When I was in Perth last year, I’d heard some buzz around the new restaurants and bars in Print Hall which opened up at the end of 2012. Print Hall holds four levels of dining and bar options and is located inside a heritage-listed newspaper house on St George’s Terrace in the city. I never got a chance to go last year, so I made it my mission to go earlier this week. Print Hall consists of Print Hall Bar and Dining Room, Small Print Baker and Roastery, The Apple Daily Eating House and Bar, and Bob’s Bar (named after former Prime Minister Bob Hawke) – each catering to different needs.
I was interested in trying out Print Hall Bar and Dining Room for its 4 course dinner ($110). They also have a degustation option for $150. Located on the ground floor, people can enjoy drinks in the narrow outdoor area and people-watch. The long bar inside looks impressive with the use of lots of back-lighting which highlights the glint off glasses, beverage bottles and green plants on the shelves. On the other side of the bar lies the ‘summer garden’ bar setting. Very pretty but most people were enjoying the outdoor deck.
My friend and I were greeted at the entrance of the Dining Room and ushered to our table by two wait staff. Our chairs were pulled out for us and linen napkins placed on our laps by the two staff members. We were immediately asked if we would like any drinks or water, or if we wanted to try some fresh Albany oysters. We asked for water first and wanted to go through the menu (even though I’d picked out what I wanted beforehand). The four course menu was provided and I was happy to see the online menu has the current version. We were served complimentary ‘cheese and crackers’ whilst perusing the menu. I forgot to ask what cheese it was, but it was beautifully soft and creamy like a dip – perhaps a type of cream cheese? Sprinkled on top are a mix of plain and olive breadcrumbs. I really liked this.
The crackers took the form of prawn crackers and were light, easy to break and crunchy. A light version of cheese and crackers.
First course – blue manna crab with curried egg, cucumber and Avruga caviar. I thought there was a good balance of crab and lightly curried egg. The cucumber added a nice freshness to the dish. I used the wafer thin crisps on top to dip into the mixture. I thought this was a lovely cold and refreshing dish. Happy with my choice.
My friend’s first course was the slow cooked organic egg with lemon, thyme, porcini and nasturtium (the flower) sitting on bread crumbs.
Second course – King prawn carbonara with porcini, parmigiano, San Diele prosciutto and a quail egg. The carbonara sauce was poured from a small jug in the middle of the plate after the dish was explained to me. Our waitress mentioned there was a small surprise at the bottom of the jug as well. This was one strip of fettuccine. I had imagined a bit of pasta on the plate…oh well. The prawns were huge, juicy and delicious (even without the sauce). I just love the fresh seafood you can get in Perth. The carbonara was very light and not sickeningly creamy. Though small, the little quail egg packed a punch in terms of flavour. I thought the dish worked really well together. I just would liked pasta and more prawns on the plate.
My friend ordered the roasted pigeon breast with juniper, picked beetroot and radicchio sitting on a bed of lentils. It was his first time eating pigeon and he liked it. I had a taste but it’s not my thing.
Third course – roast free range duck with eggplant, marjoram and smoked tongue. The duck was cooked perfectly and was pink in the middle, just the way I like it. The smoked tongue had been minced with some chopped up vegetables. I’m not a fan of offal but this was light, not that smokey and didn’t taste offal-y at all. The eggplant had been layered (similar to an eggplant bake) and had a subtle sweet taste to it. I was getting quite full by this stage and found this dish was a little heavy.
My friend enjoyed the wood fire grilled sirloin with smoked onion puree and mushrooms, sitting on a bed of farro. Our waitress asked how he would like the beef cooked (medium rare) and it came out exactly how he liked it – the sign of a great chef!
A complimentary side salad of iceberg lettuce is provided alongside the main meal with the four course menu. This was more of a full salad served in a large bowl. The lettuce was fresh and crunchy. I really liked its simplicity and that it was sprinkled with various seeds for a bit more crunch. We were both getting full and were saving room for dessert, so sadly not much of this got eaten.
A pre-dessert dish of candied cherries was also provided. I was expecting toffee apple style cherries so this was a nice surprise. The ‘cherries’ are stuffed with cherry puree, then encased in a ball of milk chocolate giving it the round shape of a cherry before being dipped in mulberry glaze. This tasted fantastic and provides a small sugar hit. What a unique idea.
Fourth course – chocolate mousse consisting of four layers – chocolate brownie, chocolate mousse, coffee creme, and milk chocolate glaze. This was accompanied by a scoop of milk sorbet. The mousse was nice but it was the coffee creme that stood out for me – velvety smooth, soft and coffee-licious. The brownie was a tad dense but its small portion mixed with the other lighter textures made it work. All the different elements to the mousse, including the caramel sauce drizzled on the plate, were quite sweet but were balanced nicely by the neutral tasting milk sorbet. A nice dessert but not that spectacular.
My friend chose the whiskey and cigar – the ‘cigar’ being rolled up chocolate pastry stuffed with chocolate ganache, smoked tea leaves and cocoa nibs. I had a taste of this and it really was very smokey. The glass contains whiskey creme with whiskey caramel on top. I thought this was very clever and my friend loved it.
A small bowl of after dessert biscuits were provided to each person. The shortbread was buttery and melted in my mouth. I wonder if I can buy these? The profiterole was filled with a cognac infused zabaglione which I didn’t like much. But I just don’t like the taste of alcohol.
The service at Print Hall Bar and Dining Room is exemplary. I love that multiple wait staff come out to place everyone’s dishes on the table at the same time so no one is left waiting for their meal. All meals are explained by the wait staff (though I must admit I couldn’t really understand them as they all had heavy French accents). Very professional, polite and all the wait staff seem to know every single element of the dishes. Staff also regularly come around with a basket of sliced bread – rye, soy and linseed, and plain white. I stopped at 1.5 slices since I always fill up on bread and ruin my appetite.
Ambiance is cosy and quiet with candles placed on each table. Price-wise, this place is expensive for only 4 courses but I guess it’s made up with the cheese and crackers, side salad, and pre and after desserts. I’m glad I got to try this place out but I’m not sure if I’d go back, mainly because I’ve had better fine-dining food elsewhere for cheaper. Nevertheless, I would love to try out the other spots within Print Hall the next time I’m back in Perth.
