Red Cray on Beaufort

FOR 14 years the Red Cray name has been synonymous with excellent seafood in Perth, and it is a long time Menu Magazine favourite. Brothers Jagdave and Gurpreet Singh have taken over since their dad’s retirement three years ago, and continue to uphold the restaurant’s reputation. Having attained great success, the brothers have consolidated the restaurants to allow them to focus all their energy onto Red Cray on Beaufort – and it shows.
Not to be confused with any other restaurant, Red Cray on Beaufort is a classy but cool seafood and grill restaurant. With Bourbon and BBQ Pork Spare Ribs as one of their best sellers, it doesn’t take long to realise that this trendy restaurant offers more than just great seafood. The bar is an infusion of ‘classic’ meets ‘street’, with a cluster of black industrial lights and quirky graffiti murals of sea animals swigging cocktails – it oozes industrial chic. Licensed to offer alcoholic beverages without a meal, it is the perfect place to pop in for a drink while catching up with friends or watching the footy. The diversity of the drinks menu allows it to cater to whatever might tickle your fancy, with $8 pints of Heineken and Little Creatures, a plethora of wine varieties, and an enticing cocktail list – it will soon become your favourite place to be.
Located on the corner of Beaufort Street and Second Avenue in Mount Lawley, it’s fantastically big, all encompassing bay windows provide the prime position for people watching whilst enjoying your meal. Chef Wayne Champion has accompanied the Singh brothers on their journey for the past two and a half years, and says he enjoys cooking the “fun and simple” menu. With 17 years’ experience behind him, Wayne effortlessly shows off his varied talents. We were spoiled during our dining experience with four very different dishes.
To start, we shared an entrée of the Salt and Pepper Calamari. The fresh and plump calamari rings were lightly seasoned with a lemon, pepper and sea salt crumb mix, and accompanied by a mild aioli, and a Greek salad drizzled in a slightly zesty vinaigrette. The simplicity of the flavours was not understated, and the seasonings matched well with the 2015 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand) – bringing out the fruity notes of the wine.

Another entrée, the vegetarian Deconstructed Parmigiana followed. The perfectly textured grilled eggplant steaks were drizzled with Napolitana sauce and topped with buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil. A hint of spice gave the unique dish a flavoursome kick.
We couldn’t go past the restaurant’s namesake. So next up was the Grilled Cray entrée. The local crayfish was just what you would expect from an award-winning restaurant – melt-in-your-mouth, with buttery goodness.

Served on a bed of mash with a side serving of Greek salad, the dish is superbly light and fresh. Last, but certainly not least, was the Scotch Fillet steak main dish. Seasoned with a dusting of salt and pepper, drizzled in jus, and served on a creamy potato mash, the modesty of the ingredients allows you to appreciate the natural flavour of the seared tender steak. The 2014 Pinelli Estate Reserve Merlot (Western Australia) matched the meal nicely.
Red Cray on Beaufort is sophisticated dining in disguise; providing sensational seafood without the expensive price tag, and a casual atmosphere to boot.