Featuring: Fleur at The Royal, Any Dining, The Corner Dairy…

WITH a resume spanning The Print Hall Dining Room, Rockpool Bar & Grill and Tiny’s (among a swathe of other Perth institutions) – coupled with stints at Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge and Capella Lodge at Lord Howe Island – it’s safe to assume that that the food by Josh Gray, chef at the newly opened Any Dining restaurant in Perth’s CBD, is going to be pretty good.
Curated around the concept of the Chef’s Table dining experience, every mindfully considered dish at this classy Queen Street haunt is finessed and presented direct to consumers via a galley kitchen where punters can choose from an exclusive chef’s table menu at the 10-person counter or stick with a-la-carte options via the cosy dining room with urban-luxe aesthetics of marble tabletops and gunmetal blue banquet chairs.
The menu infuses piquant indigenous flavours with familiar ingredients; think house-made sourdough with wattle seed butter; raw scallops with finger lime, nori and Old Bay spice ($21); an earthy union of golden beetroot, apple kosho, sheep’s milk yoghurt and Geraldton Wax ($21), or meaty vegetarian wood grilled mushrooms and cauliflower, finished with miso and buckwheat ($32). Give the pork neck ($38), or dry aged sirloin with confit garlic, curried egg and beef fat ($90) a go.
An all-day four-course Feed Me menu ($70) is an a-la-carte option for diners who prefer chef’s recommendations or try the 5-Course Tasting Menu ($115) – a treasure-trove of surprises including beef tendon with whipped egg, fish eggs and saltbush, or blue swimmer crab with burnt corn, wild rice and lemon verbena.
Finish with yuzu cheesecake accompanied by burnt carrot, chamomile and cashew.
As expected, savoury snacks are available at the 40-seater bar equipped with eclectic wine and cocktail options hand-picked by drinks maestro and UK-born, Leroy Rawlins.
Try the Rhubarb Negroni – an endorphin-inducing combo of rhubarb, gin, vermouth and Campari. Wines – intended to complement the menu – keep focus on international finds and iconic Australian producers.
Any Dining, 26 Queen Street, Perth. Hours: Tue to Thu 11.30am–10.30pm, Fri & Sat 11.30am–12am. Bookings: anydining.com.au
Ever since this grand old dame was resurrected and restyled under the tutelage of seasoned, third generation publican, John Parker (The Standard Northbridge) – historical icon, The Royal Hotel, has thrived.
While there are several zones to eat and drink among its richly decorated fit-out (Willi’s Bar and a huge wrap-around veranda bar, among others), it’s the uber-luxe, slightly quirky, yet entirely welcoming aesthetic of Fleur at The Royal which is impressing diners alongside a consciously curated menu by chef de cuisine, Shane Middleton (Clarkes of North Beach & Dinner by Heston Blumenthal).
Although seafood takes a fair slice of the limelight (yes, lobster mornay is back! – and the caviar menu is unmatched in Perth), there’s equal measure of vegetarian and locally sourced, farm-to-plate produce on offer too, including Southwest lamb served with eggplant puree, savoy cabbage and pearl barley ($46); or the spiced honey roasted Wagin duck (serves two) – a fragrant feast paired with braised witlof and à l’orange sauce ($96).

The 45-seater dining room (and a private 12-seater dining room) also offers a Tasting Menu ($110) with a selection of chef’s recommendations of the day – complete with a bespoke, Aussie-dominant wine list and globally inspired cocktails.
Keep an eye out for Fleur’s EOFY luncheon extravaganza (the venue opens exclusively for mid-week lunches twice a year), as well as a uniquely themed seafood dinner in late May and a truffle dinner in late July.
And if afternoon tea with exquisite detail and turbo-charged charisma is more your flavour, then Fleur’s Afternoon Bloom ($65) is quite possibly one of the best in Perth.
Fleur at The Royal, 531 Wellington Street Perth. Dinner: Wednesday – Saturday 5.30pm – late, Saturday Afternoon Bloom 12pm & 2.30pm. Bookings: theroyalhotelperth.com.au/fleur/
The Corner Dairy is described as “a place where anyone from the beach to the burbs can relax, try new things… or stick to the usual” – this accurate character assessment underscores everything about this casual, anything-goes neighbourhood wine bar, just minutes from Scarborough beach.
There’s good reason why foodies have ordained this 120-seater venue as one of the top spots to visit in 2022.
While the bar focuses on Aussie natural wines and craft beers – including a Pet Nat collaboration with Skigh Wines – the food, respectfully created by chef James Cole Bowen (formerly at La Rebelle) lends itself to the best local ingredients that shape the menu.
Find daily specials and share plates including kingfish ceviche with smoked tiger’s milk and Geraldton wax ($24) or barbecued Freo sardines with a winning combo of Romesco, almonds and pickled peppers ($22), while the locally made stracciatella (by Perth dairy La Delizia Latticini) served with yellow peach, basil and ancho-chilli dressing ($20), is dream-worthy.
Top sellers include Stirling Ranges sirloin served with peppercorn sauce and locally sourced oyster mushrooms from The Mushroom Guys ($47); a vegetarian classic of roasted eggplant, pearl cous cous salad and burnt lemon yoghurt ($26) and their Sunday hang-over cure – a hearty bowl of chef’s hand cut pasta with kale, parmesan and kombu butter ($31).
The Corner Dairy, 260 Woodside Street, Doubleview. Hours: Wed-Thurs 4-late; Fri-Sun 12-late. Bookings: beers@thecornerdairy.com.au
***Column disclaimer: some dishes may change depending on produce availability.