Red Opium

I love a good Thai restaurant and especially so when you can share it with family and friends. So I was so glad to discover this place through a fellow blogger, maybe you have heard of them? Perth Food Engineers. Since I went with M, I've been raving about it and recommending it to everyone who is up for a little twist in Thai food... So what and where is this place you ask? Well, it's called Red Opium and it's on Hill street opposite the Perth Mint. 

When we entered Red Opium it was like we stumbled upon some old Chinese opium lair with huge paintings of Chinese ladies lazing around in couches smoking, lots of red chiffon drapes, wooden chairs and tables, "antique" Chinese decorations and a traditional opium smoking "bed". It reflected the name of the restaurant brilliantly!

When we got to our seat, the booking name was under M and her name was placed in a wooden frame, which I thought was such a nice, personal touch. 

Lucky for me, M had looked at the menu and seeing as we have similar taste it was easy to agree. Before we get into what we ordered, I love how they can adjust the spiciness of the dishes and as M has almost no tolerance to spicy foods we ordered extra spice on the side, which meant fresh cut chilli (generous amount at that) in a bowl. I recommend for those who can't tolerant spicy foods to definitely ask for less spice for most of the dishes, as chilli seemed to be present in almost everything.

The menu at Red Opium is crafted by head chef Jak. It marries fresh Australian produce with Thai-inspired cooking and fare with the flavours of Thai and ole school favourite Thai dishes expressed in an exquisite style.

We started off with the small plates - Yin and Yang. It was presented in a cute wicker basket scale that held two different dips - a white dip that was a creamy prawn and minced coconut balanced on the other side is the red dip of minced pork and tomato. The dips were accompanied by papadum-styled crackers and lettuce.

Yin and Yang dips

Apart from the gorgeous presentation of the Yin and Yang, the dips were spectacular. The white dip was the perfect mix of coconut and cream with chopped pieces of prawn through it. The chilli helped cut through the richness of the cream. The minced pork and tomato had hints of spices and chilli through it and was oddly similar to my parent's version of "minced meat spaghetti Asian style". 

The next dish to come out was surprisingly yummy. Son in Law Eggs - The eggs are boiled then lightly fried to have a crispy exterior drizzled with tamarind and topped with dried chillies and fried sweet garlic. The sweet-tart flavour of the tamarind, the creamy texture of the egg with the hints of chilli flavour was just divine. Just make sure you DO NOT EAT THE DRIED chillies because they are HOT (unless of course you like it like that). 

Son-in-law eggs

To offset the creamy rich Thai-infused dishes that were coming out, we decided to cut through it by ordering the Crudo tuna. The Crudo tuna was served on Chinese spoons. The tuna was fresh and the flavours of lemongrass, lime and hint of chilli was refreshing on the palate and was almost like a palate cleanser.

Crudo Tuna

Crab Crawl

The last small plate we ordered was the crab crawls. Golden and crunchy on the outside with succulent crab meat on the inside.  

If the small plates left you wanting more there are larger plates that on offer and they are also perfect to share.

We ordered two very different larger dishes for sharing. The first is a twist on the traditional Thai Red Curry. It was called F-Duck. Roasted duck and veggies in red curry flavours with sweet lychees throughout the dish. We made the F-Duck mild in chilli, but if you think you can handle it go up the heat radar. It was so delicious, the curry needs to be soaked up, so make sure you grab yourself a side of steamed rice!

F-Duck

Then there was the Kiss of Death with lightly fried king prawns with fried lotus leaves on homemade corn chips tossed through chilli flakes and coriander leaves. The prawns were plump and juicy with the perfect amount of heat, it was a beautiful kiss of death. 

Kiss of Death

The dishes at the Red Opium are fabulous and I can't wait to try more of the menu. Price wise it's reasonable and it's currently on the Entertainment Card. The service? It's fabulous. Friendly, personal, cheerful and informative. The only downside is that they are a cash only venue. If you get a chance, check out Red Opium, it's a little twist on traditional Thai dishes, but the flavours are most definitely there. 

Spring has sprung for just a brief moment

Perth is having the strangest of weather. It hasn't been this cold or wet in spring for as long as I can remember. Grey skies seemed to have dominated majority of September and this month isn't faring any better and it's already half way through, what is usually lovely blue skies and warm sunny days.

I was lucky enough to be off work for one of those rare sunshine filled spring days and dashed off to see the last of the tulips still blooming in all its glory in the Araluen Botanical Gardens.

It was the perfect sunny day to have picnic baskets in hand, sausages, steaks and patties in coolers, solo cans in eskies and lounged around on the grass before smelling the lovely tulips and walking around the green gardens of Araluen. Oh and to don a summer-esque dress and get some rays and vitamin D into my skin doesn't hurt either.

Hat: Vintage

Sunnies: Prescription sunglasses from Optical Superstore

Scarf: Silk shop in Xian, China

Dress: Present from bf's mum

Cardigan: Country Road

Bag: Country Road

Shoes: See by Chloe

Spotlight on Vangoh Shoes and Accessories

For those that don't know I'm very fussy with my shoes, mainly because I value comfort and quality in all my pair of shoes than style (although it helps that they look good). But I find it so hard to find the right mix of comfort, quality, style and at the right price, and that was when I discovered Vangoh. I was walking in the city and there it was *cue music* with beautiful sandals on display. Since then my collection has grown. In fact, a little too rapidly. I think I have about 7 pairs of Vangohs and I'm struggling to stop buying them! In fact you were privy to a couple of those shoes in a previous post here.

So I thought it was fitting that my second "Spotlight" featured my favourite shoe boutique in Perth, Vangoh.

I met up the lovely creative directors at the Perth city store for a quick chat, and I brought along their favourite snack, Tim Tams whilst I picked their brains. They also happen to stock gorgeous clutches, bags, and jewellery amongst their beautiful shoes.

Rollcall:

Hi my name is Raj and this is Vanessa we are a husband and wife team, creative directors, owners behind Vangoh shoes and accessories located in Perth CBD (Raine Square opposite Country Road) and Subiaco.

When did you start Vangoh? How did you learn to design?

Raj:  Vangoh was born in 2009 and have done more than 15 collections. The first collection was done mainly by me and wasn't released and wasn't the best. A year later Vanessa joined me, around mid-2010 and that was when the shoe designs really took off and headed in the right direction.

Vanessa: We are very push and pull, yin and yang. He (Raj) is the main designer and he's good at identifying and selecting styles that people would like, whereas I'm very creative and chose designs and style that are way  out there and not necessarily the ones the mass people would like.

Raj: We work very well together because I select the colour, style and everything associated with that and she (Vanessa) selects the practicality side of things, the comfort side of the shoes. For me it's more, I like the colour, I like the shoe, I want to get that. While, she thinks about the customers and whether they would like it and that is very important in business.

 I have a background in fashion business, accessories and bags mainly. I have worked with a couple of clothing brands, but I like buying and selecting. We both get inspired looking at fashion, women's shoes, jewellery, clothes and accessories and previously I mainly worked with women's jewellery and bags and that was something that allowed me to develop an eye for what is on trend.

Vanessa: I came from a design background, mainly graphic design, but I'm a shoe-holic and together, with a year of research in the art of shoe making, we got started. Although we don't make the shoes ourselves, we had an idea for the designs of the shoes and found the right people to make it for us. 

Raj: We have a love for fashion and we buy together and our first collection sold out.

Vanessa: It showed us that we were heading in the right direction and we are getting there. And really what makes all this worthwhile is when our customers come into our stores and tells us "we only buy Vangoh" or shows us photos of their Vangoh shoe collection. That is what is so rewarding, and that what we are doing means something to somebody. 

Raj: Being a small company and with both of us working in both of our stores and comparing to the bigger companies out there, where they have a team of designers and someone who selects the materials and everything, and for both us, with hard work, with God's blessing, right things at the right time, we are proud of where we are and what we have achieved and are excited about what is to come.

What do you hope to offer the ladies of Perth?

Vanessa: Our vision has always been to be fashionable and comfortable. None of our heels are too high, everything has a bit of a platform or a comfortable wedge or padding, while being fashionable. We specialise in sandals and flats. So summer will have to be our busiest season. We offer something unique and shoes that are not found in the big chain stores or other stores around Perth. With our shoes, the style or design won't be found anywhere else, the colour, the fabric. Each shoe is a signature piece and unique to Vangoh.

Raj: Each pair of shoes is made with love by both of us. We spend a lot of time, 18 hours a day, 7 days a week creating the perfect pair of shoe with love for the people.

Vanessa: Vangoh caters to the practical women. Women who are working, who are mums, young women who are just starting in the work force. Raj and I also works on the floor so we know what they want - comfort, practicality and style and I think that is what Vangoh shoes and designs give to them - elegantly designed and practical shoes. We also aim to make every woman feel like royalty. 

Any shoes for the gentlemen of Perth?

Vanessa: Raj does, and he has actually developed and designed a small collection, but we haven't released them, because we don't think it's the right time. We decided we need more women's shoes, more styles for women than trying to spread ourselves too thin.  

Raj: Eventually though we will definitely have  a man's collection. 

Three words to describe Vangoh?

Raj: Love, fashion, comfort. Love - that is the love between me and Vanessa. Fashion is the business and we make comfy shoes that are stylish.

Vanessa:  Happy, fashion, comfort - it's hard to condense it into three words. We always like to project happiness in our store, so happy and love.

Raj: Love is happy so yeh.

How would you describe the Vangoh style?

Vanessa:  Vangoh style is a bit more refined and elegant. We don't do blocks or something chunky. But we are also edgey. More than femininity - edgey elegance.

 Can you name three people that have influenced your personal style?

Vanessa: For me definitely my husband. He pretty much styles me. I actually do look up to him for style.

Raj: The person I look at, well it's not a person but rather their design and fashion, is Hugo Boss and Giorgio Armani inspires me. I'm throwing big names, but I'm really impressed by the look, the attire, the shop fit out is something very manly, it's almost like they could serve you a glass of whisky on the rocks while you shop around. That elegance and class is something I wanted to bring when designing the Vangoh shoes and even for the layout and fit out of the stores.

An interesting quirk about you?

Raj: I'm a man but I think like a woman, I'm not gay, but I can think like a woman.

Vanessa: I'm a complete clutz. I fall over the stupidest things.

Favourite tea?

Raj: Strong black tea, with a little bit of milk. 

Vanessa: I'm a juice and water person not a tea or coffee girl.

Where would we find you on your day off?

Raj: I like to have my day off with my wife. 

Vanessa: We are movie people. Ice cream and movies. 

Raj: When we have a day off. We haven't had a full day off in four years. 

But when we do, definitely ice cream and movies.

Vanessa: We just like simple things in life on our days off because we rarely have a day off.

Thank you, Vanessa and Raj for giving up your precise time to have the spotlight on you and your lovely store.

Check out Vangoh on their website here.

Follow their instagram: @vangohshoes

Like their facebook page here

or better yet, to see their full range of shoes, bags and accessories visit their Perth or Subiaco store.

Say hi, browse, grab  a coffee, they offer exceptional customer service, serving coffee, tea and makes every woman feel amazing!

Perth store is located at 300 Murray street (opposite Country Road), next door to Bankwest, Raine Square

Subiaco store is at 103 Rokeby Rd.

At the moment, Vanessa and Raj are having a competition where you can win $100 gift voucher when you visit on of their stores then tag them!

NOW I just need to head into one of their store soon to participate. 

**P.S: this competition is run by Vanessa and Raj and has no affiliations with this post or interview**

***P.P.S: We did however almost consumed the whole packet of tim tams during that time**

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Wine and dine made by Australian Chefs

I feel so horribly bad that this post has been almost 3 months late! It has just been horrible couple of months with work being crazy and life just going at the speed of light.

 

But I believe that when you have two special bottles of wine it should be opened up and poured into glasses to drink and share with friends in celebratory hurrahs. So yes, it is late and I'm so grateful that Wine Selectors have supplied me with two beautiful bottles (and have also waited patiently this post and review) for a me to celebrate with my two girlfriends for new house and to an up and coming marriage of our two close friends. 

 

Speaking of marriage, Wine Selectors gave us two bottles from their Chef Series to sample, which united Australia's favourite chefs with premium Australian wines, the marriage of food and wine! Five celebrated Australian chefs - Alastair McLeod, Frank Camorra, Guy Grossi, Ben O'Donoghue and Ian Parmenter spent time drawing on the expertise of Wine Selectors' Tasting Panel and the talent of hand-picked wine producers to adapt and mould the grapes into drops that capture the essence of the chefs' food philosophy. What resulted was beautiful selection of reds, whites and sparklings for the choosing.

 

I opted for a red and a sparkling white from two great Australian chefs. A Pinot Noir designed by Ian Parmenter and Alastair McLeod's designed Chardonnay Pinot Noir Sparkling.

 

 

To complement the wines we had an intimate dinner consisting of homemade lasagne, fetta and bocconcini salad and finished off with homemade apple crumble and custard.  

 

Ian Parmenter's Pinot Noir had a beautiful violet fragrant in a shade of vibrant cherry red. The pinot noir palate was nothing short of magnificent. Smooth, velvety, light tannins with sweetness of cherries. Complex in texture and flavour and so lovely. Such a pleasure to drink! Didn't want to share it with the girls and when it was done it was such a downer, I wanted another bottle. It'd definitely be one that would reward you now or leave it to age gracefully. Either way, BLISS.

 

 

Next bottle to open was the sparkling chardonnay pinot noir designed by chef, Alastair McLeod.

 

 

It opened with a lovely "POP" sound with a pale straw colour with extremely fine bead bubbles that lifts aromas of fresh brioche. The palate is a little bit acidic but has flavours of apple and grains. I thought I lacked the buttery-ness flavours of chardonnay, which I thought was a big lose. Nonetheless, the wine is perfectly balanced by powerful flavours and finesse along with a matched tightness of acid and mouth-filling texture and would benefit from aging.

 

 

 

I had a great night sharing the two bottles with two lovely ladies and of course watching the classic Princess Bride.

 

 

 It was nothing short of a lovely Saturday evening and Wine Selector's chef series is one I would definitely recommend you checking  it out and ordering. They also have other selections of reds, whites and sparklings on their site too. But the Chef Series is only available on their website and not at any outlet at all. I know I will be getting more of Ian Parmenter's Pinot Noir, such a pleasure to drink.

 

 

To order check out: Wine Selector's Chef series here

For other selection of Wine Selectors wines click here

 

Thank you Wine Selector for the two bottles I thoroughly enjoyed it!

 And thank you for your patience!