Rockpool Perth review; Rockpool Perth blog; Rockpool Perth pictures and photos
It's finally here! The official opening of Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth was surrounded by much hype. But this is Neil Perry bringing one of his signature (steak house) restaurants to Perth so rightfully it deserves a bit of attention. Having been to Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne several times, as well as Rockpool in Sydney, I confess I was already a fan.
It's finally here! The official opening of Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth was surrounded by much hype. But this is Neil Perry bringing one of his signature (steak house) restaurants to Perth so rightfully it deserves a bit of attention. Having been to Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne several times, as well as Rockpool in Sydney, I confess I was already a fan.
The grand entrance
Having made a reservation before their booking system was up, I managed to get a table on opening night (unfortunately missing out on an invitation to the "friends and family" night, as well as the "soft opening" but I'm no celebrity).
The grand hall
Much like its Melbourne sister restaurant, the entrance to Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth is impressive. The massive door followed by a long hall lined with candles amidst modern artwork and glimpses of the steak aging room and wine bottles immediately creates an inviting feel with a bit of exciting anticipation. The moderate walk through the hall ends with the large open main restaurant - with the bar on the right and the grill/restaurant on the left. The decor is warm and inviting with many finishing touches of modern design and modest elegance giving an upmarket yet relaxed atmosphere reflecting the millions of dollars spent on the fit out.
The open and well lit kitchen made for nice viewing of the food preparation process. There were many staff busily preparing meals both in hots and larder, each with their station and distinct function to fulfil. This is a world class kitchen.
Part of the interior
The service, as expected for an opening night for a restaurant with a staffing level of around 100 people, had teething issues. However, forgiving the relative inexperience of the wait staff, if Neil Perry's eastern states counterpart restaurants are anything to go by this should improve and the service should become impeccable.
A sample table setting
The menu, which comes out on an A3 sized daily printed sheet, has main meal prices starting from the twenties and then goes past the $100 mark - offering a bit of something for everyone's budget. There is a good variety of dishes with much steak to offer, as well as white meat, seafood, pasta and a few vegetarian options that should just about cater to everyone's taste.
The wine list is very extensive with selections from around the world and indeed prices that go all the way up. To top that the serving ware is excellent with the use of many modern plates and cutlery, as well as glassware including our large balloon goblets.
The wine list is very extensive with selections from around the world and indeed prices that go all the way up. To top that the serving ware is excellent with the use of many modern plates and cutlery, as well as glassware including our large balloon goblets.
Charcoal roast squid and pork belly - $28
Squid pieces combined with skinless pork belly, red onion, red capsicum and red chilli make up this delicious and substantial entree. The tastes are subtle with the tender squid and pork pieces each having subtle flavours. Although it added to the taste of the dish, watch out for the red chilli pieces if you can't take spicy food. The dish was also served with a couple of crispy grilled pieces of bread that you could eat with the squid and pork or use to soak up a bit of the sauce that contained a fair amount of light and quality oil.
Fried calamari with romesco- $28
This lightly coated and salted calamari was served with romesco and on top of a salad (I am told that Rockpool Bar & Grill uses an ozone water treatment machine to wash their salad which cleans and kills bacteria and other unwanted substances on the vegetables).
Well balanced in tenderness of calamari and balance of seasoning, the addition of pieces of red chilli spiced up this dish.
Traditional Garlic Prawns - $24
I must say I don't normally go out and order garlic prawns. My past experiences at some other restaurants in Perth haven't really given me much confidence in good quality garlic prawns and I find I enjoy just making them myself instead.
The traditional garlic prawns we ordered were deshelled (though retaining its tail) king prawns of a good consistent size, cooked in the traditional garlic butter way. Cooked with dill, these garlic prawns were cooked just to a nice level and texture, though didn't seem overly garlicky although I'm sure my breath would suggest otherwise. Served with a lemon wedge and bread, these garlic prawns were a good example of well made 'traditional' garlic prawns.
These mussels (coming in great looking and no doubt expensive cookware) were very fresh and meaty. The broth was very flavoursome with chilli and vermouth flavours mixing into the savoury broth that was good enough for me to spoon and drink up like a tasty soup even after the mussels were gone. The green and red peppers cooked in the broth were very soft and equally I consumed every last piece.
Light and fresh, this king crab cocktail had nicely tender crab meat and lettuce each seasoned with a light lemon flavour. The cocktail sauce, too, was light with a small amount of spiciness and the overall entree seemed light and refreshing for an entree.
This salad was better than I thought it might be. I don't normally enjoy octopus dishes but I was told the octopus was very tender so thought I would give it a try. Was it tender? Yes.
The octopus was tender and soft, not at all chewy and pretty much melted in your mouth as much as octopus can (I've never had octopus like this before). It also had the residual taste of the wood fire grilling process. The pesto, which seemed a little creamy, gave the octopus and cherry tomato quarters a lot of additional flavour although it was a tad spicy.
Mussels steamed with chilli, peppers and vermouth - $21
These mussels (coming in great looking and no doubt expensive cookware) were very fresh and meaty. The broth was very flavoursome with chilli and vermouth flavours mixing into the savoury broth that was good enough for me to spoon and drink up like a tasty soup even after the mussels were gone. The green and red peppers cooked in the broth were very soft and equally I consumed every last piece.
Alaskan king crab cocktail - $35
Wood fire grilled Fremantle octopus with hand pounded pesto and tomato - $24
This salad was better than I thought it might be. I don't normally enjoy octopus dishes but I was told the octopus was very tender so thought I would give it a try. Was it tender? Yes.
The octopus was tender and soft, not at all chewy and pretty much melted in your mouth as much as octopus can (I've never had octopus like this before). It also had the residual taste of the wood fire grilling process. The pesto, which seemed a little creamy, gave the octopus and cherry tomato quarters a lot of additional flavour although it was a tad spicy.
David Blackmore's dry aged full blood wagyu fillet - $110
Probably the highest grade of the steaks on offer in Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth, and currently the most expensive, this wagyu fillet was cooked medium rare. With all steaks being cooked in a wood fired grill, the slightly sea-salted steak's exterior had a slight charcoal taste and feel which wasn't overbearing. The inside on the other hand was a red medium rare which for this fillet meant a lot of (good) tender redness.
Medium rare wagyu fillet up close
At 200g this wasn't a huge steak but it didn't need to be as it was definitely adequate. The steak was very tender, flavoured from the (15 day) aging process, and the marbleisation of the grade 9+ wagyu steak added to the melt in your mouth centre of the steak that put this cut above many other steaks on offer. At this price it's probably only a special occasion meal (or for those who don't know what to do with their money) but you can taste the difference.
The wagyu came with a lemon wedge and the steak condiments service offered a range of sauces including horseradish cream (pictured), harissa, barbecue sauce, hot English mustard, and dijonnaise. I just wish they had the wagyu rib eye on offer!
Rangers Valley dry aged 300 day grain fed rib-eye on the bone - $70
One of my favourite cuts of steak, this rib-eye is a good contender for my favourite all-rounder steak here (but admittedly there are other ones I need to try). The 57 day aged rib-eye was done medium rare - tender and full of flavour. So much so that I felt that I didn't need the supplied Bearnaise sauce (in the sauce pourer, pictured in the background) nor the horseradish from the condiments service.
Della gola prime grass fed sirloin on the bone - $39
At 400g, this 32 day aged steak was a decent sized serving. Also cooked medium rare, this steak was tender and a nicely flavoured and aged steak. Along with the price difference, this steak wasn't as melt in your mouth as the wagyu, and had a chewier sirloin texture. However, given the price, it was a great steak.
Another rib-eye though a tad chewier in texture, cooked at the chef's suggestion (generally medium-rare) it was quite red on the inside. However, I still enjoyed the tender steak.
Cape Grim dry aged 36 month old grass fed rib-eye - $60
Another rib-eye though a tad chewier in texture, cooked at the chef's suggestion (generally medium-rare) it was quite red on the inside. However, I still enjoyed the tender steak.
David Hohnen's Jarrahdene pork - $29 (now $39)
Pork crackling! I have always had good experiences with Neil Perry's pork. The crackling on this steak was well crisp and crunchy and the meat cooked tender and retaining flavour. With two pieces of pork this was a decent serve.
That crunchy pork belly skin
The pork was served with pieces of fruit which were like sweet candied fruit jellies that matched the pork excellently. I will be back for more.
Seafood stew with spicy mussel and saffron broth - $45
This was no ordinary stew - though with seafood I don't think you really could make a good traditional stew. The seafood (like all seafood dishes) was served with a herb salad and aioli.
Herb salad (and aioli in the background)
The seafood were pieces of king prawns, squid, fish, clams, and spicy mussels cooked in the saffron broth which tasted a bit like a light creamy tomato base but with the flavours of saffron infused. The "spicy" in the spicy mussel was probably due to the chilli in the mussels/dish that thankfully wasn't too spicy. Also, the base of the stew was just a base to have with the seafood and not of a soup like stew quantity. However, I gladly devoured all of the stew base.
Including dill, spring onion, and red onion in the herb salad, I was pleasantly surprised by how refreshing this salad was. The ingredients (as with what you expect from Rockpool's standards generally) were very fresh, and with a vinegar base I thought this small side to the seafood stew was good in itself. Not to mention the vegetables and herbs were most likely washed with that ozone machine.
Free range chicken with Tuscan white bean, tomato and bread salad - $29
The menu stated that this dish takes 50 minutes. Whilst this may be offputting to some, I like the idea that the 50 minutes suggests that this chicken is (hopefully) not preroasted and just reheated.
Well, the chicken meat itself was not dry at all, with even the chicken breast pieces still being relatively moist. Normally I dread dry chicken breast but this was actually moist such that it made it easier to eat. With the combination of nicely roasted chicken, and a wood fire rotisserie, this $29 half a roast chicken with a nice salad was great value considering where we were.
Wagyu chuck braised in red wine with gremolata and potato puree - $39
Despite the wagyu on offer mainly being based around the ones cooked in the wood fire grill, this braised wagyu chuck made its way onto the menu. Unlike the recommended medium rare (or less) steaks, this braised wagyu was cooked pretty much well done. However, the braised wagyu was lean and meaty and cooked with some spices giving it flavour as a beef rather than a steak dish.
I had to ask what "crazy water" meant, to which I received the response "it's cooked in salt water rather than fresh water." Whilst to me this took away the intrigue and potential anticipation of some completely unusual technique, the actual dish didn't disappoint. The crazy water was a salt water base with tomato and herbs that was light and consequently really complemented the lightly battered fresh fish fillets. And the fish was unsurprisingly very fresh. In the light and crispy batter, the taste of the fresh fish seemed to suit the light crazy water so well that the accompanying aioli seemed completely unnecessary and I felt it masked the freshness of the fish. Not to say the aioli didn't suit the fish as it certainly did, it's just that I personally preferred to enjoy how fresh the fish was with its subtle tastes.
A recurring theme at Rockpool Bar & Grill seems to be freshness and quality of ingredients. The hand cut fettuccine was freshly made and hand cut making it in my mouth very special against most other pastas (and forever destroying my thoughts on pre-packaged pasta) I have had. The texture was great, being perfectly al dente and very flavoursome without the sauce.
The wagyu bolognese was meaty and the tomato based sauce was thick and the bolognese tasted chunky and distinct in flavour. The serving size wasn't visually huge compared to say an Italian cafe, but for me pastas shouldn't be as they get too heavy. Plus this would make way for entrees and dessert.
Despite being done more medium/medium well, the veal cutlet was still quite tender - perhaps as this was a good cut of veal. The veal was served with the usual steak condiments as well as bearnaise sauce.
The best burger in town? This burger started with a brioche bun filled with the wagyu beef patty, bacon, gruyere cheese, red onion, zuni (zucchini?) pickle, and (I think) a salsa. Placed on the side so you could optionally put them in the burger or eat separately were a couple of slices of seasoned tomatoes and baby cos lettuce.
Despite intentionally having no mayonnaise nor butter, for me this was a great burger. Every component was full of flavour from the brioche bun through to the fillings. The wagyu hamburger meat was full of flavour and cooked medium rare (though you have the option to have it cooked to your own liking). To add more welcome flavour, the red onion was pickled sour and sweet and the zuni pickle also helped lift the burger. Combined with lean bacon and the gruyere cheese I found every component in the burger worked really well for me, and made this quite a special burger compared to any other burgers I've tasted. On top of that, there was barely any drip of sauce or any other liquids. The only (very) minor amount of liquid was from the hamburger patty but even then the burger was never soggy and held together very well. Nice.
On the side the tomato and crispy cos lettuce further showed how fresh the ingredients are at Rockpool Bar & Grill and I have no doubt I couldn't replicate this burger to the same standard at home.
So what does that say about this burger? Well, for me it's in a league of its own.
Crispy red emperor fillets with "crazy water" - $45
I had to ask what "crazy water" meant, to which I received the response "it's cooked in salt water rather than fresh water." Whilst to me this took away the intrigue and potential anticipation of some completely unusual technique, the actual dish didn't disappoint. The crazy water was a salt water base with tomato and herbs that was light and consequently really complemented the lightly battered fresh fish fillets. And the fish was unsurprisingly very fresh. In the light and crispy batter, the taste of the fresh fish seemed to suit the light crazy water so well that the accompanying aioli seemed completely unnecessary and I felt it masked the freshness of the fish. Not to say the aioli didn't suit the fish as it certainly did, it's just that I personally preferred to enjoy how fresh the fish was with its subtle tastes.
Wagyu bolognese with hand cut fettuccine - $25
A recurring theme at Rockpool Bar & Grill seems to be freshness and quality of ingredients. The hand cut fettuccine was freshly made and hand cut making it in my mouth very special against most other pastas (and forever destroying my thoughts on pre-packaged pasta) I have had. The texture was great, being perfectly al dente and very flavoursome without the sauce.
The wagyu bolognese was meaty and the tomato based sauce was thick and the bolognese tasted chunky and distinct in flavour. The serving size wasn't visually huge compared to say an Italian cafe, but for me pastas shouldn't be as they get too heavy. Plus this would make way for entrees and dessert.
Wood fired grilled white rocks veal cutlet - $49
David Blackmore's full blood wagyu hamburger with bacon, gruyere cheese and zuni pickle - $22 (available at the bar only)
The best burger in town? This burger started with a brioche bun filled with the wagyu beef patty, bacon, gruyere cheese, red onion, zuni (zucchini?) pickle, and (I think) a salsa. Placed on the side so you could optionally put them in the burger or eat separately were a couple of slices of seasoned tomatoes and baby cos lettuce.
Lifting the lid off the wagyu hamburger
Despite intentionally having no mayonnaise nor butter, for me this was a great burger. Every component was full of flavour from the brioche bun through to the fillings. The wagyu hamburger meat was full of flavour and cooked medium rare (though you have the option to have it cooked to your own liking). To add more welcome flavour, the red onion was pickled sour and sweet and the zuni pickle also helped lift the burger. Combined with lean bacon and the gruyere cheese I found every component in the burger worked really well for me, and made this quite a special burger compared to any other burgers I've tasted. On top of that, there was barely any drip of sauce or any other liquids. The only (very) minor amount of liquid was from the hamburger patty but even then the burger was never soggy and held together very well. Nice.
On the side the tomato and crispy cos lettuce further showed how fresh the ingredients are at Rockpool Bar & Grill and I have no doubt I couldn't replicate this burger to the same standard at home.
So what does that say about this burger? Well, for me it's in a league of its own.
Onion rings - $9
Large, thick rings of red onion were coated in a light and slightly salted batter making this side dish a favourite for everyone on opening night.
Boiled mixed greens with extra virgin olive oil and lemon - $9
The greens dish was the "health conscious" choice for the night. With broccolini and cabbage, the greens were cooked enough to make them soft whilst still retaining texture and flavour.
Hand cut fat chips - $12
A popular dish with many tables that night, these chips were cut "fat" and cooked enough to get through the entire width.
Sauteed mixed mushrooms - $25
There were at least a few different types of mushrooms in this mix of mushrooms dish including fresh shiitake mushrooms (yes, that reportedly health benefitting variety). I found the way they were cooked worked really well, with a decent amount of oil (and maybe some butter?) and garlic amongst other spices, and the mushrooms tasted great for being otherwise simply sauteed. The mushrooms also hadn't been cooked enough to bleed water making the mushrooms retain a good texture making this an all round good mushroom side dish.
Cauliflower and cheese gratin - $12
I'm sure cauliflower is good for you, and the creamy cheese base isn't that bad? Well, I don't normally enjoy cauliflower a lot but the creamy cheese base helped it a lot. Grilled (or maybe put into the wood fire oven?) this side dish was everything you expect from taking cauliflower and cooking it in a nice creamy cheese mixture. That's if you like your veggies in a creamy cheese sauce.
Mac and cheese, or macaroni and cheese, this side dish was filling in a large sized serve. The pasta was mixed with a cheese sauce and bacon bits, and topped with more cheese before grilling (or was it put in the wood fire oven?). The cheese wasn't overdone and the grilling process made this nice and consistent, and nearly a meal in itself.
I enjoyed this side dish. I like roast pumpkin and sweet potato, and although I have my own recipe for roasting vegetables this dish was a very welcome change. Not only were the vegetables roasted till they were soft yet still held a nice form and texture, the taste of the burnt butter made the dish all the much better. The combined flavours of sweet, savoury and butter made every mouthful easy to eat and combining it with the garlic yoghurt gave it an even more creamier flavoured taste (though I would have been quite happy to eat it sans yoghurt).
"Mac and Cheese" - $11 (large)
Mac and cheese, or macaroni and cheese, this side dish was filling in a large sized serve. The pasta was mixed with a cheese sauce and bacon bits, and topped with more cheese before grilling (or was it put in the wood fire oven?). The cheese wasn't overdone and the grilling process made this nice and consistent, and nearly a meal in itself.
Charcoal oven roast pumpkin and sweet potato with burnt butter and garlic yoghurt - $12
I enjoyed this side dish. I like roast pumpkin and sweet potato, and although I have my own recipe for roasting vegetables this dish was a very welcome change. Not only were the vegetables roasted till they were soft yet still held a nice form and texture, the taste of the burnt butter made the dish all the much better. The combined flavours of sweet, savoury and butter made every mouthful easy to eat and combining it with the garlic yoghurt gave it an even more creamier flavoured taste (though I would have been quite happy to eat it sans yoghurt).
Lemon curd doughnuts with Vanilla Apple and Ice Cream - $23
These doughnuts started with a fine-sugar coated and lightly crispy outer layer encrusting a thin but airy and light wall of doughnut. Carefully injected inside each doughnut was an acidic and rich lemon curd - the acidity brought back by sweetness, but nonetheless still packing an acidic citrus taste.
Accompanying these doughnuts was a vanilla flavoured apple that had a further, but not quite so pronounced granny smith apple acidity; as well as vanilla ice cream.
Bar & Grill's cheesecake served with sheep's milk yoghurt sorbet - $20
I haven't had a cheesecake like this before. The very composed yet easy to slice through base was topped with the cheese mixture which was creamy, consistent, light in texture, well balanced in cheese taste, and very smooth when compared to most other cheesecakes. Topped with sorbet and surrounded by berries, this cheesecake was rightfully called "Bar & Grill's cheesecake".
I read "black forest trifle" and thought this is going to be decadent. Served in this patterned bowl that only emphasised the presentation of this dish, the trifle was indeed decadent. The trifle had layers of rich chocolate cake, liqueur cherries, a jam that tasted sour, chocolate mousse, and rich slightly sweet marscapone cheese on the top. The combination made for a rich and sweet dessert, where the cherries gave it a bit of a kick, and the jam-like layer gave the whole dessert some considered and well matched depth. Not to mention the delicious marscapone cheese layer.
Fresh this was - with a nice buttery and crumbly tart base, light custard layer, and very fresh strawberries. The tart was topped with what seemed a light chocolate sorbet and surrounded by crispy strawberry specks.
A petit four, the cashew and sesame binded together with caramel added into this chocolate "bark" to make a crunchy seed and nut chocolate dish. Best shared with the table.
Black forest trifle - $20
I read "black forest trifle" and thought this is going to be decadent. Served in this patterned bowl that only emphasised the presentation of this dish, the trifle was indeed decadent. The trifle had layers of rich chocolate cake, liqueur cherries, a jam that tasted sour, chocolate mousse, and rich slightly sweet marscapone cheese on the top. The combination made for a rich and sweet dessert, where the cherries gave it a bit of a kick, and the jam-like layer gave the whole dessert some considered and well matched depth. Not to mention the delicious marscapone cheese layer.
Fresh strawberry tart - $20
Fresh this was - with a nice buttery and crumbly tart base, light custard layer, and very fresh strawberries. The tart was topped with what seemed a light chocolate sorbet and surrounded by crispy strawberry specks.
Cashew and sesame chocolate bark - $8
A petit four, the cashew and sesame binded together with caramel added into this chocolate "bark" to make a crunchy seed and nut chocolate dish. Best shared with the table.
Caramel popcorns - complimentary
These caramel covered popcorn sweets were light as an after dinner sweet with tea or coffee.
Pre-meal drinks
It's always nice to have pre-meal drinks... The Bespoke Mule (foreground, $18) contained Rockpool's own ginger beer, whilst the Old Cuban (background, $18) was refreshing and contained a good balance between lime and sugar.
Cappuccino - $4
This cappuccino, using Vittoria coffee beans, was a good strength with hints of bitterness and very smooth creamy milk froth.
Dragonwell tea - $7.50
In summary, I am excited that Perth has its own Rockpool Bar & Grill. Although it is not Rockpool (the fine dining restaurant) the food is excellent, and the multi million dollar fit out gives the restaurant a classy atmosphere. In time, I expect that Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth will only improve and become one of my regular favourites.
Points to note: Although this is a "bar and grill" and steak is the feature, there are many meals that don't involve red meat (think seafood, pork, chicken...) including a good selection of vegetarian options that isn't just "mixed vegetables". The quality of these meals deserve a mention in their own right such that not consuming steak in your meal doesn't make your meal any less special. On top of that, Neil Perry always ensures that the ingredients are fresh and of good quality with daily deliveries of fresh essentials such as fish and vegetables that pretty much put your local grocer to shame. Prices for mains start in the twenties and go all the way up - with the caviar peaking around the $600 mark. The serving sizes for dishes including entrees and sides are also quite large (we over-ordered and didn't finish everything). There is also a very extensive wine and alcohol list selected from around the world. Also note that the above photos were taken over the course of several meals at Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth.
Go for: Neil Perry of course - if you go in the first month, you may even get to meet Neil Perry who is here busily working in Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth's kitchen. Otherwise the food here is up to the Rockpool Bar & Grill standard, and the decor and atmosphere is something worth experiencing.
Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth
Burswood Entertainment Complex
Great Eastern Highway
BURSWOOD WA 6100
(08) 6252 1900
http://www.rockpool.com.au/rockpool-bar-and-grill-perth/
Burswood Entertainment Complex
Great Eastern Highway
BURSWOOD WA 6100
(08) 6252 1900
http://www.rockpool.com.au/rockpool-bar-and-grill-perth/
Trading Hours
7 days a week - Lunch and Dinner
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31 comments:
I believe the Della gola prime steak is 450 grams! and it is really good for those who like a bit more red meat (plus a lot better value)
LOVE the onion rings!
Hi Green Fox
Maybe you are right - the menu online said 400g but I noted there were other small discrepancies between the menu at Rockpool and the menu online. 450g makes it even better value!
Good review and lovely photos! We are going to Rockpool in three weeks, hopefully the service will be better then.
Must remember to save space for dessert - the cheesecake looks divine!
Hi Mei
Thanks for your comments.
I was told that the staff are very new and will be receiving more training so hopefully the service will improve a lot in the next couple of weeks.
Hope you have a great meal! I can't wait to go back... I might try and go back at least once or twice whilst Neil Perry and his daughter are still there. I want to try his roast chicken that takes 50mins, as well as more of that roast pork...
I went last night. Service was great. The dinner was enjoyable however I really did not get the feeling that I was experiencing this fabulous food experience. No complaints, the food was good but it didn't blow my mind. Sadly our chips were a little uncooked in the middle but the mac 'n' cheese and sauteed mushrooms were superb.
Aah I repeated experience twice! Haha
Fantastic photos mate, I wish i had the balls to take my 5D into a restaurant. I to really enjoyed my experience at Rockpool, and have been back 3 times for lunch!
Hi Suze
Good to hear the service was great when you went - hopefully it'll only get better.
I have to agree that the chips (and also the boiled greens) didn't blow my mind but I found some of his other dishes to be really good and some (eg $29 dishes) seem like very good value. Steakwise, I personally don't prefer to have the charcoal/smoked taste or grilled style but I thought the steaks we got were done really well considering.
I'm going to have to give the sauteed mushrooms and mac n cheese a go - they seem to get the thumbs up.
Thanks for sharing Blog. It's really very nice and informatics.
Hey John
Thanks. It can be a bit daunting but I figure that they should be happier that it'll make the food photos look more appealing but I usually get a bit too shy to start rearranging things and stand up and take shots etc. Besides, my only alternatives are to use a camera with an annoying flash or grainy phone camera. I gather you shoot portraits or landscapes then?
Glad you really enjoyed your experience - I always enjoyed going to the Bar and Grill in Melbourne and was happily shocked when I heard he was opening up in Perth.
I've only been to the Perth one once so far but intend to go back a few times before Neil Perry leaves. Means I should have more photos up soon.
Yes I like to shoot portraits and landscapes amongst many, even a little stock photos. The mixed mushrooms has been my favourite side dish so far and the Mac and cheese was great too. I'm going back in two weeks, and if anyone orders the chips I will ask them to crisp them up a little more.
The Austins
I took my dslr with me and took many shots. I also get a bit apprehensive because it's so conspicuous. No-one seemed to mind and I was even taking shots of the food when some of our drinks came out. It does make me feel a bit like 'country cousins visiting the city' though to be snapping away. ;-)
Hey John
Cool, I don't get enough time to spend on my hobbies and would like to get out and shoot more.
And yeah there's a lot of dishes I want to try including those two, though the price of the caviar seems to be a bit of a hurdle. I can't believe you have already been four times! I am envious.
Hey Suze
Yeah I know what you mean - it is conspicuous and often my companion(s) are more embarrassed than I am (and try and eat at places where I wont be blogging). Wait staff don't seem to care. The chef or owners on the other hand... Though I doubt Neil Perry would object.
I went to Marque in Sydney late last year (still yet to blog it) and given it was SMH restaurant of the year I think half the restaurant were taking photos.
Yes I don't think Neil really has a thought one way or the other. He took a photo with us. We exchanged introductions and pleasantries although while complimenting him on some of the dishes he just started walking away. I've been to other restaurants and spoken with the owner or chef and they've all been very eager to hear feedback but Neil just walked off back to the bar.
I'll be there again next week and would like to try the red emperor in crazy water. And leave room for dessert!
Hi Adrian,
Yeah i cant leave the place alone. Something just clicked with this place, and i keep going back. Maybe im a neil perry whore!!!
Ive noticed, someone comment on that im the only person to have really positive reviews on the place. Ive been to what i consider the top restaurants in perth, and whilst rockpool isnt technically the same as say amuse or jascksons, I just really love the whole experience there.
Hi Suze
Everytime I go, Neil looks busy so I don't feel right in bothering him. Will see next time.
I guess he's a pretty high profile chef so he probably is somewhat desensitised to customer feedback, but his menu is very similar to the other bar and grills (plus he has that iron chef gig) so maybe he's pretty sure of himself. But still I would think it would be nice to have customers saying they had a great meal :)
Hope you enjoy your red emperor and "crazy" water, as well as dessert. I would like to know if the "crazy" is a good crazy. I hope to be back there in a week too.
Hi John
You're not the only one going back from what I'm hearing, and everyone I have gone with wants to go back or even has plans to. I went back for my second time and tried out some other dishes and took more photos.
Nearly a week later, I felt the service was much better (but more in an upmarket/slightly snobbish way) than on opening night but still they have a little way to go. I think staff are starting to settle in as compared to the hectic opening night so in a week or so they should be all good.
I'm a fan of the food. I think people may not realise that this is only the first week (and thus is going to have more training for fresh Perth employees) of the opening of Rockpool Bar & Grill which is a steakhouse and not Rockpool (the restaurant in Sydney) so it's not competing on the same level as the upper end fine dining restaurants. Plus the upper end fine dining all have permanently located head chefs and generally don't open more than one restaurant. All the hype has been great but it does build peoples' expectations.
But for what it's worth, I think it's Perth's best all-rounder "steak house" that doesn't let down non-red meat eaters as well as vegetarians. If I want innovative nearly experimental cooking I will go to an amuse or jacksons but otherwise for day to day (very good) eating with great decor Rockpool Bar & Grill suits me just fine.
Can I just compliment you on a thorough quality review of the restaurant. This is well researched material and the quality of both the comments and the photos is excellent. I am the designer of all 6 of Neil's restaurants as well as the refurbishment of Rockpool in the Rocks Sydney. I've come to know Neil well over the past 5 or so years. He works hard and is truly passionate about his business. Don't for a second think he's too busy or too aloof to care about feedback. He's a genuine guy and I feel that ever time I partake I am getting an honest and heartfelt experience. Neil Perry is 100% committed to delivering a top 'accessible' restaurant offering in Perth and we agree that this one is the best of the three. And yes don't confuse fine dining with bar and grill.
Grant Cheyne
Hi Grant
Thank you very much for your kind comments.
I think the work that you have done with Neil has been fantastic and I have always thought that each Rockpool/Rockpool Bar & Grill with their own design have created their own special experiences that go beyond other restaurants in design and art deco.
Thank you to Neil and yourself for bringing the Rockpool Bar & Grill experience to Perth.
I had my second round at Rockpool this week. Again service was fantastic. That's one thing I cannot fault at all. I have to give credit to their bar as well. Pimms was ordered and I find many places do not know how to make the classic Pimms drink so I just order it mixed plainly with ginger beer/ale. To my delighted surprise it came made in the classic way with cucumber slices, mint garnish, etc. That was great.
The calamari with romesco sauce was over salted but the sauce was delicious. Garlic prawns were fantastic and just super fresh from the taste of the prawns. The squid and pork belly was a slight letdown, not in terms of flavours, but the pork belly had an extreme amount of fat in comparison to the meat. One piece was entirely fat and because it's not cooked to a crisp as many pork belly dishes are, I just couldn't bring myself to eat this white cube of fat.
The red emperor with crazy water is served as small fillet pieces lightly battered and fried. The crazy water is a salt water concoction with small pieces of tomato and some herbs. It wasn't bad and the freshness of the crazy water is a good match to the fried fish.
Mac n cheese was sadly a letdown this evening. It wasn't to the same great level I had last week. The potato puree and broccolini were great.
Devils food cupcake for dessert which was divine although the frosting is just a tad too sickly sweet so I left about half but demolished the cupcake itself. Incredibly good.
Hi Suze
I agree the service is getting better all the time and some of the wait staff are amazing. I always feel well looked after now and the staff seem on the ball and I don't know how the wait staff manage to carry 4 main courses on those big serving platters all day. Neil mentioned that he has a manager from over east here at the moment and will have another one for another month to help keep things going smooth given they have only opened for 2 weeks so far.
I tried the garlic prawns and the crazy water last week and they were very good. The seafood is always super fresh (the fish comes fresh daily) which just made the dishes excellent so you can really taste the fresh seafood so much that I kind of feel adding much anything to it will cover the fresh taste.
Going back to Neil Perry, apart from being super busy working 7 days a week and everyone treating him like the celebrity chef that he is, I found him very approachable, very good to his staff, and really nice to talk to and he seems very passionate and dedicated to creating a great restaurant experience that matches each city he opens up in.
I went again (third time!) over the weekend. Completely unplanned, my friend and I were at Burswood and tried our luck to eat in the bar section so that we could try the Wagyu burger.
We both ordered the buger; she medium-rare and I medium. Chips as a side and also the chorizo, potato and white bean dish to share.
The burger was great. Very tasty and the meat is just so delicious. Toward the end I removed the bun and ate it without (just like they do in California! Haha) because I was getting too full, but wanted to keep enjoying the meat.
Chips were a bit uncooked in the middle again. The outside is so perfectly crisp, I just wish they could get the inside just as perfect.
The chorizo dish was only so-so, I wouldn't order it again and some thin slices did not seem like chorizo to me at all.
I'd definitely have the burger. Such a shame you can't order the burger when dining in the main restaurant because if you were in a group you may want the burger but be able to order other dishes from the full menu as well.
And please Rockpool, PLEASE get the airconditioning under control! We were freezing as were the other diners on both sides of us.
Hi Suze
I think the way they approach the burger from the brioche, to the tasty wagyu patty, right through to the way they flavour the burger without the use of soggy sauces sets them way apart from any other burger I have tried in Perth. Best burger imho.
I would personally order the onion rings over the chips, burger and onion rings... That way you can make sure you finish every bite. Yum.
I've been four times so far, I think it's about time to go back but I hear that it's booked at least 4 weeks in advance for Thursday to Saturday nights, with other nights such as Sunday you have to dine in slots around other bookings if you don't book in advance.
OMG....I want to try everything!!!
My mouth is watering looking at all the great pics :)
Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for me.
i've been doing a blog as an assessment for my business course, and i used some pictures of yours, so i have to thank you for them and i've linked yours on mine.
exxpereiceinperth.blogspot.com
Rock pool Perth - great service really well cooked food but the steaks we had were of such poor quality it wouldnt matter how good the chef was it would still be rubbish - As a quality beef grower in gippsland victoria i was most disappointed and would recommend anyone to forego the hype and the restaurant and spend your money elsewhere - $60 + for a steak worth $5 is not acceptable. we had 2 different cuts of steak and both were of very poor quality - Shame Your name was against this Mr Perry
with great food. When we went to this place and tried the "Rockpools Steak" - I was like I never had a real steak before!!! Perfectly seasoned, cooked and served that piece of heaven just melted in my mouth. Service and atmosphere are amazing!!! This is pribably the best restaurant in Perth!
I was on vacation in Australia and my cousin brought me to this place. My cousin and I were celebrating her birthday. The restaurant is stunning, the service was faultless, staff knowledgable and the food was great. Yes, it is on the pricey side, but like all things you get what you pay for. And we both came away very impressed.
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