I’VE wanted to try Vin & Oli ever since I first walked past it. Its big, beautiful windows allow a tempting view into what looks like an upmarket but relaxed wine bar and restaurant.

Opening along Fremantle’s South Terrace in January, Vin & Oli features well-priced food, a chic atmosphere and an extensive beer and wine list. Small and stylish it’s off to a great start.

Making a reservation was a pleasant, friendly experience: it’s something other restaurants could take note of.

The real hero of Vin & Oli is the food: absolutely delicious, surprisingly affordable and consistently beautifully presented.

The Autumn menu isn’t extensive but there are some delicious-sounding selections and the most expensive item is $25.

There’s an impressive array of beer and wine on offer but I’d love to see cocktails on the list (they are made to request and I was delighted with mine—perfectly balanced and not filled to the brim with ice).

We started off with some fresh bread, dukkah and olive oil, which was deliciously nutty, warm and neatly presented.

Pork belly is one of my favourite things to order and at only $20 I couldn’t resist: I wasn’t disappointed. Artfully served on a bed of sweet potato and garnished with sweet sultanas, apple and greens, it was melt-in-the-mouth tender with a wonderful, albeit slightly burnt, crunchy crackle top. My dining companion was equally happy with the marinated skirt steak, chipotle and peperonata for $24 which was “perfectly cooked”.

It wasn’t all perfect, though: on arrival the tables were crammed too tightly together, forcing me to squeeze in between chairs to get to ours, which I had booked in advance and yet was dirty. Wait staff were lovely—friendly and polite—but it was difficult to get their attention and we were left waiting too long for our meals. And, last niggle—the house music was a perfect accompaniment to the food but was a tad loud for the ambience, which was otherwise gorgeous, with lilies on each table a lovely touch, giving off a wonderful fragrance, underscoring the soft and intimate lighting.

The best way to end a night at Vin & Oli would have to be with their chocolate mousse which comes with ice cream, berries and what I can only describe as chocolate sand. It was certainly worth the 20-minute wait it took to get the attention of a waiter (yup), and left me wishing I hadn’t agreed to share. The sweet, creamy goodness of the mousse combined with the ice cream, tartness of the berries and texture in the chocolate sand, left me loudly scraping the plate to ensure I left none of my half behind.

Despite the hiccups Vin & Oli is a great place to relax with family and friends and I can’t wait to go back to try their Winter menu.

by EMILY SHARP

Vin & Oli
1/36 South Tce, Fremantle
0450 436 520
Open: Tues-Thurs 7am-11pm, Fri-Sun 7am-2am