This was published 5 years ago
Seven dishes you must try in Margaret River, Western Australia: Chef Brendan Pratt, Vasse Felix
From the menu: Arimia in Margaret River.Credit: Timothy M Campbell
MILK STOUT, BLACK BREWING CO
The milk stout from Black Brewing Co, brewed at Caves Road Collective in Wilyabrup is on the money for me; generous lactose helps the beer stay creamy and smooths off the bitter edges. It's a great drop to enjoy next to the fire on a cool south-west night. We use this stout in the Vasse Felix restaurant to create stout vinegar, which helps to cut through our rich duck liver parfait. See blackbrewingco.com.au
POTATO KRAPFEN, CLAUDIO BISCOTTI
Chef Brendan Pratt.
On the odd occasion that I have a Saturday morning off, I head to the Margaret River Farmers Market with the family and our first stop is always Claudio Biscotti. The potato krapfen (a light, fluffy potato-based doughnut) filled with creamy vanilla custard is a decadent way to start the weekend. See margaretriverfarmersmarket.com.au
YABBY, WILLS DOMAIN
For a real treat or a special occasion, Wills Domain is high on the list. Chef Seth James' creations are absolutely worth the trip. If you have a free afternoon, I suggest taking the time to enjoy their tasting menu matched with some great wines. A standout dish for me is Seth's yabby on a nori sheet. See willsdomain.com.au
Burger Bones at Busselton's Shed Markets is a must-visit.
FARM PRODUCE, ARIMIA
Chef Evan Hayter is setting the bar high at Arimia with off-the-grid, sustainable farming and amazingly tasty creative food. Arimia both inspires and challenges the way you think about food, food production and the way we approach hospitality. Raising pigs and trout on their own farm, nurturing bee hives and growing many different vegetables, all contribute to the unique Arimia hospitality experience. See arimia.com.au
TOMATOES, MCLEOD CREEK WINES
The best tomatoes I have tasted come from Italian-born Mario's amazing vegetable and fruit garden. He's one of my favourite suppliers. But it is his kindness, openness and humility that have really changed the way I approach my daily interactions with suppliers. His humble farm operates in conjunction with the family winery, McLeod Creek Wines, and you can find his delicious produce at the Margaret River Farmers Market each weekend. See mcleodcreekwines.com.au
PEPPERMINT BLOSSOM HONEY, MARGARET RIVER HONEY CO
This is a fantastic little honey company based in Margaret River. I may be biased as we use honey collected from their hives on the Vasse Felix property, but this honey is some of the best I've tasted. Throughout the year we see different flavours coming from different blossoms but whatever the season, the honey is consistently great. The rich bold flavour lends itself to a variety of dishes, we particularly like the peppermint blossom honey which makes a really interesting honeycomb for our desserts. See themargaretriverhoneyco.com
DIRTY BURGER, BURGER BONES
Cooper at Burger Bones in Eat Street at Busselton's Shed Markets, may have the best banter around, but his burgers are even better. The signature of this food truck is the Dirty Burger, which features maple-glazed bacon, American cheese, and two sauces: cherry barbecue and cheese. There's always a line, but it's worth the wait. See theshedmarkets.com.au
Brendan Pratt is Perth born and trained. Before joining Vasse Felix in 2017, his international experience included Michelin star restaurants the Fat Duck and the Ledbury. He is cooking at this year's Margaret River Gourmet Escape (November 16-18) where he will be joined by Laetitia Rouabah, head chef of Alain Ducasse's flagship New York bistro, Benoit, and Vasse Felix chief winemaker Virginia Willcock for a wine dinner: Reds, Whites and Le Bleu: The Great Revolution at Vasse Felix with Laetitia Rouabah. See gourmetescape.com.au
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