My second attempt to eat at Gordon Street Garage was a success.  My first attempt was about six weeks ago for a late breakfast on a Sunday…there was a massive queue out the door and, well, I live in a first-world country and don’t believe in queuing for food.

On a rainy Tuesday night, there was not problem getting a table at the fully licensed ex-mechanics’ garage.  The clever fit out pays homage to it’s vehicle roots; old-school bus bench seats with tables for four run down the centre of the main space. The decor is retro-kitsch and that filters down to the gorgeous china, printed with pretty flowers and the camping style enamel water jugs. It’s the little details.

The menu is designed for sharing.  Their is a section for nibbles featuring dips, olives and the like, smaller plates, larger plates, and pizzas.

Four of us decided to share everything. Keen to try the Garage Margarita pizza ($23) with burrato cheese (a fresh creamy mozzarella), tomato fondant and torn basil, we ordered this as a starter to share. This pizza was talked up by the perky waitress and backed up by one of  my girlfriends who had heard they are good. I am very particular with my pizzas, believing the traditional style of Italian pizzas are best. In my fussy opinion, Gordon Street Garage’s pizza fell short. The base was not crispy, in fact, it was so wet that it was impossible to eat without cutlery.  The tomato base sauce also lacked depth and flavour for me. It sounded much better on the menu than it tasted.

Thankfully, the pizza was as bad as it got.  The roast chicken with zatar ($32) was cooked beautifully, crispy skin and juicy succulent meat. I loved it.

The lamb with polenta ($33) was also perfectly cooked. The lamb was pink and tender, beautifully seasoned, and the polenta was smooth and slightly cheesy.

The couscous salad ($18) was chosen by my pescetarian girlfriend as our meat-free dish. It’s the first time I’ve had Israeli couscous and I enjoyed it. The dish was well balanced, fresh tasting thanks to the addition of cucumber and herbs, and the little balls of couscous added an interesting and slightly chewy texture to the salad.

To drink, I chose a quart of Wilyabrup shiraz ($13).  A quart, how cute. It came in a little glass jug and is the perfect amount for one to have with dinner – it was about two glasses which I thought was good value for the price. This is how house wine is served in Italy and it gets a big thumbs up from me. The wine itself was a typical Margaret River shiraz, robust yet smooth, slight tannin, earthy characteristics, and just a little spicy. Beautiful.

Dessert was our next choice. The big display fridge is the visual menu.  I chose the pistachio and white chocolate gateau ($16). What I loved the most was the crunchy biscuit base.  It was a generous serve and too much for me to finish. The girls chose the chocolate and sour cherry mouse ($10) and the strawberry and almond cake ($10).  They all tasted fantastic and everyone (except me) finished their desserts.

Pistacchio and white chocolate gateaux

The service was good up until the end. We had to literally pounce on a waiter to order dessert, and ask twice for the bill.  Besides that, the perky waitress was friendly, and pulled back just at the right time before her chattiness turned into annoying-ness. Good judgement on her part.

Did you know that Gordon Street Garage has a dedicated coffee roaster to make their own special and unique blend?  It’s also owned by the same guys that own the fabulous Duende tapas in Leederville.

Verdict:  Worth a visit. Good atmosphere and delicious main dishes. Skip the pizza. Choose a less popular time to go so you won’t have to queue.

FACT FILE

Gordon Street Garage
16 Gordon Street, West Perth
Tel: 08 9322 8050

Open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. No bookings. Fully licensed. Get there early for weekend breakfasts or be prepared to queue.