A Perth foodie recommended I try out Bread in Common in Fremantle. So I headed there with a friend for lunch one weekday morning. Housed in an old brick warehouse, I thought the place had lots of character. It’s quite large and spacious inside with a bunch of long wooden communal benches for diners to sit at. The first thing you notice are the multiple light bulbs hanging down from the rafters and its cords wrapped around and strung up everywhere. One side of the cafe is decorated with shelves of wine, perfect for the bar’s location.
On the other side of the cafe lies the long open kitchen.
Our waitress took our drinks order while we settled in to view the menu. I couldn’t find an online menu and it must be because they change up the menu daily. Surely enough, stamped on top of the menu was the day’s date. My soy mocha arrived but we still hadn’t decided on what to order.
Our waitress informed us that dishes are designed to be shared and recommended three dishes between the two of us. Considering the cafe’s name was Bread in Common, we both thought it was a good idea to start off with some bread ($2 per person). We ordered the traditional white (there was also wholemeal sourdough that day) with churned butter (50c) and whipped pork, pistachio and fennel spread ($4). The thick bread was so soft when I picked it up and tasted amazing. The spread was very light and fluffy. I could only just make out the fennel. I loved the combination with pistachio nuts for extra crunch. However, I thought $4 for that tiny bit of spread was overpriced.
It was a hot morning so I also ordered a healthy smoothie ($10) with kale and other good things blended into it though I can’t quite remember exactly what they were. This tasted sweet (not like vegetables) and went down quickly.
The squid with watermelon, green olives, sherry vinegar and oregano ($24) sounded fresh so I chose that minus the olives. The squid had been cooked with a few spices and had a lovely saltiness to it. Great quality and not too rubbery. The watermelon was sweet and there was something else that isn’t mentioned on the menu – it had the consistency of cucumber but tasted much more sour or perhaps it was the vinegar that made it sour. Either way, I thought there was a good balance of sweet, sour and saltiness in this dish. Though $24 is a little overpriced for such a small dish.
The duck fat roast potatoes with rosemary, garlic and tomato sauce ($13) were beautifully crunchy on the outside and so nice and salty. However, I thought the potatoes themselves were dry, perhaps they were old potatoes? Pity.
The smoked ham, cheese, chutney and radicchio toasted sandwich ($12) is a simple meal but done very well. Fresh and tasty ingredients. The bread, again, was fabulous!
Though slightly pricey for rather small portions, I do like the concept of sharing plates and the food was pretty tasty.
Love the old warehouse and exposed brick look. The atmosphere is laidback and funky. It was a little hard trying to get attention of wait staff, especially when trying to pay for the bill. We got up to ask someone where we could pay and were told to sit down and someone would be with us. So that involved a bit more waiting. Other than that, staff are pleasant and we didn’t have to wait long for our food to arrive. A nice food experience with great company. I will most likely be back the next time I’m on the West Coast.
Foodgasm 7/10
