Saturday 27 June 2015

Experience Western Australia's Culinary Scene

Standard Bar Garden and Kitchen
Western Australia is developing a reputation as a world-class food and wine destination, with its wide selection of gourmet produce, fresh seafood and premium wines and beverages.

With a landscape and climate as varied as WA, it's not surprising that you'll find such a range of produce available – from Albany oysters and Manjimup black truffles to Exmouth's fresh king prawns and Pemberton's marron. Then there's also hundreds of premium wine, beer, cider and whisky producers dotted throughout the State.

WA's capital city Perth is enjoying a 'dining boom' with new small bars, cafes and restaurants opening up across the city and neighbourhoods of Northbridge, Mount Lawley, Leederville and Fremantle. Some of the new restaurants to come online include The Standard Bar Garden and Kitchen (Northbridge), Lucky Chans (Northbridge), Lot Twenty (Northbridge), Propeller (Fremantle) and Bathers Beach House (Fremantle).

In the South West, Margaret River tour company, Top Drop Tours (attending ATE), were recognized as the best tour operator in Australia at the 2015 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards. The family owned and operated company specializes in small group and private wine tours, allowing guests to experience the best of the region's 150 wine producers and 80 cellar doors.

The internationally renowned region is also home to a new brewery, Young Henrys, which provides a fresh, innovative and environmentally friendly approach to craft beer. Also new on the scene is The Wine Chapel (owned and operated by Burch Family Wine) – a high-end tasting space designed to enhance the wine experience and raise the bar of tourism offerings in WA's South West.

Visitors travelling to the State's Coral Coast region will enjoy succulent seafood fresh from the ocean. The opening of Bill's at Bayview Coral Bay (attending ATE) provides another wining and dining option for tourists travelling to this seaside paradise – located on the fringe of Ningaloo Reef. A little closer to Perth try the Lobster Shack (attending ATE), near Cervantes, Here you'll get to taste the catch of the day and learn about the lobster fishing process and taste.

Only 25 minutes from Perth is the Swan Valley – WA's oldest wine growing region. In November 2014, Mandoon Estate reopened for business following a multi-million dollar redevelopment. The venue houses a craft brew house, casual and fine dining, a brand new cellar door, fenced playground for children and a beer garden overlooking vineyards.

The North West town of Broome is home to a variety of cuisines aligned to the history and melting pot of Broome cultures. Chinese, Malaysian, Thai and Japanese flavours can be found at many outlets located in the town centre, including Rambutan (Malyasian) and Zensai (Japanese) - two new restaurants which have opened at Cable Beach Spa and Resort (attending ATE).

Three hundred kilometres south east of Perth in the Golden Outback, Cambinata Yabbies is exporting yabbies to Australia, Asia, Europe and US markets. The family run business sources yabbies (a freshwater crustacean) from 700 farms in the region for export to domestic and international markets. Cambinata's state-of-the-art export kitchen and processing facilities has made the business a worldwide leader in yabby processing and marketing.

Mandoon Estate
An Aboriginal cultural tour introduces tourists to new bush flavours and fascinating facts about Indigenous foods. Join Kepa Kurl in Esperance, Wula Guda Nyindaat Monkey Mia, Bush Tucker Eco Tours Margaret River or Uptuyu Aboriginal Adventures (attending ATE) in the Kimberley to find out what bush tucker is all about.

Throughout the year you'll find a host of events that celebrate WA's food and wine offerings. Here's a list of some of WA's top food events:

• Truffle Kerfuffle – Southern Forest Food Festival, Manjimup (26-28 June 2015)
• Shinju Matsuri, Broome (28 August – 6 September 2015)
• A Taste of Broome, Broome (May – September, 2016 dates tbc)
• Margaret River Gourmet Escape, Margaret River (20 - 22 November 2015)
• Mount Barker Co-operative LTD Grapes and Gallops, Mount Barker (January, 2016 dates tbc)
• IGA Taste Great Southern, Albany and surrounds (February – March, 2016 dates tbc)
• Channel Seven Mandurah Crab Fest, Mandurah (March, 2016 dates tbc)
• Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster, Kununurra (May, 2016 dates tbc)
• Gascoyne in May, Carnarvon (May, 2016 dates tbc)
• Taste of Perth, Perth, (May, 2016 dates tbc)

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