INDIAN for breakfast? More than a billion Indians can’t be wrong, and I’d been intrigued by what the menu would consist of the moment the Copper Chimney began opening in the morning.
So, with the English father-in-law in town it was time to check it out.
Dosas are to Indians what bacon and eggs are to poms: breakfast food that has spilled over into the rest of the day.
The crisp, thin crepe is made from fermented rice batter and black lentils. A recipe can be seen in a 12th century Sanskrit encyclopedia.
The Chimney has a selection from plain to goat curry and a prawn, but my all-time favourite is the potato masala ($9). A delicious, spicy spud mix nestled in a thin pancake the size of a Sherrin, it comes with a vegetable curry, a wonderful coconut sambal and a chutney, and was so filling I struggled to finish the lot.
A look around the tables revealed most were chowing down on the same.
The F-I-L was nonplussed by the strange menu, wanting eggs but was pretty soon tucking into a dosa with gusto–and talking about a revisit.
He even embraced a mango lassi ($4), instead of his usual cup of tea. The thick and slightly sharp yoghurt drink really hit the spot after walking to the eatery, so much so D’Angerous Dave enjoyed two.
In a sweet tooth mood, Dave also ordered a banana paratha ($6). The oily, soft, flat Indian bread was stuffed with slices of ‘nana, gently heated, and topped with maple syrup (yes, ok, it was pretty much banana and syrup pancakes). It was magnificent, and so filling he couldn’t finish, a bonus for our dog sitting quietly under the outdoor table waiting for morsels to drop.
The breakfast range includes a mix of flat breads, with meat or vegetable curry.
The Copper Chimney is a favourite for dinner too, with a great vegetarian selection, free range chicken and paneer (cheese) that is house-made: “And we carefully choose the seafood from local and imported markets to ensure it is the best quality and from sustainable fisheries,” co-owner and chef Elance Fernando says in an online blurb.
Fernando graduated top of his class in India, with a gold medal degree from Madurai Kama Raj university.
He and business partner and chef Kaushal Verma worked on a menu that celebrated the cuisine of their homeland, and it’s a winner any time of the day.
by JENNY D’ANGER
Copper Chimney
330 South Terrace, South Fremantle
open breakfast Sat & Sun,
dinner only Mon, lunch and
dinner Tues–Sun
9336 4414
