It is with great excitement and pride to say that a restaurant review I wrote a while back has now been published in the Fremantle Herald!
It’s a small step in the right direction.
Click on the link below to see the full review.
Tag Archives: Fremantle
New Kid on the Block: Vin & Oli
By Emily Sharp
The first time I walked past Vin & Oli restaurant I just wanted to go in. The big beautiful windows allow a wonderful view into what looks like an upmarket but relaxed wine bar and restaurant.
The newest place to open up on Fremantle’s South Terrace, which is famous for its fantastic collection of restaurants, bars and cafes. Vin & Oli fits in perfectly with well-priced food, a chic atmosphere and an extensive beer and wine list. Opening on January 1 of this year, this small but stylish restaurant is off to a great start.
When calling to make a reservation I was instantly put at ease by a bubbly voice who didn’t make me feel like an inconvenience or as though I was something she had stepped in – which is a feeling I’ve been left with before. Instead the friendly voice had me feeling relieved and excited for what was sure to be a wonderful night.
The real hero of Vin & Oli is most certainly the food, it was absolutely delicious, surprisingly affordable and consistently beautifully presented. It’s a great place to relax and have a great time with family and friends, I can’t wait to go back.
There were however a few inconsistencies that let it down, which was a shame but could certainly be fixed with some minor tweaking.
On arrival the tables were crammed in a little too tightly, forcing me to squeeze in between chairs to get to our table which I had booked in advance and yet was dirty.
To my surprise I also spied the manager taking photos and texting behind the counter, however this could have been due to birthday celebrations taking place in front of the restaurant for a family member.
The wait staff were lovely: friendly and polite however it was difficult to get their attention and at times we were left waiting a little too long for our meals.
The menu entitled ‘Autumn’ wasn’t as extensive as surrounding restaurants however there were some delicious sounding selections and the most expensive item on the menu was only $25.
With an impressive array of beer and wine on offer, the only thing that is missing from their drinks menu is a selection of cocktails. Cocktails can be made on request though and I was delighted with the one made for me, which was a decent size, had perfect balance of flavours and to my delight wasn’t filled to the brim with ice.
The lilies on each table were a lovely touch and gave off a wonderful light aroma, the choice of ‘house’ music perfectly accompanied the food and the intimate soft lighting, but would have been even better if it was turned down just a touch.
We started off with some fresh bread, dukkah and olive oil, which was deliciously nutty, warm and neatly presented, even if we did have to wait a little too long for it.
Pork belly is one of my favourite things to order out and at only $20 I couldn’t resist and I wasn’t disappointed. Artfully served on a bed of sweet potato and garnished with sweet sultanas, apple and greens, it was melt in your mouth tender with a wonderful albiet slightly burnt crunchy crackle top. The only thing that could’ve improved it would’ve been a sauce drizzled over the top.
My dining companion was equally happy with the marinated skirt steak, chipotle and peperonata for $24 which was “perfectly cooked” but not quite big enough to satisfy.
The best way to end a night at Vin & Oli would have to be with their chocolate mousse which comes with ice cream, berries and what I can only describe as chocolate sand. It was certainly worth the twenty minute wait it took to get the attention of a waitress, and left me wishing I hadn’t agreed to share.
The sweet, creamy goodness of the mousse combined with the ice cream, tartness of the berries and texture in the chocolate sand, left me loudly scraping the plate to ensure I left none of my half of it behind.
Rearranging the tables, softer music and a little more attention provided by the wait staff would have made a wonderful evening at Vin & Oli a perfect one.
I look forward to see how they progress in the future and can’t wait to try their ‘Winter’ menu which I’m sure will be just as delicious as what ‘Autumn’ was.
By Emily Sharp
Vin & Oli
1/36 South Terrace Fremantle
0450 436 520
Open: Tues-Thurs 7am-11pm, Fri-Sun 7am-2am
©SHARP2015
The Streets We Walk
I chose this shot because it is a street I walk down most days and I like the fact that its got the Fremantle Herald Newspaper building in it which is a very iconic part of the Fremantle community.
The road leads the eye towards the back of the shot and shows depth of field quite nicely giving the photo a 3D effect which is accentuated further by the tall buildings on either side.
The light post is a nice ‘street’ feature and by increasing the contrast I was able to highlight the architecture of the Fremantle Herald building as well as the older building on the opposite side.
- Aperture: f/10
- ISO: 100
- Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec
- Taken on Nikon D3100
- Shot in RAW
©SHARP2015
EMILY JEAN 