Since taking over The Mundaring Hotel a year ago, husband and wife owners Joanne and Ian describe their ambition for The Mundaring Hotel to have a strong focus on quality ingredients, and a farm-to-table ethic of cooking.
They have given full rein to Mauritian head chef Vincent, which is where all the magic happens. Chef Vincent transforms the freshest West Australian produce (think truffles from Stonebarn in Manjimup, venison from Margaret River Venison and marron sourced from business partner cum marron farmers) into a no-fuss, quintessentially good meals with subtle touches of notably French and Asian style.
I had the opportunity to sample some of chef Vincent's food recently; and to nutshell the experience, I'd have to say this is definitely not your standard hotel pub fare.
The Mundaring Hotel menu highlights
This very generously sized entree meat platter could very easily be a whole meal for a proud carnivore. The slow-cooked pork fell right off the bone and a pleasantly familiar note of star anise in the rub hit you with each bite. The chicken wings were the favourite amongst the crowd for being well flavoured and juicy.
Seafood lovers will delight in this delicate stew brimming with a gorgeous selection of fresh seafood. Top marks for presentation, too.
As promised, the slow cooked beef cheeks were superbly tender with a fantastic run of soft, gelatinous tendon throughout the middle, creating a beautiful mouth-feel with each bite.
As a child I ate a lot of chayote - a type of gourd grown on vines, also known as choko - julienned and stir-fried with garlic and beaten egg. It was a staple in my household as we had them growing in the backyard. For most of my Caucasian friends, it was completely unheard of. In fact, it was unfamiliar to a lot of my Asian friends, too. So when Chef brought out this dish featuring chayote cooked creamy gratin-style, it hit a soft spot. I enjoyed watching everyone sample the vegetable and appreciated the opportunity to experience a familiar family staple dressed up in a Western style of cooking.
This was the winner of the night. Soft and flaky red emperor cooked to perfection on a bed of the silkiest, creamy pumpkin. Paired with a fantastic eggplant and shrimp fricassé - spicy, silky, delectable.
Those of you who are familiar with Asian desserts may have come across taro before. Similar to a sweet potato, the distinctive purple colour and coconut-like taste make it an incredibly popular choice for desserts.
Chef Vincent uses coconut milk to elevate his taro smash to an almost butter-like taste, creating a stand-out partner for the venison that one-ups plain old mashed potato any day.
You can't go wrong with the classic. Enough said.
Perth is well-known to be one of Australia's most laid-back cities. We've got a world-class coastline that's picturesque in almost any weather, but on the other side of the concrete jungle we're also blessed with gorgeous sprawling nature parks amongst our very own hillside.
While for a lot of central Perth dwellers, the hills may have almost become a forgotten zone due to travel distance. A fantastic incentive to head on up and pay a little love to the roads less traveled would be whatever's going on in the kitchen at The Mundaring Hotel.
For most of Perth metro it's only a 40-minute drive out to the hills or better yet stay a day or two and explore the area. Bring along some good company for the ride and the time will fly by, but the reward will be in the unexpectedly tasty fare on offer at The Mundaring Hotel.
Mundaring Accomodation
For more things to do in Perth, check out our Best things to do in the Swan Valley post.
Disclaimer: foodie cravings was invited as a guest of The Mundaring Hotel. This post also contains an affiliate link to booking.com. If you book through booking.com, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. S ee disclosure policy for further details.
