Ohnamiya

 
When I had a friend who worked at a Japanese restaurant tell me that "they make like, the BEST Japanese, like, ever", I was no longer looking at a friend.
I suddenly saw the world's best employee standing in front of me,  voluntarily doing free promotional work for their boss.

How much are they getting paid to do this? I wondered in my head.
That is a daring claim, especially coming from a foodie - one who is always on the pursuit to find food that makes the best not the best anymore.
How much truth was in their words?
Find out I must!

And about 6 months later than intended, find out I did.
And that's half a year too late, of missing out on, like, the best Japanese, like, ever.

Toro Salmon Sashimi - $12

After quizzing our waitress on the difference between their dishes Salmon Sashimi and Toro Salmon Sashimi, we then felt a little less ignorant and proceeded to settle with the latter. Their salmon sashimi was a satisfying starter on our last visit, which called for another raw fish dish this visit.

An enticingly good looking plate of salmon belly sashimi arrived, and it took a lot of restraint to not be all over it the second it came!

I could eat you all day...and night

In comparison, the difference between this and their normal plate of sashimi...is how good this one is. Slightly more expensive, but the toro salmon sashimi gives you more by the slice but less by the width.

The long, thin strips are exquisitely smooth with lines of fat embedded into the flesh, melting in your mouth as you slowly savour each slice. I know I tried my hardest to drag out the time it took to eat this! If it helps with the sensory side of things...it's like getting passionate with a tongue. Ha!

There IS rice under all that!

As the Deluxe Bento Box comes without rice, there is the option to add a bowl of rice with all the extra flavouring on top for just 50 cents.

It gives a big oomph to plain steamed rice, with the generous hand of seasoning shaken on top. A wonderful blend of salt, sesame seeds, nori flakes and other delicious tasting things that make that fiddy cent worth every cent.

Prawn Katsu Deluxe Box - $18.50

And if you are starving (which is the thing I happen to feel my whole life), Ohnamiya's Deluxe Box is a great way to splurge for your appetite without splurging from your wallet. This two level extravaganza is served in a two tiered box complete with a lid, which presents a whole party of different foods in segments when disassembled. 

Following all the anticipation of the dramatic box opening scene, the prawn katsu features golden breaded deep fried prawns served with 2 sauces, mouthfuls of bean sprouts, seaweed and shredded carrot, mixed sushi rolls, dressed cabbage salad, half boiled egg, agedashi tofu and sesame chicken. What a mouthful!

And what DELICIOUS mouthfuls indeed, of the variety that comes in this box. You don't always see all this in a standard Japanese bento box at restaurants!
 

Yakiniku Beef Rice Box - $11

Not feeling particularly adventurous that evening, I settled with the humble teriyaki beef rice box, even after swearing to myself NOT to get teriyaki anything. This is your standard teriyaki bento box that doesn't make all the noise the deluxe box makes, which comes with all its bells and whistles attached.

As a rice lover, I am quite thrilled at the disproportional serving of carbohydrates to protein and vegetables. With seasoned rice taking up exactly half of my boxed dinner, I still manage to finish the rice before slowly trudging through the rest of the beef, which there is still quite a lot of left.

The cabbage, carrot, pickles and bean sprouts are in neat, compartmentalised servings next to the "grilled slice beef". If it is grilled, it is certainly a shame that they no longer have that grilled taste after being drenched with teriyaki sauce.
 

Salmon Sashimi - $9.50

Salmon sashimi at Ohnamiya certainly does not disappoint. The thick, luscious slices of sashimi have that fresh sweet taste and gives a good firm chew, making it the best kind of appetiser before a big Japanese dinner to come.

Salmon Teriyaki Rice Box - $13.50

All rice boxes are set out in the same way, and differ in the protein choice you choose to go with it.

I usually associate salmon with images of silky, smooth and moist pieces of flaky goodness. I always wish to see other methods of preparing salmon besides with teriyaki, but to no avail.

Ohynamiya's grilled salmon glistens with a teriyaki glaze on the surface, while sitting in a shallow pool of the sweet syrup. Unfortunately, the pieces are sliced on the thinner side of thin, and suffer from the dreaded overcooking consequence from tasting dry and rough in the centre.

But you know, since salmon is the best thing and all, forgiving and forgetting is easy.

Getting most excited over rice - that's a first!

Give me a bucket of steamed rice (and an equally big a bucket of this seasoning) any day!

Chicken Katsu Curry - $12.50

And although it is unlikely one would even remotely picture Japan whenever the word "curry" is mentioned, that is a thing that needs to change, for your own taste buds' sake. Those Japanese make a damn fine curry, and although not as heavily flavoured with rich spices and hotness, the lighter tasting curry makes you see the usually dark, sludgy food from a new dimension.

Here the chicken katsu curry is not served to you as a curry, but rather more as a simple plate of rice and freshly deep fried, crispy, poppin' hot pieces of tender chicken. All the more better this way, as you can decide for yourself whether this is too good to eat on its own, and end up deciding to omit the curry sauce altogether.

Although both are golden and deep fried, there's a certain innate feeling that reduces the guilt from chowing down on Japanese katsu chicken served on a plate rather than the KFC kernel's original recipe chicken served in a big red bucket.

Gravy Curry sauce

This is the stuff inside the gravy pot that puts Aladdin's Magic Lamp to shame. I'd be heck happy to have a lamp that magically had curry appear in case of emergency whenever I rubbed it!

Served in a huge ladle like pot for clean, easy pouring and thorough curry sauce distribution throughout your plate of chicken, the thick and chunky curry gravy is there when you need it, and not there when you don't need it (for example, when you want your chicken crispy and your steamed rice white).

Makes perfect sense, to order chicken curry, but having the option to only turn it into a chicken curry when you want it to.

More majestic golden in colour than poop brown

This way, you don't need to be eating a softened, mushy mouthful of messy curry. Instead, you are able to pour sauce over and instantly tuck into a mouthful of simultaneously warm, chunky and crispy ingredients from the sauce, vegetables and golden breadcrumbed chicken.

Black Sesame Ice Cream with Azuki Bean - $5

One of the theories I faithfully stand by, is that no dinner is ever complete without a generous serving of dessert. It is only well and truly satisfying when you've hit the point where you feel like the size of a baby elephant.

With a small but delicious selection of desserts, it's hard to say no, even if your pants have gone noticeably tighter. A more simplistic choice is this cylindrical mound of black sesame ice cream served with a dollop of softened azuki beans and a glazed cherry.

Although not having the conventional gritty black colour of sesame flavoured desserts, the ice cream still has that distinct sesame flavour. Intensity of it could always be a bit (a lot!) more. As always.

Green Tea Pannacotta - $5

The grand finale finish to a satisfying dinner is to cater to your sweet tooth that's been fed with vast amounts of salty fried chicken and other savouries.

Served on a small saucer, the panna cotta is heart-achingly small in stature but has a perfectly silky wobble. I prod it once, twice, three times, and then went into mass destruction mode.

The type of island you'd want to spot

Green tea has an obvious prominence in desserts, but I find I like it even more when green tea items are not too artificially sweetened, and that the naturally strong slightly bitter flavour is still evident. Which is why my home-baked goodies are made according to *my* preferences :D

So this panna cotta are all my fantasies coming together, and little did I expect to find it in a humble suburban Japanese eatery. The lusciously light and silky dessert holds a consistently smooth texture throughout and the green tea infused cream means it's not overly sweet.

The overall green colour does not lie, and stays true to your expectation of a strong, intense matcha flavour. The darker layer on top is especially rich and full bodied with slightly bitter undertones, which is easily balanced out with the creamy, sweet moat of custard that protects that green castle - equally as majestic as it is fragile.

Green cups: just so fitting for green tea

Amongst the food, the food, the dessert, and the food, what I love about this place is the unpretentious vibe that sets the icing on the cake. Unlike other places that charge for water and a measly watered down cup of green tea, Ohnamiya struts their generosity and provides free flowing liquids that you can help yourself to.

Just not the alcoholic kind!

Though a place that actually dishes out free samples of Japanese sake does exist...

...

Although a perfectly located Ohnamiya sits on Hampden Road at my convenience, I am inclined to make the trek to whoop whoop (i.e. South of river) to get a good feed from the Ohnamiya from down under. The place is bigger, brighter and rowdier (for the better)!

A most notable mention goes to the waitresses there, for their attentive - perhaps overattentive service. While we appreciate how much attention we were receiving, you'd agree having 4 different staff within the time span of 4 minutes popping by to take your order a bit excessive right? Haha, it didn't bother us one bit, and it's nice to know someone is standing by, ready when we were. Getting attention certainly beats trying to get attention!

It was pleasing to see service is observant and efficient, out on the floor and in the kitchen. Meals come out swiftly and speed is not compromised with quality whatsoever. Ohnamiya provides hearty meals at reasonable prices that won't make you think twice when it comes down to ordering yourself a feast.

The ambiance here is a casual comfortable dining atmosphere, with simple furniture and decor sporting a wooden theme. Signage on walls encourage you to abandon your seat when you're done to other waiting customers so lingering is probably not looked upon favourably!

And on both occasions of visiting, we happened to be seated at the exact same table and causing that unmistakable feeling of deja vu. But of course, I knew with certainty that the second time around was not a repeat of the first, for I ordered a completely new dish.

For the unwritten rule here is you simply do not, should not, would not and could not stick with one dish at Ohnamiya.

***
(08)9364 3332
Wed - Sat: 12pm to 2pm 
Tues - Sat: 5pm to 9pm
Sunday & Monday: Closed

***

Cambridge Forum International Food Court

So whenever a macaron baking session fails and they turn out like rocks that belong in your garden, natural instinct is to give up and go eat out instead.

And with the sheer variety of choice here, yummy prices, and the amount of times my macarons do not end up turning into macarons, I'm going to be at Cambridge Forum a whole heap. Coming here TWICE within 15 hours maximum has set a personal record thats gonna be hard to beat.

I'd say impressive, and not even slightly gluttonous, no matter how I try to look at it.
(But in all seriousness, it's hard not to be).

Teh Tarik - $3.50

We've been on a Teh Tarik roll as of late. This milky beverage is the latest fashion trend on the pink walkway leading down to my stomach, and it sneaks its way into our order and onto our table whenever we see its presence on a drink menu.

Having one sole drink store in the food court seems to be how Cambridge Forum and Spencer Village like to operate. It was a sad moment when I saw the choice of a coffee cup to hold our Teh Tarik in, when I'm so used to downing the stuff in something like a beer mug instead of sipping it daintily from a delicate coffee cup.

As it wobbled and slid en route to our table, I was really wishing for a bigger cup. And bigger handles!

NOT a coffee

Objects that have dots, bumps and holey surfaces usually end up giving my skin the same sort of appearance when I look at it. The only exception to this rule is a deliciously frothy, crater-like surface of a freshly brewed and frothed Teh Tarik.

Unfortunately this layer is not due to the pulling technique, but from a normal, commercial coffee machine's steam wand. It tastes nice, but not as satisfying a teh tarik as I'd hope for.

Assam Laksa - $9

It's easy to tell when assam laksa is cooking away on the stove top, the moment I open the front door. Its smell is the strong, sharp and stinging type that seems to be travelling nowhere except up your nose. And then it lingers there (and in every microscopic air particle in the house) for another day or so.

The Assam Laksa at the Malaysian Hawker store is a weekend specialty only, in all its gluggy glory. Its intense aroma instantly travelled into our nostrils - the salty, the spicy, the sour elements in the dish instantly recognisable.

Unlike conventional laksa, there's no solid meat in this. Fish is minced and ground up into the soup, which carries a sourish tamarind-like taste. The soup is gritty and thick from all the minced fish and pungent shrimp paste that makes laksa so unique. A full on breakfast, but it's hard to get full on just a bowl of noodles, onions, pineapple and lettuce shreds!

Vegemite Chicken Rice - $10.50

I remember seeing so many Vegemite sandwiches around me in Primary school, ecstatic to finally try my own, then throwing the whole sandwich in the bin after the first revolting bite. The jar of Vegemite sat in my pantry for the next few years, unforgotten, presumably full of mould and still not too different from its original flavour at that point.

"How do people even like this s#!t!!!", my 8 year old brain thought. (If my vocab was already that vulgar).

And to this very day, I still stay true to my opinion, but to a lesser extent.

Why would you eat a slice of bread for breakfast ever again?

But as luck might have it, you could come across a different method of usage of your most hated food enemy, which completely revolutionises your thinking. You might eat capsicum if it's on a pizza or touch garlic if it's on garlic bread, but this is to the point where I'm inspired to go and buy a jar of vegemite (and then risk breeding mould. Again.)

Ladies and gentlemen, vegemite chicken, is about to change everything. Your like/dislike for vegemite, your diet, and unfortunately, your size. Please go and try the marmite chicken dish from Hawkers Cuisine in Northbridge if you haven't already, for your own good.

Those vegemite-on-toast days are long gone...

But as much as I hoped, Malaysian Hawker's vegemite chicken dish does not fare up to my heightened expectations for it. It is crunchy and liberally coated in sticky, syrupy sauce, but makes you conscious of the oiliness very soon. Bleurgh.

I blame the chicken that's cut up into very small bite sized pieces, which is convenient to eat but gives you a mouthful of batter instead that overrides the meat taste. And while vegemite sauce sounds disgusting in the mind, the sweet caramel flavour in the mouth is another delicious story.

Mini Shanghai Dumplings - $4.20

When one has a dumpling craving, it is absolutely compulsory to satisfy it.

At Wembley Dim Sum in the food court, you can get your Dim Sum fix easily, minus the hassle of fighting for a parking bay and minus the risk of getting lukewarm, unfresh Dim Sum baskets that have ran a few tiresome laps around the dining floor.

Our doughy babies

Freshly steamed to order, you could safely bet that your order will arrive still with steam rising from the basket. I was in a soupy kind of place and hoped to satisfy that from the broth that sits in these little plump pouches.

Unfortunately, as tough as the dumpling skin appears, it ripped on the way to my mouth. Thinness is not the problem, but rather because every 1 of those 4 dumplings stuck ever so tightly to the sheet of paper beneath them. Impossible not to cause leakage of hot soup inside.

Which saved my life. (My tongue).

Birds eye view has never looked so good!

If they showed a little resistance against the paper, the dumpling skins are actually firm without the excess doughy texture one might expect. The pork mince filling inside is juicy and moist from being bathed in the soup, and the few pearls of fish roe on top are really too limited to add any taste or texture besides helping on the visual side.

I used to eat all my dim sums with vinegar in rain, hail or shine, but I've gotten over that stage. A dash of vinegar might enhance their taste sensation, but I prefer to go without. Sourness can really distort the original flavour too easily.

2 Meat Curry Combination with Dhal & Rice - $11.50

Wandering around during dinner may get you specials and discounts, if stores are trying to sell as much of the food as possible that's sitting in warmers.

Not feeling particularly inspired by the mainstream Asian stores even after a few laps around the food hall, I opted for the nice smelling Wembley Curry House, with all its ugly brown food giving off beautiful aromas.

It's hard to make a choice if you take the 2 meat combination offer. Ultimately, we went for the Lamb Rogan Josh and the ubiquitous Butter Chicken, and a bonus of one more vegetable choice! It is messy (to eat AND to look at), but oh so tender and satisfying.

My mighty good looking and tasting curry beef and chicken with dhal and potatoes for breakfast.

Soybean Milk

It is a no brainer and joyful fact to find soybean milk being sold at predominantly Asian food courts by the jug, instead of the canned variety being the only choice.

Served warm, a glass of this goes down a treat.

Bak Kut Teh - $10.50

Bak Kut Teh is also a Weekend Only dish from the Malaysian Hawker store. I haven't seen this being served with chilli, and I made sure to leave those scary looking chilly seeds alone.

This dish already has all the hotness it needs (temperature wise). In with the tasty soup is a party chock full of pork on the bone, vegetables, tofu and plump Chinese mushrooms. After working your way through all this and leaving yourself with nothing but soup, you can make yourself another meal by ladling the soup over the plain steamed rice.

A steaming hot Bak Kut Teh has got to be one of the most comforting dinner (or lunch or breakfast and everything in between) meals ever.

Tom Yum Soup - $10.50

I experienced a strong calling of noodle soup as I roamed down the walkways of the food court, leading to different countries (cuisines). Many dishes are offered by not just 1, or 2, or even 3 stores, which makes it a bit of a confusion-enticed headache to decide where to get my Tom Yum from.

So out of the 4 stores offering it, I ended up at Malaysian Hawker AGAIN. There hasn't been a time I have diverted away from them. And I am glad I chose them to be my Tom Yum provider, for it fully justified the comment "Oh my god that looks so good" that a stranger made when walking past my table.
Indeed it was, you have good taste.

Afraid that this hot and sour soup would be too hot and too sour for me, I had no reason to be. This could have just been my appetiser, for each consecutive spoonful whetted my appetite and made me progressively hungrier. Loaded with fish balls, chicken, onion, fish cake, broccoli, snow peas, carrots, mushrooms, beansprouts and prawns (PHEW!) AND noodles, utterly delicious.

First spoonful, I died. Every other spoonful after that, I'd gone to heaven.
And when I emptied out the bowl, I came crashing down to Earth.

My 3rd Tom Yum on my 3rd visit in (probably) 3 weeks. Too good.

Chicken Rice - $8.50

Similar to the Tom Yum, you'll struggle with where to get your chicken rice from.
The Singaporean store just about sold me with their advertised boneless chicken rice, before an invisible force pulled me next door to its neighbour, Malaysia.

And to my joyful discovery, Malaysia's chicken is also boneless! Hurrah!

More skin than meat that meets the eye

Looking like the twin to the aforementioned vegemite chicken dish except with slightly different features, the chicken rice is also served with cucumber, tomato and a sprig of coriander. The rice is cooked with chicken stock, and while not as fluffy as plain rice, is more flavoursome.

The chilli sauce the dish is served with is a little on the watery side, but still a good accompaniment to the chicken. The chicken is passable but not at its best as it could be, if it were smoother and the skin not as dense and "fat".

Steamed Custard Buns - $4.20

Before the days where dim sum buns could hold liquid, you would be very familiar with the more solidified custard filling buns. And while they were a delicious treat, their newer improved versions are pure indulgence.

And you can be sure that the centres in these will flow like a river, filling your mouth with a creamy golden liquid (and the table, if you aren't fast enough).

Big round white balls

Perfectly white and smooth buns sit in the basket, still piping hot from being freshly steamed. The two domed shaped buns are like fluffy pillows that are soft and airy, keeping the inside filling scalding hot by sealing in the heat.

Although more suitable to eat at the end of the meal, it is wise to eat these at the beginning instead when they are hot and at their absolute best liquid state.

I cannot lie, I like big buns. And get my hands on them ASAP.

Plain Rice Flour Roll - $4.20

Thinking this was chee cheong fun, A mistakenly ordered these but nevertheless were still a good dish. Rolls of silky rice flour sheets are layered atop each other, surrounded by a moat of sweet and salty soy sauce.

Usually fillings like pork or prawns are rolled in between the sheets, adding texture (and protein!) but these vegetarian rice flour rolls' simplicity are just as good.

The still life of deliciousness

As frozen as it looks, my attempt to capture the beautiful moment of the liquefied centre escaping from its hole nearly cost me my bun.
The movement looked beautiful on my camera screen, until I realised what was happening and threw down my camera to rescue it.

Just one more second...
And I would have been licking my tissue.

...

So when one mentions the words "food court", what comes to mind is usually mediocre, mass-produced edible items that can sometimes be referred to as food. Having grown up in one (sort of), this is not the case and Cambridge Forum here is also far from that misconception. And after a sit back in my chair rubbing my tummy satisfaction level kind of dinner here, home, die in bed, and come straight back here for breakfast situation, it is my home away from home (whenever food is needed)!

And while most food courts generate business via random foot traffic and provide convenience food, this food court provides purpose food - people actually come here for it specifically, and not just because they need a tummy filler after emptying out their fortune after shopping for 5 hours. Perhaps AFTER late night shopping in the city, as Friday night here was one big busy food party with LOTS of hungry attendees.

A spacious complex with lots of parking, complete with an indoor playground and mounted televisions makes a very comfortable family environment. Good news for families, but not exciting news for those intolerant to excessive noise and movement when dining out. The food hall ambiance is inescapable, but the layout is clean and comfortable. Just behold and beware the prominent NO OUTSIDE FOOD ALLOWED warning upon entering!

It's all about honest, inexpensive good feeds here, and grab your own cutlery and provided wine glasses (yep, BYO!) from the central table type of place. I was given $20 to go crazy with, and while that could get me a stingy entree elsewhere, you can get as crazy as 3 dishes here with a red note. And food delivery to your seat means you possibly see more service here than you would at a restaurant where getting your food requires you to get off your ass.

And THAT, is precisely the reason why all my pants are getting too tight for me.

***
(08) 9383 9318
Tues - Wed: 11am to 9pm
Thurs - Sun: 11am to 9.30pm
Closed Mondays
http://cambridgeforum.com.au/

***

Bintang Cafe

Equivalent to the popular I LOVE NY shirts, those instantly recognisable Bintang singlets are everywhere here.

I should join the Bintang singlet party for having finally visited...Bintang Cafe.
I haven't tried the beer, but close enough justification!

Nasi Seafood Bakar - $11

Apparently the guys at Bintang Cafe give the real Indonesia a run for its money. Evidently, minimalistic but still tasty fare goes a long way.

Reading this dish's description and seeing its attached price tag got me excited, though I ought to have realised that Grilled fish, squid & prawn with special glaze meant a single fish, a single baby squid and a single prawn.

No way did this fill me up. Though the whole grilled fish was satisfyingly meaty, its slightly crispy skin glistening from caramelisation of the sauce glaze. I had to be refrained from swallowing the tail, fins, and other fishy parts you wouldn't eat.

Teh Tarik - $3.50

Trying one of Asia's most popular beverages comes as a must if you happen to stumble across Indonesia along Victoria Park's eating strip.

I love the big-handled mug that lets you at least hold your drink while it's still hot, and attempt to scald yourself. Sweet, milky and foamy is the style of all the Teh Tarik's in the world, yet Bintang Cafe's rendition has a unique sweetness that aren't in other Teh Tariks but tasted just so familiar.

I couldn't focus on enjoying my meal until I pretty much finished the whole cup just trying to figure out that particular taste.
With a belly full of liquid, it finally hit. For those who know it, it tastes EXACTLY like the canned Pearl Milk Tea drink sold at Asian grocers.

Gulai Kambing - $8

At $8, I really shouldn't have been surprised at the size of the bowl this curry was served in. Served on its own, it might fill you up if you order an extra bowl of rice while on its own you're going to want more!

As a traditional Indonesian lamb curry that seems to be all about the juice, the pieces of lamb are really quite limited. The sauce however, is light enough to drink on its own or if spooned over rice, to create another meal on its own.

I always like to create my own meals at home, namely - soy sauce and rice.
I think I've perfected it: the art of sauce pouring :D

...

I wouldn't have thought of this as a place I'd ever go out of my way to try, but after stalking Bintang Cafe online that's exactly what I did. Indonesian cuisine isn't really a big thing here in Perth, as Asian cuisine in general incorporates fusions of all the different types out there.
And Asian cuisine is love, for its scrumptious food available at relatively cheaper prices.

The place is more of a fast and cheap eats style cafe. Their meals can be thought as cheap but small, or small but cheap. Works both ways, but for the prices the food is still tasty home style cooking. For a place so small, their menu is quite extensive! Portion wise, lets say we gave V Burgers next door a visit right after leaving our table!

The small, cramped space means limited seating that you have to fight for. There's no waiting system so other people coming after us snagged seats and food before us, which can be a bit irritating :( Service is minimal with order & pay at the counter and ambiance is nil - evident with our unwiped wobbly tables and chairs out on the pavement with a lovely view overlooking the carpark.

With bintang translating to star, the business's business suggests people know how to find hidden stars but keep quiet about it.

***
(08) 9472 9788
Monday - Sunday: 11am to 10pm

***

The Moon Cafe

Trips to the moon are getting much more believable and achievable these days.
And its location on the streets of Northbridge makes daily visits to The Moon downright easy.
You don't need rocket science of any kind, just a car.

Just a bottle of Vodka thanks!

Gone are the days of sneaking clear alcoholic liquids into bottles disguised as water.
Now it's being served automatically at The Moon, as a big warm welcome to say, "Here you go, have a freaking good night ahead!"

The striking similarities between Vodka and water makes it the best idea ever to recycle all those Vodka bottles that The Moon seems to have emptied out.

My jaw dropped with downright horror when I looked at the bar staff casually poured himself, and consequently sculled down a glass full of liquid from this bottle that sat among all the other alcoholic drinks at the bar.
I've never seen someone quench their thirst with so much style before while they were working.

I was in awe, until I remembered it was water.

Chilli Prawn Spaghetti - $19.50

After reading others sing praises about this, the Chilli Prawn Spaghetti was on our order despite us not being particularly tolerant of chilli. In hindsight it was dumb, but dumb things are the best things sometimes :)

This is a generous plate of saucy spaghetti strands, drenched with chilli napoli sauce with quite a fiery kick if you're not particularly a chilli conqueror. Although non existent in the picture, a handful of plump prawns are meddled amongst the carbohydrate maze.

As your tongue gets progressively number to the chilli, the remaining pool of sauce feels so much hotter than before.

Vegetarian Pizza - $18

Pizzas without cheese aren't really pizzas, so pizzas to me aren't really pizzas anymore. They've lost that stringy, melty, unhealthy characteristic that makes them so beautiful. Not to mention visually less appealing too!

I was tearing myself up when ordering this without the cheese. And when it came out to our table with the no cheese part completely forgotten, I was reluctant to send it back. However, paying respects to my own body, I did. And this final one, looks just as magnificent!
Just imagine the amount of vegetables you would voluntarily eat...

I would never get sick of you, ever.

The Moon's pizza bases are crisp and light, and actually makes you feel no guilt at all eating a (whole) pizza. It's not at all doughy and the ingredients are liberally jam-packed on like sardines in a can (a good thing for once!).

When you see this, then compare it to the stingy, sparsely spread ingredients on other pizzas, you grin with glee. It's impossible to eat this without dropping ingredients everywhere! With the vast amounts of mushroom, kalamata olives, zucchini, roasted capsicum, pumpkin, eggplant and chunky amounts of herb pesto, you are literally eating a salad. The kind that's on a pizza.

Lemon Lime Bitters - $4

Before an epic meal, you need something refreshing to quench your thirst first!
And I've found my perfect answer :)

Arrabbiata Penne - $18.50

Thanks to the dim lit atmosphere of The Moon, you'll eat most of your dishes in the dark, particularly if you are seated at the bar seats. Each mouthful is half a surprise, especially when chilli is part of the dish. A definite need to keep reaching for a few big shots of "vodka" to down this!

This penne pasta dish includes peppery cacciatore sausage slices, mushrooms and olives cooked in a chilli napoli sauce. It's like I have a weird, unexplainable fetish for ordering chilli dishes that we can't exactly eat freely without gulping down water that is consequently sweated back out furiously.

Only personal gripe are the unpitted olives, for nearly taking away a bit of my tooth!

Chicken & Bacon - $19.50

Many of their pizza/pasta variants have ingredients that interchange between the two mediums. Personally I think the ingredients on this pizza would fare a lot better as its pasta counterpart. It all came together to be a bit tasteless and dry.

I would have preferred a base more napoli sauced up, and more juicier succulent chicken pieces. The free range chicken, bacon, Spanish onion, roasted capsicum and mushrooms with the on-the-dry-side base was not an easy breeze to finish, but it was good to see the generosity of ingredients still at play!

Dry, but definitely still not comparable to a certain pub's pizzas where I subconsciously used my uneaten pizza base to wipe oil off my hands. I'd liken that experience to eating pizza ingredients off a Sao cracker.
It takes dryness to a whole new level - pizza base dehydration.

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If the hunger bug happens to strike at the most inconvenient times of night, a spontaneous journey to The Moon is a must. You'll find species there that are the most friendly humans you'll come across in a while, with most even more down-to-earth than the people of Earth itself. Although running their asses off trying to satisfy the neverending needs of all its customers, service is given with a smile and good levels of attentiveness despite the midnight rush hour!

The menu accommodates so many tastes, and the kitchen will accommodate dining needs with no fuss at all. In a full house restaurant with no spare tables, the food arrives fairly quickly with the kitchen busily pumping out the orders continuously. Their tasty fare is even tastier on their specials nights*, bringing you discounted pizzas and pastas. And peeps come from far and wide to get in on their famous Chocolate Pizza.
You can't get any more indulgent (and unhealthier) than that! Two negatives really do make a positive :)

I really have no problems with the staff, and in fact quite love the customer service attached to them. It can be a challenge to get some attention sometimes, as it was difficult to call for service despite sitting right at the bar in front of a very busy bartender! The more intimate dining booths are probably not an option unless you go on the waiting list for one, or arrive with epic timing. Though the old-school arcade game table out the front seems to always be available!

What I assume most people love is the whole chilled out atmosphere here. The dark, indie and relaxed vibe, mismatching and worn out furnitures, the lighting, the music, the people all contribute to this cosy destination to chillax. It's a place where you can chatter as loud or whisper as quiet as you please to your mates, or mumble incoherently to yourself as you wish.
I frequently self-mumble about their policy that requires you to leave them a form of your ID before placing an order.

And just like we did, I'd frequently drive to The Moon and back.
Because unlike the moon, The Moon has a gravitational force that keeps pulling you back for more.

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(08) 9328 7474
Mon - Tues: 6pm to 1am
Wed/Thurs/Sun: 11am to 1am
Fri - Sat: 11am to 3.30am
Closed public holidays

*Specials

Dinner Mon/Tues: $11.95 pizza or pasta
Lunch Wed - Fri: $11.95 pizza or pasta including a glass of wine/soft drink

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