K ON HAY - MORE THAN OK!
The Comfort Hotel Perth City is the home of this delightful Café & Bar fronting onto Hay St, just the causeway side of Bennett St, in East Perth. The first thing you notice, when you walk in, is the wall behind the bar, which is studded with stone pebbles. It's very unusual, and quite stunning. The café is modern, light and airy, with a small al fresco area outside, and a unique function room accessible though glass doors, which is often booked for parties. The atmosphere is very relaxed, fun, interesting, and friendly, and customer service is a priority for the staff.
Surrounded by other Hotels and apartments, whose occupants (including lots of interstate cricketers, baseball players, swimmers and soccer players) are frequently seen visiting K on Hay, the venue is open for breakfast and dinner seven days a week.
Traditionally Wednesday nights has been a pizza/pasta night, but we are told that a Buffet-soup, variety of pastas, salads and a dessert will now be on Wednesday's Menu. We didn't try any pizza, pasta or soups on this occasion, but if the standard of the regular menu is anything to go by, it's bound to be really good.
Liz has been at K on Hay for six months now, and enjoys working in such a relaxed, fun environment. She came from a background in food and beverage and functions, with many years in the hospitality business, working for such places as the Sebel in Pier St, and the Acacia. Liz told us that the most popular dish was usually the Thai beef salad, Scotch Fillet or scallopine. The Penne al Romane, Rissotto De Pesca, and Barramundi are also very popular with the regular customers who live or work close by.
We started off with a Seafood Plate for two and a Thai Beef Salad - both quite substantial dishes for entrees. Beautifully presented, the Seafood Plate included garlic bug tails, grilled lemon scallops, Cajun prawns, some really fresh smoked salmon and Thai squid served with a coconut & palm sugar dipping sauce. The Thai Beef Salad - tender grilled beef strips tossed with bean shoots, cashew nuts, orange segments and Asian greens in a Thai style dressing - was just fantastic, with heaps of flavour and freshness. I really enjoyed this.
A glass of Yellowglen Bella pink sparkling wine went down a treat with our Mains selections. Quite sweet for a champagne style wine, it complements any type of dish. The Main courses were Stuffed Chicken Breast - tender, flavorsome, grilled chicken breast with pine-nuts, feta, roast capsicum & spinach, served on a parmesan risotto tart; and Veal Roulade - filled with wild mushrooms, apricots & spinach, served with rounds of grilled gnocchi potato roulade, and tender spears of fresh asparagus on a platter drizzled with a rich sweet Madeira sauce. I loved the potato roulade - a really novel way to serve the humble spud - and the asparagus was really yummy. I do like my veggies - specially when they taste this good!
Then it was time for dessert - a delicious Pumpkin Pannacotta served with sultanas soaked in jasmine tea and drizzled with a Grand Marnier flavoured sauce; and a Chocolate Tower - which turned out to be a cylinder of chocolate, filled with rich chocolate mousse, and decorated with slices of strawberry and kiwi-fruit, ringed with a circle of raspberry coulis. Raspberry and chocolate is a marriage made in heaven as far as I'm concerned, and this was a truly delectable dish.
Visually, every dish was a work of Art, and our demolition of the Artwork was only justified by the quality of the taste sensations. Chef Colin Cameron has been at this establishment for a year. His previous experience includes cooking for the Hilton, Pierre's in West Perth, The Plum, Park Royal, Pinewood Wedding Reception Centre and Ansett. He likes the people at K on Hay and enjoys the casual atmosphere
