A new Perth benchmark
Success stories for restaurants start with the venue being designed to suit the location and its public- not the other way around. Such is the story at The Breakwater and its culinary nucleus, the Ishka Restaurant. In Gaelic, the Irish word for water - 'Uische' – is pronounced 'Ish-ka'.
Hillarys Boat Harbour is a coastal hub for action in Perth's burgeoning northern suburbs, attracting a wide variety of demographical groups. The Reids' (they're Irish, hence the Gaelic) designed The Breakwater to resonate with its wide-ranging patronage. Sean Reid says, "We're a large venue with different areas under the one roof that cater to a diverse range of tastes, occasions, people and so on."
It seems this progressive philosophy is working. Since the re-launch, the Breakwater won several (coveted) Australian Hotels Association Awards for Excellence in 2009: 'WA's Best Hotel/Tavern Restaurant', 'WA's Best Redeveloped Hotel/Tavern', and 'The Lion Nathan Bar Presentation and Service Award'.
The Breakwater's beauty is relentless. Think glass, stainless steel, perfect lighting, warm dark timbers, marble, and a colour swatch of white, cream, taupe, grey and black. The furniture is custom-designed and Swarovski crystal chandeliers drip from the ceiling. It's minimal, stylish, polished and could easily be slotted straight into Sydney Harbour. It's a venue for summer but also for winter with its warm furnishings, open fires, cosy lounges and vast windows to watch the weather roll in.
The bright, welcoming Lower Deck Main Bar opens out onto the boardwalk where you can grab a drink, coffee or something more substantial from the gourmet cafe-style menu. Sean wanted to create a place that would encourage "a symphony of tourists and locals together. We're going for an 'urban resort feel' where there's a wide variety of age groups. It's what Hillarys is all about."
Head up the grand staircase to the upper deck and you'll find Ishka Restaurant and Reid's Lounge. First impression: relaxed opulence. The stunning bar (that won the aforementioned award) is alluring; it beckons you to explore its array of good liquor. It seems they have everything – and three varieties of it.
Reid's Lounge is classy yet laid-back, with different niches and nooks to relax in. It offers the same gourmet cafe menu as the Lower Deck, with the addition of tapas. There's a great cocktail and wines-by-the-glass list and of course, coffee and cake. Also upstairs is the Akoya Suite; the Breakwater's function area that can be cleverly split up into different spaces. One look at the rooms and you'll dream up an event just to have it there.
At the heart of all this is Ishka Restaurant, where the water is visible from all angles. The menu features entrées (about $20) and mains (about $35), with plenty of sides ($8) – but let's start at desert for once (about $14). Two words for you: 'Eaton Mess' - a mix of strawberries, coulis, crushed meringue, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. I loved the peppered tuille (wow) that housed this mess, and the range of textures. So simple yet I know I couldn't re-create this myself – there's an elusive genius quality to it. Sean says it’s a secret balance that they've perfected over the years. It's so sensual; share it with a lover or a hopeful candidate!
The 'Chocolate Indulgence Plate' had a fine array of petite dishes that virtually encompassed the entire scope of possible chocolatey flavours and textures. The 'Mango and Passionfruit Polenta Cake' with lime mascarpone and mango ice cream was compellingly atypical.
The first entrée was 'Free Range Pork Belly and Moreton Bay Bugs', with mango and pear chutney. Set up like a 'two taste' on a long plate, it got my tastebuds buzzing. The pork belly was crisp, tender, not fatty and coated with a super-tangy, sweet, 'clovey' fruit sauce, which brought out the pork’s best flavours. The fresh, fleshy bugs made for a great partner, as well as a thin green apple slaw garnish.
Second entrée: 'Tian of Tasmanian Salmon'. The fishy mould featured cold smoked and poached salmon, and sat on crisp cucumber slices, with chervil, melon, and pink peppercorns. I liked that the salmon was prepared in two different ways. Our 2007 Jacobs Creek Steingarten Rielsing cut through the rich fish and the crème-fraiche-like dressing. A great dish and I’m not even a big salmon fan.
The final entrée: 'Grilled Black Pudding' – something which I've never wanted to try. I'm glad I did, because this secret Irish recipe works. The meat had a fascinating texture like meaty, grainy pâté. It wasn't rich and didn't taste like blood or iron. Subtle herb flavours like sweet cloves came through. The accompaniments were unbelievably well-thought-out: syrupy caramelised apple, crispy-salty pancetta, an earthy/tangy beetroot reduction and a peppery watercress salad. It was a welcome assault on my palate, from all angles.
For mains: 'Crispy Skinned Barramundi' with a shaved fennel, red cabbage and herb coleslaw; baby capers and a riesling dressing - a clever mix of textures and colours. The riesling and dill in the dressing brought out the sweet oak of the (remarkably good) 2005 Heydon Estate 'The Willow' Single Vineyard Chardonnay (Margaret River, WA). I loved the bite of the fennel and rocket.
Next, the 'Rack of Lamb' was elegant, accompanied by crushed potatoes and a medley of mushrooms (including delightful enochi). Stuffed full of sage, garlic and spinach, the chef really let the (local) Dorper Lamb speak for itself. The lovely roasted flavours made the thick red wine even more gripping.
Finally, the 'Duck Breast' was exquisite: sliced breast on a layer-upon-layer stack of sweet potato, with curly kale (like a wild cabbage) and a green peppercorn sauce. The duck meat was so tender and trimmed perfectly, with just the right amount of fat left on it. The sweet creamy potatoes collaborated well with the intermittent pop of green peppercorns. The velvety mouth-feel of the 2007 Montana 'Terraces' Pinot Noir (Marlborough, NZ) augmented the meat.
Being at Ishka feels like you’re hanging out on some millionaire’s boat – that happens to be a good friend.
