3/45 Henderson Street, Fremantle
Ph: 0438 795 582
www.cassiafreo.com.au
Cooking with fire
Located only a short stroll from the Fremantle Markets precinct, Cassia opened its doors just over a year ago. The décor is contemporary, featuring marble tiles, a smattering of pink marble table tops and black fittings, with light streaming in through the broad windows that surround the venue. There is an enclosed alfresco area that can be opened to invite the outside in. This area has a botanical feel with an abundance of climbing green vines with vibrant violet flowers.
We return to the vision for Cassia which included cooking with fire, developing a menu that excites the senses in its originality and working closely with key suppliers to show respect to, and draw the intrinsic best from the premium local ingredients that they produce.
Ru confirms that cooking with fire remains a key focus and believes they are the only venue in Fremantle to be doing so. The menu has been developed with Head Chef Jeampierre Arnao and Consulting Chef Emily Jones, the 2024 WA Young Chef of the Year. Arnao was born in and started his career in Peru before moving to Italy and Spain to continue his career. As we know, South American chefs know their way around a fire. Unsurprisingly, the open plan kitchen features an Argentinian style wood-fired grill with local jarrah as the fuel source.
Asked about working with local suppliers, Ru enthusiastically speaks about the supply chains he has established including, a 30-minute discourse on the genealogy of wagyu beef in Australia. Whew! I am getting hungry, time to eat.
As I am shown to my table, Ru explains that the dishes at Cassia were designed to be shared and encouraged me to try out the Feed Me Menu, showcasing what Cassia is all about.
The starters arrived with Oyster mignonette, together with Baked Half Shell Scallop with kombu butter and horseradish. The Albany rock oysters were cleanly shucked, sitting loose in the shell. After pouring the mignonette across the oysters, I tilted my head back letting the plump morsels slide free. They were creamy, indulgent and carried the flavour of the sea. The scallops were sweet and perfectly cooked, and the kombu butter provided a delicate, slightly sweet umami note enhancing the flavour of the scallops, while the horseradish offered a warm dimension to the dish. These dishes were paired with 2011 Ampersand Estate Sparkling Pinot Noir Reserve Cuvee (Permberton, WA) where its aging process delivered a longer, more complex taste profile of creamy blanched almonds with citrus notes to pair brilliantly with the seafood.
The next offerings were a trio of the House Signature Bread with tallow butter; Duck Terrine with red marmalade, pistachio, mushroom and brioche; and La Delizia Truffle Stracciatella with honey vinaigrette and hazelnut. The bread was light with potato adding extra fluffy texture and taste, while the whipped tallow butter was indulgent. It is easy to see why this is a customer favourite. The terrine was a flavour bomb featuring serious chunks of rich duck flesh and mushroom throughout. It came served with a jammy red onion marmalade and fresh pistachios offering the crunch factor. The third plate of creamy stracciatella carried just a hint of truffle, while the slightly sweet vinaigrette provided perfect balance. The accompanying hazelnuts offered a contrasting, smoky flavour and crunchy texture. These dishes were matched with another offering from Ampersand, in this case, the 2023 Ampersand Estate Chardonnay (Pemberton, WA). This cool climate chardonnay, presented with a luscious nose of kiwifruit and a complex palate of creamy pear, with flint minerality finishing with crisp citrus and subtle oak. It paired particularly well with the stracciatella.
The main course trio of dishes were O’Connor Black Angus Sirloin with beef jus, accompanied by Brussels Sprouts with miso mustard and jalapeno dressing, and Potato Pave with Hall Suzette sauce. The beef was served sliced, showcasing a good sear and perfectly medium rare cook. The meat was prepared on the Argentinian-style grill over coals and was well-rested, tender and full of flavour with the jus offering a deep, rich finish. The charred Brussels Sprouts, served on a bed of tangy Dijon mustard worked well with the beef, while the layered creamy potato provided a balanced accompaniment to the rich beef flavours. Beef and potatoes, always a classic match. These dishes were accompanied by another from the Ampersand stable, the 2023 Ampersand Estate Shiraz (Frankland River, WA) which offered flavours of dark berries with some pepper and medium tannins, and was an excellent pairing to the steak.
Dessert arrived; White Chocolate Brûlée and Mandarin Sorbet. The brûlée was rich and indulgent, its burnt sugar crust was brittle and had the perfect balance between sweet and bitter as a good toffee should. The sorbet was citrussy with the sweet and sour taste of fresh mandarins to cut through the richness of the brûlée. Seriously, you need to try this.
As lunch drew to a close, Ru encouraged me to test his cocktail mixology skills with his original Citrus Martini. There is great balance in this cocktail featuring iced Flux gin, Bordiga Bianco vermouth and grapefruit bitters. To further enhance the burnt citrus notes, there was a segment of dehydrated grapefruit peel dropped in the bottom of the martini glass which slowly releases flavour as you drink. A great palate cleanser.
The menu at Cassia also features vegetarian and other dietary options. Be sure to check out their web page for upcoming events such as wine/food pairing and those showcasing local wine producers and other suppliers.
By Chris O’Halloran
