MY dining partner Jenny D’Anger was in desperate need of some relaxation.
She had just come back from the Leonora goldfields where a bearded stranger casually told her that “people go missing round here” and asked, “You got a gun?”
I whisked her tout de suite to DaRawNature—the most relaxing cafe-cum-gallery in Fremantle.
For the uninitiated, you toddle down a long narrow alleyway off Henry Street, walk up a ramp and emerge in a beautiful lush oasis, replete with ponds, fronds and lots of birds darting around.
It truly is a secret garden. Just missing Josh Byrne, rewilding in his wellies.
The actual cafe was just as impressive—windows stretching up to the cathedral-high ceiling, paintings by various local artists and lots more plants and shabby chic.
You can feel your blood pressure plummet as you arrive.
On a Tuesday lunchtime, most places in Freo are quiet, but DaRaw was full to the brim with a mix of students, retirees and local workers.
The cafe/brunch menu had a compact range of dishes which included all the old favourites (avocado on toast, omelette, eggs Benedict) as well as some curve balls like Italian Special with stracciatella, pesto and grilled peaches, and Danish God with Danish croissant, shimeji mushrooms and sautéed vegetables.
The menu was geared towards vegos, but you could get some dishes with bacon, salmon and the like.
Service was great throughout. When we arrived, a friendly young lady was quick to clear our table, and the woman behind the counter was equally friendly with lots of smiles.
Makes a big difference and sets a nice tone for your meal.
I couldn’t go past Smoke on Henry ($24), a smoked salmon bagel with a twist.
To my bemusement, it arrived in a bowl.
Too large to pick up, it made cutting a bit awkward (I know, first world problems) but surely it deserved a dinner plate.
Anyway, the flavours made up for it.
The star of the show was the salmon. There was lots of it and it had a nice salty punch without being overly smoked.
The twist with this bagel—no crème fraîche in sight.
Instead, an earthy mix of shimeji mushrooms, tomato-based sauce, caramelised onion, capers and salad.
It was an intense, dark and savoury flavour, with the capers adding a vinegary twist.
Really tasty and very filling. At first I thought $24 was steep for a bagel, but the ingredients were quality and there was lots of salmon.
My only gripe—I would have liked the bagel toasted.
It would have given the dish a bit of texture.
On the other side of the table, Jenny D’Anger was getting stuck into her Honey Glazed Halloumi Roti ($24).
“It’s fantastic: a delicious blend of sweet honey with a touch of balsamic vinegar adding a real oomph to the perfectly cooked triangles of squeaky cheese,” she said.
“It arrived on two slightly crisp roti with lashings of baby spinach and tangy little tomatoes.
“A generous serve of avocado on the side added a deliciously fresh contrast.”
We washed down the food with a Vitamin Sea ($8.50)—a refreshing mix of orange, lemon, carrot and ginger—and a Mango Lassi ($7.50).
Refreshing
“Dusted with dried rose petals, the lassi was the perfect accompaniment to the meal. The yoghurt’s sharpness was a pleasant contrast to the sweeter mango,” D’Anger mused.
DaRaw Nature has a fantastic ambience and setting, and the food was very enjoyable.
There’s a display counter at the till with lots of other delicious-looking sundries and savouries, and they do regular jazz nights with food.
After the meal, the Chook picked up the bill, so I assumed D’Anger and her husband Dave hadn’t hit it big in Leonora.
“Did you find any nuggets?” I asked.
“No, but Dave likes playing with his metal detector.”
DaRawNature Studio Gallery Rear
5 Henry St, Fremantle
instagram.com/darawnaturecoffeelounge
by STEPHEN POLLOCK