Share Plates: Perth’s Latest in Food and Drink News – August 24, 2022

Bringing the European summer Down Under
The details for edition number five of Besk Mates – a series of irregular wine, food and music parties thrown by the funsters at West Leederville’s Besk – have been announced and it’s shaping up to be a corker. But just in case the chance to taste more than 50 predominantly European wines from importers such as Sydney’s legendary Andrew Guard, Lieu-dit and Vinous wasn’t reason enough to put Saturday September 3 in your diary, guest chef Liam Atkinson (Le Rebelle, Bar Rogue) will be joining Besk head chef Tom Bidois to serve a spirited take on French cuisine. The wine tasting is ticketed ($45 per person, available online) and runs from 12pm to 3pm, with the free wine party and kitchen takeover from 3pm till close.

Yarri and Snake & Herring come to Perth
Between them, veteran WA chefs Stephen Clarke – formerly of Clarke’s of North Beach, now at Santini Bar & Grill at QT Perth – and Aaron Carr (Yarri in Dunsborough and, prior to that, Margaret River’s Vasse Felix for 21 years) have years of serious cooking experience. Factor in the combined winemaking history shared by Snake & Herring owners Tony Davis and Redmond Sweeny and you’re looking at a quartet with plenty of runs on the board. On Thursday September 29, the gents will join forces for a four-course dinner at Santini complete with matched wines and canapés. Tickets are $150 and available online.

Specialist bak kut teh restaurant Kee Hiong Klang reopens in Victoria Park
Translating to “pork bone soup”, bak kut teh (BKT) is made by slowly simmering pork bones with herbs and spices to create a rich, deeply flavoured broth. Last year, Malaysian BKT chain Kee Hiong Klang opened its first Australian outpost in Victoria Park. Earlier this year, the original restaurant closed – but it recently resurfaced on Albany Highway opposite the Park Centre, bringing its herbal, Klang-style BKT to a more central location.

An Afro-Caribbean food and music festival is coming to Perth
On Saturday September 10, Afro-Caribbean food and musical festival Carribfeast takes over Perth Mess Hall, bringing together music and food from the Caribbean, Polynesia, Mauritius and Africa. In addition to the big-hitting flavours of jerk chicken, lamb curry, rice jollof and more, a soundtrack of dancehall, reggaeton and Afrobeat will ensure the vibe is just as lively. Tickets are available online for $25.

A blueberry and shiraz sour for summer
Community bottle shop Old Bridge Cellars has teamed up with south-west brewery Eagle Bay to create a summer-ready sour. Made with local blueberries and shiraz grapes and aged in wine barrels, the Blue Swimmer sour (the beer, we’re pretty sure, contains no crabs) brings the worlds of beer and wine that little bit closer. Pre-sale orders are available online, with pick-up at both Old Bridge Cellars’ Fremantle and Como outposts on Friday September 9. Both stores will have tastings on the day from 4pm to 7pm, and North Fremantle’s Piggy Food Co will host an Eagle Bay tap takeover party afterwards.