LOCATION Steps away from Perth train station, Northbridge entertainment precinct and Perth CBD.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA Japanese dishes and Spanish tapas seem to have an addictive quality about them. I crave them each regularly, so when I heard whispers of a Japanese fusion restaurant called the Bonsai that serves ‘izakaya’ cuisine (Japanese version of tapas), I was hoping to discover a personal culinary utopia.
And that I did.
Converting the old Northbridge warehouse was no easy feat for owner Jon Lin and his family. They transformed the rundown, old relic into a modern, industrial-style eatery whilst retaining some of that edgy Northbridge grit with polished concrete and exposed brickwork.
Often having more eager curiosity than appetite when ordering, the share plates were perfect for exploring the Bonsai’s dedication to izayaka dining. Yet once overcoming the agony of selecting from the 24 wonderful dishes, there’s also a tantalising array of teriyaki mains, freshly prepared sushi and nigiri to choose between. Soon to grace our table was a mix of seaweed folded into julienne cabbage, crinkled Swiss chard, ruffles of coral lettuce, mizuna and tatsoi drizzled with a rich-red dressing of wholegrain mustard and soy. Thin slices of tender pork belly topped with
shichimi(seven spice powder) salsa enjoyed a sweet garlic soy caramel, and the rosy slices of lightly pan-seared tuna came carefully arranged and garnished with chilli miso and grated ginger.
Finally, inside the restaurant hid a little bakery that created delicate pastries and beautifully artistic cakes. The green tea mousse cake layered the infused mousse with white chocolate while the chocolate indulgence cake saw the dark-chocolate delicacy crowned with strawberries and a pretty pink maracron.
With so many intriguing dishes to choose from, this is a culinary glory where all the sweetest pleasures come together.
Karen Bilsby