The Grill Restaurant at the Duxton Hotel

 

Please excuse my lack of postings, again blame it all on the fact that I have never ending workload and in between all that trying to enjoy life!

 

On one of my many stressed out nights I was picked up by a friend and we ventured into the city to try something a little nice and doesn't require booking and has a wine list because I was in need of wine.. and one that was in the gold entertainment card, because you know I'm broke and he's broke but we still love food. So we decided to go to the Duxton Hotel and try out their Grill restaurant. It was an early dinner so we were one of the few people eating at the Grill.

 

I don't know how full this place gets, but on the night we went we were looked after enough. After choosing a bottle of red JJ settled with a hearty sirloin steak with red wine sauce and I opted for the fish, barramandi with kimchi sauce.

 

The steak was cooked medium rare, the way it was ordered and the wine sauce was delicious. Paired with the steak it was match made in heaven. JJ commented how much more he wanted more of the sauce.

 

 

My barramandi had crispy skin with moist silky fish that melted in your mouth. It was paired with a very Korean like dish with this kimchi style sauce and almond flakes through it. The textures of the fish with the crunch of the almond flakes made the dish rather interesting to eat (and at times almost confusing). The kimchi sour and chilli sauce actually paired rather nicely with the fish, maybe because I like kimchi? It was definitely different and worth trying. I actually enjoyed the dish it was rather different but in all the good ways.

 

 

For dessert, I opted for the creme brulee with almond brittle and blue cheese. I was a little disappointed because the crack wasn't there and the almond brittle was a really thick and hard and couldn't really eat it. (I wonder if it was made a while ago?) I wasn't impressed by the brulee. However, I've discovered the creme brulee actually works when eaten with blue cheese. The sweetness of the brulee complements the salty and sharpness of the cheese.

 

 

I can't really remember the dish that JJ had but all I know is that it was not what we expected. We expected a little tart pastry but what we got was a plate full of this yummy custard/pudding like thing with pastry slapped on at the top of the pudding with a dub of ice cream. Surprisingly the custard/pudding thing was yummy as and dipped with the pastry it was delicious, to the point where we could have licked the bowl. But that was probably it. The pastry seemed as though it was reheated so it had that "soggy" sort of post-heat taste and feel to it.

 

 

The Grill restaurant isn't bad, but it wasn't worth the price tag. They do steaks well and exploring their flavours in their dishes and making sure it works is a plus. I think their breakfast buffet is probably better. Yes, I've been to their breakfast buffet, but that's another story. At least the restaurant is calm and quite so allows you to just chat in peace without having to raise your voice so much. The staff is pleasant enough. But as Perth restaurants expand if this place doesn't lift its game then it's nothing more than a place for people staying at the hotel to dine in.