As Perth's and the worlds restaurants slowly awaken from their COVID enforced coma, we are relishing the discovery of the new (or the forgotten) - i.e. "Have we been there yet?"
It is early July and the fab weather drags us outside and north of the river.
Our target - The Old Laundry - has been on my hit-list for some time and now that dine-in is back in full swing we hit it early on a glorious Saturday.
Perfectly placed at the bottom of Angove St, it’s a big, open ceiling place that screams cool. We grabbed an uppity table in the cute, enclosed courtyard out back.
First impressions - the staff, young bright eyed and dead keen to look after you and chat.
The menu - replete with unusual offerings and standard fare but all with an edge - think crab doughnuts, aioli, oregano and lemon or balsamic baby beet salad, feta, spinach and pistachio. You get the idea.
The bevvy offerings were also excellent - French bubbles, Aussie Fiano etc. Above average really.
So, with French bubbles in hand we chose Freo Sardines, green beans, lemon and toast $12 (main picture). To follow, we picked the Lamb Ribs $18 and the house made Bigoli pasta, rabbit and beer ragout $24.
Our server, Oscar, is a perfect example of where hospitality staff in Perth are right now - approachable, know the offerings backwards and love talking about food and wine - and travel.
As we relaxed into the bubbles, the buzzy vibe dissipated as the lunch crowd faded away. This is where places like this shine - relaxed, well run and enough space to spread out. Just lovely.
The sardines arrived and were nothing short of brilliant. Perfectly pan seared and resting under crunchy green beans, garnished with thinly sliced garlic and baby roma's, the succulent filets were French cuisine at its best. A plate licker.
I was savouring the Unico (SA) Fiano now as the lamb ribs and pasta arrived.
The ribs, perched on a sweet onion salsa and a cashew skordalia (a thick dip made from ground cashews and garlic), were fall off the bone tender and just enough for two hungry people.
The highlight though was the rabbit pasta. The rabbit and beer ragu, swirled through the house made chestnut pasta, was an absolute delight. Rustic as hell.
Overall a superb first time experience and with so much more on an inventive menu, we will definitely return.
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