Rusty Fig
200 St Georges Terrace, Perth
Ph: (08) 9221 0885
www.rustyfig.com.au
A Gem under your nose
The CBD of every city is where many people are moving very fast on their way to a destination – to work, to a meeting, to a store. The same is true of Perth and of St Georges Terrace in particular. Sometimes though, we may be going just a bit too fast to fully register some of the gems on offer right under our noses.
Rusty Fig, located in The Cloisters at 200 St Georges Terrace is worth paying more than a sideways glance. Recently revamped as a premier fine-dining destination by owner and head chef Graham Jessop, Rusty Fig delivers modern Australian cuisine with European influences, using only the finest local produce.
Graham’s Michelin-star experience was on full display during our recent visit. Firstly, we are treated to an hors d’oeuvre of sweet potato, coconut and ginger soup. Fragrant, but not too filling. Our first entrée is the Chicken Liver Parfait with quandong chutney, toasted brioche, salad and ribbons of quince jelly. Paired with the Evoi Estate ‘Reserve’ Chardonnay, the pâté is rich, dense and creamy smooth.
Next is the Bergamot-cured Ocean Trout with Earl Grey Tea, pickled lemon, black garlic and red mizuna. A light dish with delicate flavor, the trout is cured with sugar, salt and bergamot – the latter from the chef’s own garden – and dusted with Earl Grey Tea. The tea removes the ‘fishiness’ to leave a sturdy, chewy flavour; delicious. The paring recommendation is a glass of the Arras Blanc de Blancs.
Our main meals are the Harvey Beef Fillet and the Free-Range Chicken Breast. The Harvey Beef Fillet is accompanied by fondant potato, onion horseradish fluid gel, caramelised shallots and a red wine jus. It is medium rare and perfectly tender. A glass of 2021 Vasse Felix ‘Filius’ Cabernet Sauvignon sets it off just right.
The Free-Range Chicken Breast is brined, stuffed under the skin with mushroom and truffle, then cooked sous vide. Served alongside mushroom puree, madeira and frothy cream jus, it is moist and flavourful with a stout, earthy mushroom kick that welcomes the slight acidity of the 2022 Forest Hill Riesling wine pairing.
The desserts, if you’ve got the room and we had…just – yield no dip in quality. Now, I am a (dark) chocaholic, so am never going to be disappointed by the Dark Chocolate Bar with its chocolate sponge, cherries, yoghurt ice cream, especially alongside a glass of the De Bortoli ‘Black Noble’ 10 Muscat. However, to our surprise, the genuine star dish of the day is the Sticky Date Pudding Soufflé with its salted caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Graham’s idiosyncratic take on the perennial favourite, he hefts up the airy soufflé texture with rice pudding mixture and toffee. It is divine. Paired with a glass of Penfolds Grandfather Tawny Port, I’d visit for this alone.
Rusty Fig offers multiple dining options: the restaurant, the exclusive private dining room, the behind-the-scenes experience of The Chef’s Table and the more casual The Deck, located under the Port Jackson Fig for which the restaurant is named. The Deck offers a happy hour between 4-5pm every Tuesday to Friday featuring a rotating range of craft beers. All their options are a most welcome addition to Perth’s CBD.
By Paul Hindle
