Naked Apple Cider House

1088 Brookton Highway, Karragullen
Ph: (08) 9496 1138
www.nakedapple.com.au
Escape the City
The stunning gardens were the first thing I noticed at the Naked Apple Cider House. A kids’ adventure playground and a new outdoor deck area flowed seamlessly into the cozy cottage flanked by comfy verandas. I felt like just wandering and breathing in the serenity.
Apples have been part of the Engel family since 1987, and co-owner Ross and his partner Holly Croft have fashioned the venue into one of Perth’s premier family-friendly destinations. Formerly named Hopscotch, the cidery is a springboard to the surrounding hills and attractions.
Although I’m not normally a cider drinker, I sampled a plank of four delicious ciders each with their own distinct flavour.  “We hope the cider will become available for purchase in time for the local produce we’re going to have available from a kiosk planned for the garden,” said Holly.
My favourite was Green Caviar, a new world, sweet, mildly carbonated cloudy cider. We also tried one with ginger and a stronger, darker cider called Bed rocker, which was more robust. It’s great to hear nothing is added to the cider, and it relies entirely on natural fermentation.
The delicious menu had quite a few vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. Interesting considering chef Sebastian Sindermann hails from Germany; and I know his most popular dish is the hearty (and quite famous) Crispy Pork Knuckle; perfect with a cider. But there was too much else the Duxton-trained chef wanted us to try.
We started with the crumbed Jalapeno Poppers filled with crispy bacon, cream cheese and garlic. We loved the flavours here, and the crunch of the pepper within. The Millbrook Sauvignon Blanc 2017 really brought out the flavours in this entree.
The Warm Garlic Hummus came served with curried cauliflower, chickpeas with beetroot jam and homemadepumpkin bread. Thiswas a hearty vegetarian entree full of flavours and went well with the 2015 Myattsfield Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc.
The Cheeky Beef Sliders were three buns filled with a flavourful braised beef mixture on soft bread rolls with red and white cabbage and red onion slaw. The flavour jumped off the plate and into my mouth when paired with the Myattsfield red once again.
The Sun-dried Tomato Arancini Balls arrived on a bed of flavoursome cauliflower parmesan puree and beetroot jam. The Green Caviar cider went well with this entree.
We tried the new Crispy Skin Chicken Breast main with fried baby potatoes and a lightly spiced sour cream. The addition of fried chorizo really set this dish off.
Chef Sebastian served the Crumbed Camembert on a bed of mixed greens with a mixed berry compote and poached pear. We paired this with the Interloper, a pear and apple cider blend.
To finish off, we tasted the Bavarian Apple Donuts containing plump chunks of apple, and the Malteser peanut crumb with a caramel ice cream complemented the donuts perfectly.
Naked Apple Cider House is open Thursday to Saturday 11am to 10pm, with the evenings becoming increasingly popular. On Sundays, there’s a breakfast menu from 8.30am till 10.30am when the all-day menu takes over until 5pm.
As parents with young children themselves, the team at Naked Apple Cider House welcome children, including furry ones, with open arms, yummy natural cider and a fresh Australian menu with a German touch.
For busy Perth families or those wanting to show visitors around, it’s the perfect way to escape the city and enjoy naturally brewed cider and reasonably priced fare in a tranquil garden setting.
By Liz Packwood
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