Architects and Heroes; Lazy Sunday Lunch

On a Sunday afternoon, my fiancé and I went to Architects and Heroes for a late lunch to catch up with some friends. Even at 1.30pm, the place was buzzing and all the tables were full.

Hot Chocolate ($4.50)

We started with a hot drink to share, hot chocolate. It had a slightly bitter taste which I really like. I found the hot chocolate to be not as rich compared to others I have tried.

Bourbon BBQ Ribs, Buttered Corn & Slaw ($26)

When the ribs came to the table, they were covered with a cloche with steam/smoke floating inside. The waitress opened the cloche and the first thing I noticed was the size of the ribs.. it was tiny! For $26, we were definitely expecting more; the rack of ribs only contained four pieces. Other than quantity, it tasted delicious. The ribs were coated with a sweet and sticky bourbon glaze which was finger-lickingly good, and they were tender and falling off the bone. There was a generous amount of dressing in the slaw, and the buttered corn had the same smokey, bourbon flavour as the ribs.

Red Velvet Pancakes with Mascarpone, Syrup & Pashmak ($18)

My choice was a no-brainer.. red velvet pancakes all the way! Who says you can’t eat pancakes for lunch? The plating of this dish was on point, it was absolutely stunning!! The red velvet pancakes were fluffy and had chocolate chips through it. Although there were quite a few sweet elements in the dish: syrup, white chocolate and pashmak (Persian cotton candy made from sesame and sugar which is not as sweet compared to regular cotton candy), the dish was well balanced as the pancakes were not very sweet and the fresh strawberries provided a hint of tartness.

Flavour-wise the food was good, but portion size was definitely on the small side (especially considering the prices). We were left hungry and wanting more!

 
ARCHITECTS AND HEROES
25 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco WA 6008

Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 6.30am – 4pm
Sunday: 6.30am – 3pm

Harvest Espresso; Autumn 2015

On the last day of Autumn, I decided to go to Harvest Espresso for brunch with my fiancé. Harvest Espresso is one of the places that I visit every season as their menu changes with each season, and there is always that one sweet dish that I absolutely must try!

Luckily, we were seated straight away at one of the few tables outside and had just beaten the lunch time rush. I already knew what I wanted to order before we even arrived, so we quickly looked over the menu and chose one more dish and placed our orders.

Matcha Latte ($5)

As soon as the matcha latte came to the table, I was a little bit disappointed; there was no latte art! I had seen lots of photos on Harvest Espresso’s Instagram page of their famous matcha lattes which usually feature a beautiful swirly design.. but mine was completely bare. I know this is only a minor negative, but all of Harvest Espresso’s dishes have always been immaculately presented every other time I have dined here so I expected nothing less. Nonetheless, the matcha latte tasted good with a strong and true matcha flavour.

Smoked Cod / snow peas, bagna cauda sauce, slow cooked eggs, watercress oil, potato rosti ($18.50)

We started with the savoury dish first. The rosti comprised of thin, noodle-like pieces of potato which were crispy on the outside. There were small chunks of smoked cod throughout the dish, but I would have preferred a whole fillet of cod sitting on top of the rosti. When we ordered this dish, we weren’t sure what bagna cauda sauce was.. it turned out to be a warm, creamy sauce made from butter, olive oil, garlic and anchovies. The sauce paired well with the smoked cod and egg.  The flavour combinations of this dish worked really well together and was delicious!

Waffles / jasmine cream, poached seasonal fruit, bergamot gel, maple syrup ($18.50)

Anyone who knows me would know that I am an absolute sucker for anything sweet.. so of course, I had to order the waffles. We saved the waffles for “dessert”. This dish definitely ticked all the boxes and was absolute perfection in my books! The waffles had a slight crispness on the outside and were soft and fluffy on the inside; right on point. The tartness from the strawberries and raspberries cut through the sweetness of the pears, maple syrup and jasmine cream creating a perfectly balanced dish. Not to mention, there was also popping candy dust sprinkled around the dish which gave it a slightly sour and refreshing edge.

Both dishes were amazing, with the waffles winning the title of my favourite dish from Harvest Espresso to date! Will definitely be back here next season.

HARVEST ESPRESSO
629 Albany Hwy, Victoria Park WA 6100

Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday: 7am – 4pm