LittleMissBacon | A Perth Food Blog

Ha-lu is a great Japanese fusion restaurant for not only dine-in but take away as well. I was so impressed the first time I went, I returned twice in one weekend. Here’s a combined post on the times visited recently including a very special birthday for Foodie Cravings.

Sashimi of the Day $18.00 Salmon, Tuna and Kingfish

Thick cut fresh slippery slices of fish to start.

Crumbed Camembert Cheese $9.80

These deep fried wedges of soft cheese oozes into your mouth with the tang of some lemon and their delicious blueberry jam like sauce. It is served with cute skinless honey cherry tomatoes.

Ebi-Mayo $17.00

This was one of those dishes where the table next to us had to lean over just to ask what it was because it looked that attractive! Plump juicy prawns tossed in their own concoction of mayo cocktail sauce and was barely contained in a deep fried wanton parcel.

But wait theres more!

Once cracked open… a poached runny egg streams over a refreshing avocado salad. It was amazing.

Scallop Nanban $18.00

These fat scallops are only lightly deep fried and inside they are still a little raw. Some people, myself included, who don’t like raw seafood might be put off this dish. Having said that I still enjoyed these because the scallops themself were so bitey and fresh that I could overlook the fact it was still raw.

Close up of Scallop Nanban $18.00

The fried lotus root and julienned raw veggies on top complimented the scallops perfectly.

Oyster Kaki-Fry $18.00

Unlike most of their lightly fried dishes, this dish is a bit on the heavier side. The oysters are coated with a seasoned panko batter and is very crunchy. I would probably only order this if there are more than two people eating as I got quite full eating it.

Linley Valley Pork Belly “Kaku-ni” $16.00

The blocks of slow cooked Linley Valley pork belly pulls apart with ease. The light soy jus goes great with the pork and soft boiled eggs. This is my favourite dish here.

Kingfish and Salmon Belly Nitsuke $18.00

Mmm did I ever tell you my favourite part of a fish is the belly and skin? These were a win being skin-on and deep fried belly pieces. The slow cooked daikon was very light and fluffy.

Succelent Terriyaki Chicken $13

Teriyaki chicken the way it should be. Crispy skin and a caramelised teriyaki sauce with additional mayonaise.

Grilled Miso Patagonian Toothfish $18.00

The toothfish was flakey and soft and lightly grilled with miso flavour.

Duck, Aubergine, Madeira sauce with Wholegrain Mustard $24.00

My second favourite dish here. The skin of the duck is crunchy with a smokey flavour. The meat of the duck, cooked to a medium rare is very tender. The sauce madeira-tamari together with the duck was out of this world and even though I do not like aubergine or the hint of mustard powder I still enjoyed this dish to the fullest.

Ginger Linley Valley Pork $22.00

I was actually confused when this dish came out as I was sure she said pork, but when I tasted it, the texture was completely different to what pork usually tastes like. The pork had no dryness… so not only have they managed to make it taste delicious but they made it extra juicy. Not only are they chefs but wizards too.

Premium Beef “Ishi-yaki” Grill with Fried Onions $32 Margeret River Wagyu D-Rump

The wagyu rump is served in a stonepot so you can cook your beef to your liking and the fried onions become a chip like side.

Side Ramen $8.00

The tiny knob of butter melts into your broth and the slurpy ramen made me wish I had ordered this to myself.

Miso Soup $2.50, Rice $2.50

White Chocolate, Roasted Tea and Berry Pannacotta & Ume Plum Gelee $9.50

This dessert was light and not overly sweet.

Baked Cheesecake with a hint of Azuki $9.50

This was not a traditional cheesecake. It was more like a soft, warm cloud of yumminess. Bites of berries and sesame ice cream to add to the experience.

Tea for Two $4.00

Teriyaki Chicken Bento $16.00

All their bento’s come with two croquettes, japanese omelette, kara-age chicken, mushroom salad and rice. The Kara-age chicken was a bit cold in mine but it was still tasty.

Beef Tataki Bento $20.00

Pork Belly Bento $26.00

The staff here are very helpful and the food comes out quickly. The takeaway wait time is a little bit longer at around 20 minutes, but it’s worth the wait.

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Day 3 started off with the breakfast of champions from Superbowl and finished off with the dinner of champions….  chinese banquet.

My Uncle and Aunty have been going to Emperor’s Garden Seafood for over a decade now and not only do they do delicious Dim Sum, they serve an epic chinese banquet.

Please excuse me for my lack of description and pricing as I was too involved with the family and the food…

Free Peanuts and Tea

Free salted nuts anyone?

Soup of the Day

Most chinese restaurants will serve a nice and hearty soup for the first course. It a nice a light broth with bones and veggies or preserved veggies.

Steamed Oysters with XO Sauce  and BACON BITS

Steamed fresh, juicy fat oysters topped with garlic vermicelli in a XO sauce and sprinkled with bacon bits.

Steamed Ginger Oysters

A gentle ginger and soy combination topped with herbs.

2 kg of Lobster with E Fu Noodles

This sauce was the bomb. It was loaded with butter, garlic and onions. With the lobster being quickly deep-fried first, the sauce is absorbs by the batter and the noodles.

My First Portion

I’m the type of girl who spends her time picking out every lobster or crab leg for any traces of meat. I may get the shells all over myself by the end of it, but it’s worth it.

Fujian or Fukien Fried Rice

Ever feel like fried rice is a bit dry? Well the clever town of Fujian in China invented this dish. An asian-like gravy sauce filled with yummy bits of meat and vegetables underneath a bed of fried rice. This was my first exposure to this dish and I can’t help but wonder why I haven’t discovered it sooner.

Wasabi Beef

I’m not a fan of wasabi, however this dish was a treat. It was not overpowering like I expected and in fact the sauce only had a hint of wasabi. The beef was tender and perfect with mayo.

Steamed Whole Fish

Always a winner.

Salt & Pepper Chilli Prawns

Another favourite.

Fruit Plate

Complimentary Biscuits

Buttery- flakey biscuits.

More Complimentary Dessert?

No complaints here! The Tofu Fa was really smooth and the sugar syrup was not too rich.

Meet Fresh Noodle Special

After dinner it was time for me to show my aunt and uncle something I discovered… Meet Fresh. They loved it.

Meet Fresh Signature Herbal Dessert

I just can’t get enough….

 

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To end such an amazing day at the Mandurah CrabFest, my boyfriend and I decided to have dinner at Cicerello’s and enjoyed the fireworks from the top balcony.

Our food had just arrived as the fireworks started. I don’t remember if we were more excited about our food or if the kid’s around the restaurant were more excited about the fireworks.

Salad and Cold Seafood Fridge

‘Here’s one we prepared earlier’

Warmer of Deep Fried Goodness

Squid rings, prawns, crabsticks, fish and chips ready for the serving.

Chilli Mussels and Crab $38.50

This came out on a silver platter! Served with not a piece of bread, but a loaf of garlic bread. The flavour of this dish was out of this world. It tasted like a mixture of Singapore Crab and Chilli Mussels combined. It was a huge portion so make sure you have someone to help you for the weak at heart.

Seafood Basket $15approx.

Fish and Chips with five squid rings, two prawns, one crabstick and one pineapple fritter. This was not as piping hot as we would have expected from Cicerello’s so it was lacking the crispy batter. It must have been a busy night or the food had been left there too long.

Deep Fried Scallops $2.40 each

These on the other hand, were freshly deep fried because they are made to order.

The highlight was definitely the Chilli Mussel and Crab ‘platter’. To make sure you get fish and chips at their best, try to come when it’s not so busy.

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You may have realised this weekend I’ve gone to two consecutive food fairs, one on Friday night and one on Saturday. Rest assured, I will be exercising all week to burn it off.

I’m always looking forward to a trip down to Mandurah. The seafood is great and it always feels like a mini getaway. When I heard there would be a Crabfest on last weekend, I was ecstatic.

The Mandurah Crabfest is a weekend showcase of crab, fresh produce, entertainment, promotions and more crab!

Sandcastle by Jenny Rossen

Two truckloads of sand and water.

Kid’s Rides

It’s a very family orientated day and plenty of activities for kids everywhere like rides, drawing competitions and huge sandbox.

Smallgoods of the Riverland

I love free taste testing, especially when it’s this good. I ended up getting the Garlic German Mettwurst for $8.

Fudge Fusion $6.50

We did not end up buying any fudge as we both could not finish the whole thing, but the sample of the Choc Fudge is very rich. I love it how the taste samples are individually wrapped.

Crab Shack Fresh Crabs

The colour on the crab is so mesmerising. I wanted the whole box.

Crab Shack Singapore Crab Roll $12

This looked amazing and it tasted even better. The Singapore Chilli Sauce had some heat to it, but was well balanced with Garlic and Ginger. When cracking into the claws of the crab, the natural crab juices came oozing out and it was such a joy eating this. Blue Manna’s are small crabs so it means there is more work scooping out the flesh. When it tastes this good, it is time well spent.

Crab Shack Single Serve with Seafood Sauce $5

Mouthwatering fresh crab and a tantalising seafood sauce. Vinegar sauce was also available.

Portable Washing Basin

I needed this as I had gotten crab everywhere.

IC’s Large Slushie $5

Blueberry, Tropical, Strawberry.

Olle’s Paella

One giant, giant pan of Paella. Two flavours available. Crab and Chorizo or Chicken and Chorizo.

Ollie’s Crab and Chorizo Paella $12 with a drink

This was my photo of the day. This is also the best Paella I’ve ever tasted. Succulent pieces of crab and chorizo balanced beautifully.

Ollie’s Crab and Chorizo Paella Burnt Bits

The other thing I loved about this Paella is how much of that delicious burnt bottom bits is running through my rice.

Redmanna Waterfront Stand

I love the Redmanna Waterfront Restaurant for their famous Seafood Tower.

Redmanna Sambucca Prawns with Chips $15

The best creamy prawns. Although they only gave us six prawns, the sauce was to die for.

Redmanna Chilli Plum Crab with Jasmine Rice $15

The rice was gluggy and the sauce was not that great. Too sweet and too much ginger.

Dolphin Seafood Crab Roll $6

Very stingy with the crab, and to my dismay they serve supermarket tartare sauce.

Frozen Delights Chocolate Coated Strawberries $4.50

These frozen strawberries were a great way to cool down.

There was still a lot I wanted to fit in like a Crab Curry from Thai Palace and the Crab Fest Deluxe Pie from Miami Bakery. But there’s is always next time…

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I guess you can tell by now I like my pizza. Cooking Mama China has been kind enough to show me her method of making a pizza that’s the best of both worlds.

Wood fired pizza’s are great because of the charcoal taste and the Thin-n-Crispy bases.

Oven cooked pizza’s on the other hand, have that delicious melted layer of golden cheese and toppings thanks to the grilling component.

Let me show you how the magic is done.

Rolling the Homemade Pizza Dough

Rolling out perfectly shaped pizza bases to fit the pan.

How to Make a Crispy Base

The trick is to cook the base first before assembling and then popping it in the oven to melt. We used a cast iron pan to maximise crispiness.

See?

Once those beautiful bubbles appear in the dough, you then have the option to flip it over so both sides are crispy.

Marinated Prawns and Fish Toppings

This selection of seafood was marinated before being lightly seared. I could taste a hint of chilli, garlic and garden herbs.

The Making of the Prawn and Prosciutto Pizza

The base was firstly brushed with fresh basil infused oil. Then it was scattered with mozzarella cheese, prawns, prosciutto and dollops of homemade pizza sauce. Finally it finished with mini balls of bocconcini and basil leaves.

Then into the over for about 10-12 mins on a pizza stone.

Prawn and Prosciutto Pizza

The finished result with the golden brown crusts!

Prawn and Prosciutto Pizza Innards

Stringy melted deliciousness.

Seafood Pesto Pizza

The base again was firstly brushed with fresh basil infused oil. Then smeared with homemade pesto. It then had the same treatment as the last pizza.A layer of mozzarella cheese, prawns and dollops of homemade pizza sauce. Finally, it is topped with mini balls of bocconcini and basil leaves.

Prawn and Prosciutto Pesto Pizza

The same as the the first Prawn and Prosciutto Pizza with an added layer of pesto sauce.

I think the secret recipe to pizza includes homemade sauces, fresh ingredients, evenly assembling and a fresh out of the oven, straight to your tummy approach.

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I’m always on the look out for delicious Vietnamese food and its very hard to stray from my usual which is Tra Vinh. However, when learning that the owner of Phong Vinh is related to the owners of Tra Vinh I thought I’d better give it a try. The menu is very extensive, but there are heaps of pictures to help your decision.

Goi Cuon Tom Thit (Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with Pork and Prawns)

$5 approx.

These came out a minute after ordering and that’s my kind of vietnamese restaurant.

Goi Cuon Chao Tom (Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with Prawn wrapped Sugarcane)

$5 approx.

These came shortly after.

Che Thai (Iced Thai Drink)

$4.50

Iced Thai drink packed with longan, sea coconut, mixed jellies and coconut milk. Topped with shaved ice and Durian. Note: If you don’t like durian please advise the waitstaff not to put it on top. Even if you try to scoop it off afterwards, the smell still lingers. It was still delicious and thirst quenching though.

Banh Ouc Chao Tom (Rolled Rice Flour Noodles with Sugarcane Prawns)

$10

Usually when I go to a new vietnamese restaurant I always try the Pho to test the authenticity. However, I rarely come across this childhood favourite on a menu. A tasty prawn paste, similar to the texture of thai fish cakes, carefully wrapped around a stalk of sugarcane and is then grilled or deep fried. The patty remains moist and sweet this way. It is served with a generous serving of noodles and nuoc cham. I had to order another serve of the nuoc cham as it was so yummy.

Nuoc Cham is a dipping sauce also known as ‘fish sauce’ commonly served with Vietnamese dishes.

Com Tam (Broken Rice with Pork Chop, Pate and Egg)

$12 approx.

This is to date, is the biggest serving of Com Tam, I’ve seen in Perth. It was tasty too. Somewhere under the mountain of delicious bi is a crispy fried egg and marinated pork chop.

Bi is shredded pork skin and may sound unappetising, but it’s crunchy, textual, nutty and goes great in rolls, rice dishes and noodle dishes – I could eat it by itself!

Bo Kho Noodles (Stewed Beef Noodle Soup)

$12 approx.

Ex-Fatty’s friend had the Bo Kho Noodle soup with combination noodles at no extra charge. There was a mixture of egg noodles and rice noodles. She couldn’t finish it.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable meal. The portion sizes were huge, food was great and the staff did not mind us hanging around for a chat afterwards.

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