My little bro Jase headed to 150 East to check out their new Winter Menu last week. He couldn’t stop raving about it and can’t wait to take his fiancé Little Miss Bacon back there on a date, check out his post below.
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I visited the recently revamped 150 EAST restaurant situated in the Assured Ascot Quays Apartment Hotel on Great Eastern Highway. The restaurant has been operating for over 10 years and decided to change up the vibe and menu from a high end/special occasion formal service type of place to a more relaxed casual dining experience, with delicious seasonal menus.
As part of this change, they’ve also appointed a new head chef Andrew Dunn who is the mastermind behind the new seasonal Winter menu, that is best described as Modern Australian with an Italian influence. I couldn’t wait to try the food after hearing Andrew moved over here from Sydney in 2013…a City that takes food seriously and where I formed some of my fondest foodie memories.
Here’s what we ordered:
Entrée
Pumpkin and Feta Arancini Balls served with a Romanesco sauce ($12)
The Arancini Balls were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and had a very subtle pumpkin flavor. Each bite was a feta flavor explosion… probably the best arancini balls I’ve ever had.
Mains
Confit pork belly, prawns, tomato and white bean cassoulet salsa verde ($29.50)
I’m a sucker for crispy Pork Belly… but I find it’s a gamble ordering it at restaurants for the first time but I took the risk and ordered it anyway. I’m quite fussy with Pork Belly as (1) my fiancé Little Miss Bacon’s mom makes a mean one and (2) because Chinese BBQ roast houses such as Good Fortune and Hong Kong BBQ do it so well, which has set my expectations high.
The verdict on the confit pork belly…. exceeded all expectations! The meat fell apart as soon as I dug my fork into it, and the crackling was thin and crispy with not too much fat in between. The tomato and white bean cassoulet (French version of a casserole) was also a great addition and went perfectly with each bite of the pork belly.
Crab spaghettini, chilli, spinach & tomato sugo ($28.50)
I was expecting a very subtle tomato flavor in the pasta, instead it had a nice little punch to it and a bit of spice. It was also great to be served a crab pasta with generous chunks of what I believe to be blue manna crab claws. The pasta reminds me of a more flavoursome version of an old Perth favourite… the now closed Bar One’s Capellini with Blue Swimmer Crab.
Side Salad – Freekeh, pinenut, currant & parsley salad ($9.50)
The lovely waitress recommended we get their “super food” salad along with our meal. I didn’t know what to expect, but with the first bite, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by the balance of flavours and textures. There was a slight tangyness in the dressing combined with the nutty flavor of the pinenuts followed by the sweetness of the currants. I had to look at the menu again because I thought the currants were choc chips!
The salad was really refreshing and the citrus cut through the richness of our main meals. I think I’m gonna start ordering side salads with my mains from now on.
Desserts
Chocolate silken tart, hazelnut crumb, raspberry gelato ($12)
I decided to try the Chef’s signature dessert and have no regrets about it. The dish was beautifully presented and the textures and flavours were amazing. I’m not a fan of sorbet, but this Raspberry Sorbet was off the chain… the tartness went really well with the rich chocolate tart and crunchy bits of hazelnut crumb. As with No 4 on Blake’s Valhrona Chocolate Garden which I tried at Taste of Perth, this is a must for any chocolate lover.
Lavender & honey crème brulee, almond biscotti ($12)
The Crème Brûlée had a thicker texture than what I’m use to, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The lavender and honey flavor brought back nostalgic memories of eucalyptus drops that I used to buy at the canteen in my primary school days.
The food was delicious and just what I needed for a cold winter night and the service was great. I definitely will be back and can’t wait to take Little Miss Bacon here for the Crab Spaghettini (she loves crab pasta).
Disclaimer: foodie cravings was invited to 140 East as a guest. See disclosure policy for more details.
