book, laptop or a friend and drink lattes in huge mugs. Perth’s great coffee havens include Vic Park’s The Imp, East Freo’s Hubbles Yard and Cottesloe’s Cimbalino.

6. Dance

Do it for fun, for the thirsty grass or both. Just do it.

7. Catch a play at the theatre

There’s still a few months to go before the opening of the new State Theatre Centre. In the meantime, Perth has many theatres like Black Swan Theatre and His Majesty’s Theatre, which have a packed schedule of plays on offer.

8. Visit an art gallery

There are heaps of great art galleries here in Perth. The Art Gallery of Western Australia is a free museum that houses one of the world’s best collections of Indigenous art, as well as West Australian, national and international art and design. Perk: free wifi! Equally worthy of a visit is the Fremantle ArtsCentre.

9. Give your wallet some exercise

That’s right, go shopping! Check out this list of Perth’s top 10 shopping precincts.

10. Stay home

Don’t you love how a rainy day can justify extreme laziness? Enjoy it!

Perth graffiti – vandalism or art?

Renee — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:25:48 +0000

Perth graffiti in an alleyway off Howard Street

Typical Roman street. Photo by portadown

Graffiti. The word evokes lots of mixed emotions. Some think it gives a city personality, while for others it’s defacement.

According to Graffiti.org, there are three types of graffiti – vandalism, gang and art. The first two are basically just a way for punks to show that their ugly scrawlings are much more important than a building, bus window or wall. I can’t think of any city with a worse graffiti problem than Rome, where even monuments are regularly tagged with political assertions, vulgarities or simply names. It’s so rampant that it seems Rome has given up on trying to clean the city up. And why would they, when it would just get retagged the next day?

Perth has its fair share of graffiti, but luckily it’s of the third variety. It’s artwork. Some of my favourite street art in Perth is in an alleyway off of Howard Street (which I stumbled upon when searching vainly for Helvetica).

Northbridge is home to lots of amazing urban art as well. My favourite is a building on the corner of Roe and Milligan Street that has been completely transformed by the thirteen WA artists who painted it. Watch this short video showing the building’s transformation.

But it’s not all good. Leave it to Worst of Perth to discover some heinous street art. They describe it as being “a befuddling mural… depicting an angel and a demon engaged in battle upon fanged steeds.” Pretty accurate. And very bad.

Bad Perth graffiti. Photo by Worst of Perth

Perhaps the rarity of vandalism graffiti in Perth is thanks to Western Australia’s strict graffiti laws. Vandals face two years in jail or a $24,000 fine, according to the new law passed on 1 January 2010. Furthermore, any retailer who sells spray cans or large non-water soluble marker pens to anyone under the age of 18 are given a $6,000 fine.

Now if only Rome would do the same…

A CBD gem – tiger, tiger coffee bar

Renee — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:45:08 +0000

I’ll admit I’m not crazy about Perth’s CBD. Too many soulless skyscrapers and take-away joints. Not nearly enough memorable architecture, parks, street art or fountains. The CBD seems to be completely focused on work, not play. Perhaps that explains why it empties to a ghost town after 6pm as commuters lock up the office and head home to the suburbs.

It’s no wonder tourists’ first impression of Perth is that it’s so sleepy.

Well, I’m happy to report that I’ve found a little pocket of liveliness nestled in a laneway off Murray Street called tiger, tiger. Like a tiny oasis in the CBD desert, this coffee shop/wine and tapas bar is where all those hardworking (or hardshopping) Perthites go for their midday coffee or a post-work glass of wine.

And it’s no surprise this coffee bar is so popular.

First of all, the coffee is excellent. The bar serves Fiori Coffee, widely considered the best in Perth. Clare, a tiger, tiger barista says, “tiger, tiger is about consistently great coffee… Every cup is a challenge and there always has to be a measure of concentration (even after all this time) that engages you. I think you build your business on consistency and it is our aim that you enjoy all aspects of the tiger experience…coffee, food and atmosphere.” This dedication to quality has seen the coffee bar ranked amongst the best of Perth. Urban Spoon considers it the seventh best and the new coffee-obsessed website Perth Coffeescape reckons it’s Perth’s ninth best.

Not a coffee drinker? No worries. tiger, tiger has an impressive and varied wine list which includes picks from Australia and overseas. Perfect for a wine lover interested in trying something outside of Margaret River (although, what’s the point, really?).

Both coffee and wine are best drunk with food, so guests can choose from either the tapas-style menu or breakfast menu – which is available all day long. Great news for brekky-lovers. The coffee bar takes pride in its menu, saying, “tiger, tiger food is unpretentiousness, simple and wholesome. It’s not trying to be more than flavoursome, inviting and satisfying sustenance.”

I visited tiger, tiger for the first time on late Saturday afternoon after hearing again and again how great it was. I loved the chilled-out vibe in the laneway and the friendliness of the large outdoor tables that are perfect for striking up conversations with other tiger, tiger guests or simply enjoying the coffee-steeped atmosphere.

I guess the CBD isn’t all bad after all.

tiger, tiger

Shop 4 / 329 Murray Street, Perth

Open Mon 7am-5pm, Tues-Wed 7am-8pm, Thurs-Sat 7am-10pm, open Sundays in Summer 10am

Traffic in Perth? Ha!

Renee — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:15:10 +0000

Queen Mary 2 in Fremantle Harbour

Desperate Sydney drivers. Photo by the Daily Telegraph

If you visited Fremantle last Sunday you would have been as astounded as me at the unfamiliar sight: bumper-to-bumper cars, flooded footpaths and grouchy traffic controllers. The culprit: the coinciding of Araluen’s Fremantle Chilli Festival and the arrival of the 4,000-passenger Queen Mary 2, the biggest ocean liner in the world.

While it was kind of fun to see Fremantle so busy and vibrant, it made me realise how lucky Perthites are to live in such a traffic-free city. It means never having to worry about avoiding rush hour or taking traffic-avoiding back streets. Perthites never suffer from “clutch cramps” caused by stop-and-go traffic jams. And you’ll never see a car drive along a median strip to avoid traffic as it’s been known to happen in Sydney.

A city’s traffic decreases citizens’ quality of life, causing everything from stress to fuel wastage to air pollution. So we’re pretty lucky not to live in cities famous for traffic issues like Mexico City where the average person spends four hours a day commuting! Or Rome, where it’s faster to walk backwards than drive a car anywhere. Then there’s LA, where it’s not just the long waits you have to worry about, but also the gun-toting drivers prone to road rage. Yes, we have it good here in Perth.

Giant Malaysian traffic jam. Photo by Malaysia Airlines

Nevertheless, WAtoday reckons Perth’s got its fair share of traffic congestion issues. Here’s its list of WA’s 10 worst traffic areas – six are from Perth.

WA’s worst traffic red spots – and why:

1. Burns Beach Rd – Connolly Dve
The merging of lanes at the intersection’s roundabout combined with the volume of traffic causes congestion.

2. Tonkin Hwy – Horrie Miller Dve
High volume of traffic from the airport and industrial area; inadequate traffic lights system.

3. Beaufort St – Walcott St
On-street parking blocks traffic flow and the traffic light system is inadequate for the amount of traffic.

4. Gnangara Rd – Beechboro Rd
A non-controlled intersection with heavy traffic including trucks.

= 5. Mitchell Fwy – Hepburn Ave
Merging lanes can’t cope with the amount of traffic.

= 5. Joondalup Dve – Cheriton Dve
A non-controlled intersection with high traffic volume.

7. Reid Hwy – Malaga Dve
Long delays at the intersection’s traffic lights and a high volume of traffic.

= 8. Great Eastern Hwy – Roe Hwy
Long delays at the intersection’s traffic lights and heavy traffic including trucks.

= 8. Reid Hwy – Alexander Dve
Long delays at the intersection’s traffic lights and a high volume of traffic.

= 8. Reid Hwy – Mirrabooka Ave
Long delays at the intersection’s traffic lights and a high volume of traffic.

Ok, so maybe Perth traffic gets a little heavy in intersections like these. But, really, for being a capital city, Perth is very fortunate. Only downside to all of this? No longer having the convenient excuse of “the traffic was terrible!” for being late. Well, there’s always parking to blame.

399 – a community cocktail bar

Renee — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:12:00 +0000

A Monday night at 399

One of the biggest gripes of Perthites is that the city has too few small bars. Like Sydney, the city is plagued with huge, impersonal pubs and bars, breeding drunken crowds, rubbish service and loud, conversation-killing music. Think the Brass Monkey or the Subiaco Hotel.

Luckily, the situation is changing and small bars are sprouting up everywhere thanks to changes in liquor licensing, and more specifically, with the introduction of the “small bar license” permitting the licensee to serve alcohol in venues accommodating less than 120 people. Supported by the Small Bar Association of WA, this welcomed change in legislature has seen the arrival of fantastic small bars like Helvetica, Tiger, Tiger and – my new favourite – 399.

399 photo by Tannic Teeth

Pronounced “three-nine-nine”, this quirky little cocktail bar is nestled in the heart of Northbridge’s Chinatown amongst pho bars and Asian grocery stores. In fact, you’d be forgiven for having a hard time spotting it on your first visit. Unassuming though its exterior may be, 399’s interior is anything but. The small venue comprises a long, narrow space punctuated by soft lighting, Elvis gospel melodies and the lovely sound of ice rattling in martini shakers.

Deep booths line the wall facing the bar, filled with happy regulars sipping their favourite cocktails and enjoying the tapas-style menu. Yes, 399 knows how to mix a cocktail. These bartenders are some of Perth’s best – no cocktail request, however unheard-of or imprecise goes unanswered. The bartenders seem, in fact, to relish the challenge, seeing as how there are no cocktail menus.

My nostalgic request for a Lemon Drop (my go-to cocktail in the States) was mixed to perfection. Just sweet enough to forgive the absence of a sugared rim. My second order for “something citrusy and sweet, but not too tangy” produced the yummy Breakfast Martini (so named for it including marmalade and grapefruit). Definitely worth the hefty price.

Photo by 399 regulars VJzoo

Photo by Abstract Gourmet

Despite their success, small bars like 399 still face challenges. Blogger/photographer Matt, of Abstract Gourmet, says:

It’s been a long and often arduous road for the majority of these venues to get off the ground, jumping through hoops like training monkeys hoping not to have their bananas confiscated. Only to be rewarded with yet more trials and ordeals. I for one, however, am glad that those people persist in the face of inexplicable bureaucracy, or we wouldn’t have such interesting new venues like Bar 399 to tickle our collective fancies.

For 399, the challenge is to avoid becoming a just another trendy Perth bar – attracting the rowdy and fickle Northbridge social scene who could spell death for the small bar by flooding it with business, turning off the current loyal patrons and then moving on to the next “it” bar. Macca, one of 399’s bartenders, told me that they’re happier to stay under the radar and receive word-of-mouth referrals rather than attention by the mainstream media. “The article about 399 featured in last weekend’s West Australian is really a double-edged sword,” Macca said. While the media mention is nice for getting the word out, 399’s more interested in maintaining the bar’s cozy atmosphere and focusing on providing excellent service alongside high-quality food and drinks. 399 is happy being a “community bar”, and I for one am very happy to become a member.

Parting advice: what ever you do, don’t mention Melbourne. But do try the Breakfast Martini.

399 – 399 William St, Northbridge