by Buster the bruncher
Beachside brunch is bonzer! Sails, ships, whales, dolphins and Rottnest Island in the background on a clear day. Hardy swimmers, joggers and beach babes on a murky day.
What better social venue to take your visiting guests, to have a social catch-up or a business summit?
North Cottesloe’s Blue Duck, serving its clientele faithfully for decades, has given itself a makeover, raising customer comfort and adopting a new moniker, Longview.
Most mornings it is possible to spot a retired governor sipping coffee with buddies, a strolling former premier, a smattering of legal eagles, business leaders, sports stars and Perth’s biggest business broker.
Buster’s brunch buddy, Professor Ken, has brushed with fame most of his intellectual life and so is not easily diverted by passing names.
In the ‘Duck days’, sightings included Alan Bond, a young Joe Hockey, a beach-jogging federal minister, a Perth lord mayor, a sprinkling of local models and marketing gurus. Sydney crime boss, Abe Saffron (who carried a suitcase full of cash into Applecross’s Raffles Hotel and offered to buy it) dressed for brunch in suit and tie.
It is a colourful setting and background for the Western suburbs eatery that operates in daytime in casual mode, especially with dawn swimmers, walkers, joggers and cyclists.
Compared with waterfront eateries around the world, Perth does well on prices and service. Many coffee, brunch and meal bills are no different on our coastline than eateries without a coastline view or ambiance.
In brilliant service, we opted to share a couple of recommended courses. Chorizo eggs chilli, Persian feta and crispy shallots on sourdough ($19) comes with a real kick owing to chef’s generous slices of hot chorizo. Not for the faint-hearted.
Grilled Fremantle sardines with lime and gremolata, at the higher price end ($24), come on sourdough and are strong on fishy flavour.
Our mixed fruit juices ($8.50) came in handy along the way, steering our tastebuds as we gaze out to sea over the balcony.
Not feeling hungry? Fruit breads, date and walnut bread, muffins, ginger and coconut bread and bagels ($6-$9) with coffee or tea ($4.50) make for an excellent economical brunch.
Celebrating customers might opt for a glass of bubbles – reserve brut ($20) or ca di rajo prosecco extra dry, which sounded grand to us teetotallers.
The main menu offers a deluge of dishes.
Smaller selections include salt and pepper squid with Asian salad, peanuts and chilli Thai dressing, $23. There’s kingfish ceviche miso with green chilli nam jim and wasabi mayo, $24.
The Rottnest Island crayfish roll, toasted brioche and lime aioli comes in at $19 each. Then there’s barbecue grilled octopus tentacle with smoked tomato sugo, kipfler potato and olive crumb, $24.
Bigger meals include WA fish ‘n’ chips, beer battered or grilled local snapper, $28 and roasted Japanese pumpkin, spiced chickpea with coconut labneh, $29.
There’s usually a selection of lobster dishes and for carnivors, 250g pitch-black angus porterhouse steak, Kipfler potatoes and creamy Dijon jus, $39.5/$62.50.
Desserts are popular for good reason with a solid list.
Decadent salted caramel, toasted peanuts and white chocolate ($17). Ginger coconut cake lemon curd, torched meringue with ginger crumb ($17). Maybe affogato dessert double-espresso, vanilla bean ice cream, Frangelico ($17).
5 spoons
Longview, 151 Marine Parade, Cottesloe.
Phone 9385 2499
Opening hours, Wednesday to Sunday, breakfast 6.30am-11.30am.
Kitchen closes 9pm.
Monday, Tuesday, takeaway kiosk only
www.longviewcottesloe.com.au, email: info@longviewcottesloe.com.au
