2 Morris Rd, Innaloo
Phone: (08) 9446 2424
www.thesaint.com.au
Not just a pub
Most of the people who are familiar with The Saint George Hotel in Innaloo are young clubbers and pubbers, but there is another side to it which attracts people of all ages.
I had lunch at The Saint and found the place to be very attractive, with modern glass panelled verandahs and lots of trees, sitting high on Sackville Terrace amongst the nouveau mansions.
Upstairs, the restaurant has a club feel with light timber décor and sofas by the large windows overlooking the terrace. All the dining chairs are padded and comfy, and I felt relaxed and at ease with the friendly staff.
The menu is a good mix of snacks including pizzas, and more substantial meals. The bar has a massive selection of beers on tap plus the usual wines, spirits and cocktails.
Beside each dish on the menu is a beer suggestion – a quirky touch compared with the usual wine to compliment the food angle.
I tried the Squid Salad which was salt and pepper squid tossed with Asian leaves, red onion, cherry tomatoes, coriander, lime mayo and glass noodles. This dish was very attractive with the squid rings piled high and coated in a white batter with just the right amount of salt and black pepper. They were tender and juicy and were perfectly complimented by the creamy mayo and coriander. The noodles were light and the greens crisp.
My friend had the Kangaroo which was not actually North African, despite the description: “North African spiced kangaroo loin served with orange and date couscous, spinach salad and saffron yoghurt”. Again it was a visual delight with the layers piled high. He enjoyed the tender pink flesh with the mild spicy taste and said the spinach went very well with the meat, and the couscous was sweet and very light.
We had to try one more, even though these dishes were sufficient for lunch.
We shared the Chicken Breast – crispy skin chicken breast served with special fried rice, mixed shoots salad and sweet soy glaze. The chef must be complimented on his presentation. The chicken presided on a mound of rice with the salad sitting lightly on top and stripes of sweet soy glaze criss-crossing the plate. It tasted as good as it looked. The chicken had a salty crisp skin and was moist inside, and the glaze gave it a smoked flavour. The salad was crunchy and the rice nicely cooked with colourful vegetables dotted through it.
We tried an Oriental Mist cocktail with this dish, and it tasted sweet and minty and did the chicken justice.
We found The Saint to be a relaxing place to while your time away or have a quick snack, either indoors or outdoors.
It is open for lunches to dinners early in the week and then from breakfast right through to dinner on the weekends. It is family friendly and has a function room upstairs for large groups.
Overall the food was excellent quality and value, with a contemporary flare. The manager described some dishes as honest pub food yet a bit “whizzy”. I would recommend The Saint as a great meeting place for a drink, a delicious meal, a gathering or a party.
By Frances Myshell
