IT was a dark and stormy night…”
Many a third-rate novel has opened with that line, but on Wednesday evening the cliché was spot-on with Rottnest Express cancelling their service as wild weather battered Freo.
Having grown up in the West Coast of Scotland, I’m impervious to rain, so I told my family it was just a “shower” and we were heading out for dinner.
After some bemused looks, we piled into the Chook jalopy and spluttered down the Canning Highway to Pantry 92 in Fremantle.
Situated beside the port in Sunshine Harvester Works, a draughty warehouse-cum-food court, it probably wasn’t the best choice in gale-force conditions.
As sheet lighting turned Freo into a giant X-ray, we scrambled along the rain-drenched street and ducked inside the hipster food court.
I was a big fan of Bumplings at Sunshine Harvester – owned by celebrity chef Brendan Pang who was a contestant on Masterchef – so I was sad when it closed down in May.
But I’d heard good things about Pantry 92 and was excited to try their bao and Mauritian cuisine.
Their menu was bit smaller than I expected after seeing the range of food on their Facebook page, and I was peeved they weren’t doing their wonton noodle soup (probably off the menu with the warmer weather on the horizon).
Instead there was a modest range of bao with crispy fried chicken, pork belly, Mauritian style pork, and fried tofu and mushroom, plus noodle/rice mains including Mauritian fried rice with lap cheong sausage, pork and egg, Mauritian chicken curry, veggie bowl, and crispy fried chicken with noodles.
There was also chicken wings and a specials board with a range of boiled/fried wontons and pork dumplings.
It’s decidedly low-fi at Sunshine Harvester and after ordering at a food truck or bar, you take your little numbered flag and sit at one of the tables scattered around the warehouse, which is punctuated with quirky industrial artworks, murals and signs.
It’s a cool venue and the cosy booths and stylish dividers transform what could have been a soulless cavern into something funky and fun.
It wasn’t long before my wife “Special K” was tucking into her steaming bowl of crispy fried chicken with noodles ($18).
“Wow, I’m impressed by the chicken – thick strips of succulent, tender chook coated in golden crunchy batter,” she said.
“There’s a nice assortment of fresh veg with the bok choy, pickled veg and bean sprouts adding some texture. The egg noodles are nice and soft and coated in a subtle chilli and garlic oil. It’s a huge serve as well.”
Across the table my young kids were devouring their crispy fried chicken and pork belly (three for $20 each), which had a vibrant array of veg.
I had a sneaky taste and the bao were incredibly fresh and packed with a tasty medley of pickled slaw, hoisin, roasted peanuts and shallots.
The buns were soft and light, and the meat, especially the pork, was good quality as it can often be dry. Again good portions, and my young kids only managed to finish two bao.
I rounded off the meal with Cathy’s pork dumplings (eight for $15) from the specials menu.
A delicious fragrant offering with soft minced pork and a tasty combo of garlic, sesame and mild chilli. Pantry 92 looks a bit rough around the edges – I could barely read the faded marker on the specials board – and it doesn’t have the greatest variety of dishes, but the food is delicious and great value, and there’s specials to keep you coming back for more.
After another deafening thunderbolt shook Sunshine Harvester to its core, my son began complaining about walking back in the storm.
“Anymore of that and I’ll send you to a boarding school in the Gorbals,” I joked.
Well sort of…
Pantry 92
Sunshine Harvester Works
Corner of Beach and James Street, Fremantle
by STEPHEN POLLOCK