Next Door Bar & Grill

Sophisticated, stylish and delicious!

IF YOU'RE looking to try somewhere cool, classy and a little different why not try Next Door. Pardon the pun but seriously, located on Fremantle's funky cappuccino strip this restaurant-cum-tapas-bar-cum-cocktail lounge is a welcome change to the laid-back café-style that is Freo.

Now don't get me wrong "laid back and café" is what I love about Fremantle but sometimes it's nice to have a little shake-up once in a while and Next Door is just the place to do it!

The day we visited it was a glorious spring day and Freo was pumping with AFL types and the who's who of Freo enjoying the afternoon off. Inside the wooden floors, leather features and modern chandeliers transported me to funky a place and got me thinking - hey, I could get used this!

Next Door offers a range of meals from something light like a sharing platter or if you're really hungry, something more substantial like the rib-eye. If you want a quiet drink, don't worry they've got that sorted too. Feel free to sit at their bar and enjoy your favourite poison along with a selection of tapas dishes as you watch the world go by, Freo-style.

We couldn't decide where to start so we decided to try a bit of everything from the tapas menu as well as something extra from the extensive main menu. First up were the freshly shucked oysters with lemon Tabasco, served with a delightful Ca'Montini Prosecco. This fruity wine with medium dry finish was an excellent match and would also work well as an aperitif. The oysters were fresh, plump and delicious, so much so I devoured three on my own.

Next on my list was the Carpaccio fillet beef with capers, rocket, and reggiano drizzled with extra virgin lemon oil. I've always had a fear of eating raw meat but have to say it was an awesome way to be formally introduced. The tender meat tore away with every forkful. Light, finely sliced and topped with reggiano and extra virgin lemon oil it was a fine way to start our meal.

Next we tried the seared scallops with cucumber and wasabi pickled ginger mayo. Served with Corte Giaro Veneto Pinot Grigio, this dish encompassed every summer flavour imaginable. There was just a hint of wasabi and my colleague commented that it gave off a scintillating aftertaste - definitely a match-winner on the day! A great wine for summer, the Pino Grigio is a perfect choice with seafood and salads.

Our waiter continued the seafood extravaganza with barbecued prawn skewers with Tamarind, chilli Asian spices and crisp soft shell crab with red chilli and nahm jim. The prawn dish was a little messy but don't let that deter you (they give you refresher towels to clean up afterwards) as it was again another standout with each of us polishing the plate clean. The crab was well matched with the Cape Naturalist SSB (Semillon Sauvignon Blanc) and my colleague described it as an excellent, light dish. He added that the bitterness of the sauce was smoothed out by the lightness of this Margaret River wine, making it a very pleasant combination of flavours.

Getting onto the meatier dishes we tried the caramelised pork hock with chilli vinegar and deep fried shallots. I love pork so I'm a little biased when I say this was my favourite dish of the day. The pork was tender and the full bodied flavours of the 2004 Torpedo Rocks Cabernet/Merlot made this dish all the more delightful - amazing!

Knowing we were onto a winner at Next Door we decided to give their mains a try. My colleague chose the braised duck leg with curry jasmine rice, while I, the carnivore, chose the rib-eye.

My colleague seemed to really enjoy the duck, claiming hands down it was best dish of the day. I don't know about that because my pork was pretty good too. He commented that although spicy, it was not too hot and the meat so tender it just fell off the bone.

My rib-eye was probably an overzealous choice considering all the light meals I'd already consumed throughout the day. Served on a sweet potato mash with a side of asparagus, in retrospect, I should have opted for something smaller as it was probably a little too heavy for me at the time. However, having said that, it was all good.

Needless to say there is always room for dessert and the White Chocolate and Bailey's Souffle did just the trick. Presented similarly to a Pannacotta it was refreshingly light, not too rich and a great way to finish such an indulgent afternoon of delectable delights.

Open Thursday through to Monday for lunch and dinner and Wednesday for dinner only, there are even more opportunities to pop Next Door on the weekends when opening hours begin with brunch at 11.30 both Saturday and Sunday.

I believe variety is the spice of life so instead of sticking to what you know, try something different, sophisticated, stylish and delicious - trust me Next Door has it all!

By Belinda Cipriano