Life is a story…

My Week in Food started on Sunday, July 20

It was the colourful kuih that lead us to lunch at Tempayan Bay.

This Indonesian Restaurant on Terrace Rd, East Perth, was packed with families enjoying large dishes including beef ribs.

I only had eyes for soto ayam, the traditional chicken broth with ginger, turmeric, noodles and egg. The side of crackers and sambal gave me pleasant flashbacks to Bali.

My friends shared chicken satay, gado gado and beef rendang. We all walked out with packets of kuih, which are $3.50 per pack of two cakes.

Tempayan Bay doubles as a city café with breakfast menu, and an Italian lunch and dinner menu.

It has apparently been open for three years. It’s worth nothing it has Swan River views.

Lunch was planned well before I knew I’d be eating out for dinner, too.

Everyone loves a Sunday roast, but I can’t bring myself to go anywhere charging $35 or more a plate.

So, I am pleased to report that The Odin Sunday roast for $27 offers good value. Such good value you can’t even find it on their menu and need to ask. My sister had spotted it on their website or socials, which is how it was picked for a birthday dinner.

Each roast plate had a generous serve of tender lamb, gravy and lots of fresh veggies including broccoli. The roast also comes with cake of the day which last week was chocolate.

Fun fact about The Odin: it’s not in Odin Road, Innaloo. Luckily, I let Waze take us there, not instinct. It’s on Erindale Rd, Balcatta.

Monday, July 21

This was Malaysian chicken curry night but no evidence of it exists. Instead, here’s a vegan apple pie made by my daughter. Tasted as good as it looks.

Tuesday, July 22

I was working in Northbridge, so headed to Epoch Café at WA Museum Boola Bardip for lunch.

The roast beef roll was almost as good as my favourite from North Street Store.

Epoch Café has added bao to its menu while the Terracotta Warriors are being exhibited. While the roll was delicious, I’d probably rather walk to Chinatown to get pork buns.

Wednesday, July 23

Strollio’s Luncheonette has become a favourite since it opened last year. It’s a café, corner deli, bakery and beloved hangout for the local Tuart Hill community.

The spinach and feta scrolls are the perfect snack or light lunch. I convince myself they are healthier than a Strollio’s doughnut.

Dinner that night was a combination of chicken wings and thighs marinated in the new Australian Black Limes barbecue sauce. You’ll find Australian Black Limes at various food shows and markets.

Thursday, July 24.

Without flying, I took a trip to France with the Travel Supper Club, a semi-regular gathering of travel professionals.

Hosted by fellow travel scribe, Julia D’Orazio, each dinner takes place at a mystery location. Each ticket includes a $10 donation to charity.

The location turned out to be Le Vivant in Highgate.

We had a three-course set menu of French onion soup, beef bourguignon, and creme brulee. This menu is now the basis of their Fully French Sunday Lunch.

I kept eyeballing the beef carpaccio at the next table, so I will definitely be paying a return visit.

Le Viv has a bohemian, eclectic vibe across its dining room, courtyard and upstairs area for groups and parties. On weekends, you might see people dancing at the bar while vinyl plays.

Owner Andrew’s playlist got full marks from me, given it was mostly British new wave music. Not French, but tres bien.

Friday, July 25.

It was freezing in Perth and ramen seemed like a good way to warm up for lunch. However my co-work buddy Julia was keen for another visit to Le Vietnam. This is Perth’s most famous (certainly most written about) banh mi store.

Le Vietnam is in Bon Marche Arcade, which was one of my favourite places to visit in the late 80s. Who remembers Memory Lane?

I broke with tradition and got the spicy banh mi chicken salad bowl. With no bread, I was spared having breadcrumbs all over me for the rest of the day.

After working in town until just before 5, it was finally ramen hour.

I headed down to Bariuma for that long overdue bowl of ramen.

Saturday, July 26

After working for a few hours at a photo shoot, I needed a quick lunch.

On the way home, I called in at MCQ Vietnamese Rolls to get some rice paper rolls and banh mi. I was excited to see chicken broken rice with an egg. So many places only serve broken rice with pork.  

For $36, I came home with three beef rice paper rolls, three chicken rice paper rolls, my chicken bowl, plus a roast pork banh mi. Now that’s value!