292 Hay St, Subiaco is next to the fashionable Sapphire Bar. It's curious observing the flow of foot traffic. The dinner patrons of Chapter One arrive by car and are almost all over 40 and sensibly attired. Many seem like regulars, known and welcomed home by the friendly staff, the menus seem superfluous as they gravitate towards the angle hair pasta and salt and pepper squid or the rabbit pie. The people heading to Sapphire in comparison arrive by taxi and seem to be wearing extremely short skirts, while the cohort seems to be significantly skewed towards blonds and twenty year olds.I can see why Chapter One is so popular and why there seems to be such a devoted band of regulars. The food is comforting and classical. Lovely flavours and pleasing if somewhat conventional presentation, backed up with excellent and personable service. On our visit, menu, water and bread were all on the table within minutes. The menus are short, a single page and populated with favourites. I enjoyed the squid, and sampled the blue manna crab pasta. Both are simple dishes, but very well executed. For mains I had a confit belly of pork and I tried the popular rabbit pie. Again the flavours are beautiful and true. My only complaint would be the temperature of the food - the mains and even my well crafted chocolate fondant dessert, were just too hot, my greedy tongue is still slightly scalded. . .
The wine list is quite good. I thought the whites were more interesting than the reds and pleasingly they stock the excellent range from Epis (The 07 Epis Chardonnay was tempting) and also the 1996 Pol Roger Cuvée Winston Churchill (I think this was $375). The glasses are reasonable, ever so slightly clunky, but of correct shape and size.
Specifications:
Lunch: Wed - Fri, Dinner: Tues - Sat.
Wheel chair access - there is a ramp at the front, but also a small step, a gate and then a series of doors to negotiate.
Cost: Dinner for two (three courses, no coffee) excluding the cost of wine approx $A170
3 comments:
Hey Ed,
What do you think about King Street Purveyors of Fine Food, Wine and Coffee (think that's what it was called!) in Perth's CBD?
I stopped there on my last visit to Perth at about 3pm one afternoon, after having just had TWO lunches, and was keen on a glass of wine to wind down.
I took a look at the wine list and was extremely impressed, especially with the generous by-the-glass options, but then disappointed to discover I had to order a full meal to get wine :(
So, cream floater Iced Coffee it was then... :(
Seemed like a nice place though.
Cheers,
Chris P
Chris,
I'm a fan, though I think the standard has dropped somewhat since you were last there.
I remember in its prime they would change the menu daily and at lunch it would be packed and buzzing.
I still pop in a few times a year. Their wine list is still very good and as you say lots of wines by the glass.
I have a vague feeling that the rule about not being able to order a drinking without food might have changed.
I took a look at the wine list and was extremely impressed, especially with the generous by-the-glass options.
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