Aah, George Street – where doctors’ wives go to die.
Fremantle’s version of Rodeo Drive is littered with eyelash lifts, botox and a pinch of Dame Edna glamour.
Throw in some federation-era architecture and you have a beautiful mix of wealth and history that would make a good soap opera (imagine Dynasty starring Magda Szubanski).
Situated just down from the Duke of George, Little Fire has always caught my eye – it has a gorgeous alfresco with limestone staircase, fairy lights and lush foliage. Elevated from the street, you can enjoy your meal in a relaxed setting while watching life unfold on George St below.
Little Fire has a lovely ambience and looks like an old house that has been converted into a restaurant.
The menu was huge with a massive range of breakfast/brunch dishes, mains, share plates, salads, desserts and chef’s specials.
There was a bit of everything on there – from burgers to nasi goreng – but I would classify it as Modern Australian with a Mediterranean bent.
As dusk started to fall, my wife “Special K” couldn’t go past the hearty Goat Cheese and Rocket Tortelloni ($24).
“It’s a big serve but they haven’t skimped on quality,” she said. “The goat cheese filling is spot on and when you combine it with the bacon, white wine and creamy mushroom sauce, it’s heavenly.
“The pasta is nice and light with a soft velvety texture.”
My daughter and I decided to go for some share plates.
The standout was the fish tacos ($18) – three crispy fillets garnished with chopped tomato, guacamole, slaw and drizzled with taco sauce.
They were the perfect size and you could pick them up without everything jettisoning out the sides. The fish fillets were good quality and the creamy guacamole was a hit. A very filling dish that could be a main on its own.
The mixed dumplings (eight for $14) didn’t quite the same heights. I was expecting dim sum-style, but they were more like gyoza.
The veggie ones were tasty and went well with the chilli and garlic infused soy sauce, but the pork ones were a bit lacking in flavour.
We rounded things off with the grilled Italian sausage with halloumi and charred bread ($18).
A rustic treat that would have gone well with a nice ballsy Shiraz or Chianti.
All the portions were generous and great value for money.
My son opted for the fish and chips from the kids menu, which also had butter milk tenders and chips, and a range of pasta.
I was impressed that the chips in the kids meals were the same hand-cut ones used in the adult meals. He wolfed it all down with no complaints.
Throughout the meal the service was excellent with the young waitress full of smiles and helpful advice on the menu and portion sizes.
We should have heeded her advice on the Little Fire donuts ($12) – we ordered two but each serve contained four warm cinnamon donuts with either chocolate or caramel dipping sauce.
They were super fresh and light and we took the leftovers home in a box.
I really enjoyed my meal at Little Fire – the portions were big and good quality, the service was excellent and it’s a lovely spot to enjoy a drink or meal while watching life unfold on the iconic George Street.
Little Fire
125 George Street, East Fremantle
by STEPHEN POLLOCK