Last night Jeremy and I went to see Anh Do at the Concert Hall in Perth, which was the tour for his book - The Happiest Refugee. I absolutely adored reading this book so to say I was looking forward to seeing him live was a bit of an understatement. And yes, the performance was incredible - funny, heartfelt, tear inducing and an emotional roller coaster that left you feeling fuzzy and grateful for life. How phenomenal!

Before we went to the show we decided to go for dinner somewhere along the Terrace. Since I've heard really great (and some mixed) reviews about Greenhouse, we decide to stop by for dinner. We don't have a booking but we manage to grab one of the final tables available and sink down happily while perusing the menu.

If you haven't been to Greenhouse before, it is incredibly funky. There's a great use of wooden materials inside combined with a very modern, hipster like interior. And let's not forget the rooftop bar which looks like it's covered in vines amid twinkling lights. I love it.

Since we know we're on a schedule for time, we order quickly, picking four of the larger dishes to share for our dinner. Our waitress is really great, she tells us straight up it's probably too much food and recommends which one to take off - and also that she thinks we should add a small one in its place. I love that she tells us the pumpkin dish is her favourite and we're happy to go with her recommendation (I'm so glad we did!).

Stone Wood beer

After we place our meal orders, our drinks arrive. Jeremy chooses a Stone Wood beer which he really enjoys throughout the dining experience. I've had a bit of a headache all day so I go for the bartender's choice mocktail. They give me the option of citrus or berry for which I choose the latter. It comes out as pretty as a picture - pink, berry flavoured with a kick of lemon afterwards. I really enjoy it and am actually craving it right now!

Berry mocktail

Our first food item for the night comes out quickly which is a plate of Raw Snapper, Avocado, Native Citrus and Herbs. This is fresh and fantastic. I've never had raw snapper before and I have to say I really enjoyed it. The flesh is firm but tender; the citrus flavours used tart and zingy. There's a nice slick of avocado under each piece of fish and a scattering of herbs to balance it all out.

Marron

Next up comes a gorgeously presented serving of Marron with Tomato, Herb and Radish Salad. The marron is cut in half with each lightly grilled, giving it a smokey taste. The meat is lightly translucent in the centre and has this incredibly freshness that screams today's catch. The strong flavours of the herb salad and the slightly peppery radish slices all compliment the gentle profile of the marron. It's a very smart and savvy dish.

Ox heart

Our bowl of Ox Heart with Mustard Greens and Fried Onions comes out looking like a visual feast. We squeeze the accompanying lemon wedge over the top which brings some acidity into the dish and enhances the richness of the meat. Those slices of ox heart are just plain delicious. They're lightly pink in the centre with a melt in your mouth quality. The fried onion scatterings taste like little mini onion rings that are jam packed with flavour. We use a lot of fried onion in my house with noodles, rice etc but I love this alternative style use. They make this non-traditional meat cut much more fun and exciting - and acceptable to the everyday Joe.

Spiced pumpkin

Our waitress's recommendation of Spiced Pumpkin with Labne and Sumac is our final savoury for the night. But by no means is it the least worthy of talking about - it is my absolute favourite for the evening. The roast pumpkin is coated in a light spice rub that has a small kick of chilli and the flesh pulls apart with the sweetest aroma. The labne it sits in is creamy and has little chunks of sliced nuts throughout which contributes to the texture and flavours. It's hard to believe that so much flavour can be injected into these few ingredients, but it all works so well.

Pistachio foam with stewed fruits

Since we're making really good time for the show we decide that we'll indulge in a dessert each so we've maximised our dining experience at Greenhouse. Jeremy chooses one that consists of pistachio foam, stewed fruits and gingerbread cream.

It comes out in a beautiful terracotta pot that is actually quite big and full to the brim of food. The mixture of ingredients is very wintery with rhubarb a key flavour. The dessert itself is almost like a custard and it has both savoury and sweet nodes. Very non-traditional.

The only downfall with it is that there is an over-abundance of mint leaves throughout. They get a little wet and slimy from the dessert mixture and he ends up picking them out.

Liquorice and berry parfait

My dessert is actually something I wouldn't normally see myself ordering. It's a liquorice and berry parfait with homemade marshmallow. Since I'm not the biggest fan of aniseed I ask the waitress how strong it is and she reassures me it's quite mild - so I decide to be brave and give it a shot.

It's quite a pretty dish, with the parfait a mottled mixture of green and red. My first bite is probably the heaviest liquorice flavour but as I go on it mellows out and I realise it's quite enjoyable. I love the berry compote type outer which has frozen into an icy pole like consistency. The ice-cream itself is light and creamy and the crumbs on the side give some much needed crunch and savouriness. The marshmallow is just plain yum!

It's a lovely way to end our dinner and head off to our show, with bellies full and a fantastic range of flavours lingering on the palate. I'll have to come back soon to try the breakfast!

I eat at The Brisbane Hotel a lot. It makes perfect sense considering how close I work to there and the fact that the food is actually pretty nice despite the fact that it's basically a fancy pub. So it was actually to my own surprise when I realised that although I have eaten there so many times, I have not actually blogged on the place.

This week I found myself at The Brisbane with some work colleagues as we celebrated the end of a big project we'd been working on with a nice meal. Since work has been so busy leading up to the end of financial year it was a nice excuse to get out and spend time in a more social setting.

The table is full and there's different dishes ordered for lunch including a fantastic sounding rigatoni with slow cooked beef cheek and tomato ragu that's a popular pick. I eye the linguine with prawns, garlic, chilli and spinach since I've had it there before but in the end one colleague suggests to me that we order some of the share dishes since we're both partial to tapas style eating. It definitely sounded good to me!

I suggest we go for the Chicken Liver Parfait with Fig Chutney and Toasted Baguette Slices ($15.80). We both agree on the Pumpkin & Feta Arancini ($13.80) as an option and he picks the board with Chorizo, Olives, Chicken Meatballs and Polenta Crisps ($19.80). As our waitress walks away he adds on the Pizza Bianca with Rosemary and Sea Salt ($8.80) even though we know it's going to be too much food. Thankfully there's plenty of people at the table who we know will happily eat some of our dishes when they finish their own.

The chicken liver parfait comes out first and I'm pleased with how nice it tastes. The consistency is creamy and the flavour slightly sweet but exactly as you would expect it to be. I love the fig chutney which is a different type of accompaniment than you usually find - it's jammy and sweet and there's little popping seeds throughout. Very yummy! The baguette slices are crisp on the outside and doughy in the centre - the ideal vessel for spreading the parfait.

The arancini here is definitely the best I've had anywhere. It's a must have if you ever dine at The Brisbane. The pumpkin combined with rice is sticky and gooey; the breading on the outside crunchy. There's a little cube of feta in the centre which has melted in the frying process and seeps into the rice with great purpose. It's just the perfect mouthful.

The board that we order is a nice choice - I particularly like the chorizo which has a light kick to it and isn't as crisp as you often find chorizo slices with tapas. The polenta chips are gold and starchy; the texture crumbly but retaining its shape. They work well with the parfait - though that might seem like a strange thing to mix!

And finally there's our last second order, the pizza bianca. How fantastic! It's rustic and generous; the sprinkling of rosemary and sea salt plentiful. I love the saltiness and slight oiliness that accompanies each bite. It's actually a really great, moorish snack. Simple food can really be so surprisingly wonderful.

Our meal at The Brisbane Hotel was short but sweet, though I basically had to roll myself out of there afterward. It was great quality food as a decent price. I know I'll be back since I'm always here, so I guess all I need to say is if you go, please try those yummy arancini.

What is it about a great burger that has even the best fine dining lover swooning with appreciation? I wish I knew the answer. There's that oh so temptingly juicy patty. The rich melted cheese. The crunch of salads and the sweetness, smokiness or creaminess of the sauce used. I love a great burger. But since bread is my enemy (the food item I have cut down on to ensure my weight doesn't balloon to a scary size it once was), during the week if I eat a burger I try to go bunless. How fun (not really)!

On Wednesday night this week Jeremy and I found ourselves in Vic Park after spending a couple hours looking at a new car for him. That process in itself is tiring, especially since car salesmen can be quite intense. So after we excused ourselves from Honda Burswood, we headed over to V Burger Bar which I've eaten at a few times back in the day but he hasn't.

Bunless halloween burger

We sit down in one of the booths and examine the menu with interest. I already have it in my head that (though the beef patties are calling me) I'll be revisiting an old favourite here, the Halloween Burger ($11). It's made up of crispy breaded pumpkin, thick basil pesto, danish feta cheese, onion, tomato, mixed gourmet lettuce and aioli.

As a bunless burger, it's quite generous though strangely plated. There's two pumpkin patties instead of one, and there's a whole slab of danish feta much to my delight. I do notice that I'm missing my aioli though but besides that it's a good representation of what I expect a bunless option to be like.

I take a bite and am happy to report the breaded pumpkin is crisp and sweet, though a little oily. The basil is lovely and chunky and flavoursome. I love the combination of the pumpkin, feta and pesto - it's a perfect union of flavours. While it's been a couple years since I've eaten this, I still really enjoy it.

Blue mushy burger and fries

Jeremy orders the Blue Mushy Burger ($15) with a side of fries ($5 with a drink). The burger includes a patty of prime beef, a layer of blue cheese, grilled mushrooms, tomato, onion, mixed gourmet lettuce and aioli.

The burger comes out and looks amazing. For a quick moment I have regret over my decision to omit the bun since it's toasted on the inside with the outside left soft and pillowy. The best kind of bread bun for a burger! As he eats it, he looks really happy. The meat is tender and juicy; the mushrooms sauteed and tasty. The blue cheese isn't too rich but it's definitely not mild so it works well as a combination.

The chips on the side are delicious - crunchy and well seasoned. They're golden brown and steam pours out as you bite into them. They're extremely moorish!

Onion rings

I get a side of Onion Rings ($6 with a drink) with my burger. I love how they come out - stacked on top of each other with a long skewer holding them upright. They sit proudly golden and heady in their scent, with a nice little bowl of garlicy aioli beside them.

Biting into them I'm happy to note there's actually a decent amount of onion inside. It's sweet, thick and soft to a degree while still being toothsome. There's enough salt to get my mouth salivating and I love the contrast in texture between the batter and the filling. No wonder they include these in one of their actual burgers! They're very yummy - though I have to admit when we stop eating I can feel a big layer of grease inside my mouth that my water isn't clearing.

All up V Burger Bar is a great cheap eat for burger lovers. Was it the best burger I've ever eaten? No. But it's higher up than most and it's a place I know I will return to again - especially since it's also in the Entertainment Book which makes it even greater value for money.