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Substance and sizzle

Picture: Gerald Moscarda

There's a scene in the film Zoolander in which the eponymous hero and his nemesis, Hansel, finally reconcile. The two beautiful male models take refuge in a trendy loft filled with Tibetan monks, wood- fired sourdough loaves, dwarfs and skateboarders nailing half-pipes.

The Mantle in Fremantle reminds me a little of that scene. It's hard to imagine a more modish coupling of different restaurants and collaborative artistic "spaces" under one roof in Perth at the moment.

But innovative restorations of former wool-storage warehouses, with a ping-pong table in the centre of a huge partitioned polished concrete floor, only go so far. If there's no substance behind the sizzle, venues such as this can soon be found out. Thankfully, the emperor is fully clothed.

The Mantle currently houses Magna Pizza restaurant and Alter Ego bar in addition to Don Tapa restaurant. There's also a commercial "incubation" kitchen and office and art areas for hire, with room for more pop-up kitchens.

Don Tapa formerly existed as a container-style diner at the E Shed markets but has more room to flex its considerable culinary muscles here. Perch at the bar-style tables and stools or get comfy in the Chesterfield couches dotted around the room, while friendly staff roam and take your order. Although there was only a trial menu on the night we dined, it had enough startling flavours to suggest southern barbecue will be given a run by South American as Perth's cuisine du jour this year.

Zesty quinoa salad ($15) with coconut, mint, lime and pineapple was taken to another stratosphere by tiny, delicate, sweet, sour and hot Peruvian pickled peppers (say that fast after three mojitos). One of the most beguiling tastes we've had.

Salmon tiradito (think Peruvian sashimi, $16), was napped with a foamy marmalade-y orange and turmeric sauce, gossamer-thin radish and micro cress.

And soupy, black-bean stew was dotted with smoky ham hock and came with rice and farofa (a slightly sweet toasted cassava flour used as a condiment or thickener).

And how's this for a bargain: house-made condensed milk coconut truffles with a shot of coffee and tequila ($3.50).

Husband-and wife-team Irene Polo and Anatoly Mezhov envisaged the Mantle as a convivial fresh antidote to Perth's skyrocketing prices (the hire facilities cutting costs for aspirational restaurateurs), with the added benefit of giving a lift to the neglected eastern end of Freo. They've succeeded wildly so far on all counts.

The Mantle - Don Tapa restaurant


Address 1 James Street (corner of Beach and James streets), Fremantle

Email info@dontapa.com.au

Open Wednesday-Friday 5.30-11pm; Saturday 11am-11pm; Sunday 11am-10pm

The buzz With its casual but super-stylish layout and stunning South-American-inspired tapas (or pizza or whatever the other pop-up kitchens may be serving), the Mantle shapes as one of the hottest hits of Perth's dining scene in 2015.

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