Restaurant Guide

Lalla Rookh: Restaurant review

Opening chef Joel Valvasori-Pereza might have left the building, but the party rages on at this CBD bunker.

Address

Lower ground floor,
77 St Georges Tce, Perth

Hours

Mon-Fri 11:30am-10pm;
Sat 5pm-10pm

Prices

E $16-$20
M $29-$66
D $15-16;
chef's menu $71

How does the CBD love this tavern hiding in plain sight beneath St Georges Terrace? Let us count the ways. It loves it on a Friday when suits crowd the smart-casual public bar for end-of-week knock-offs and crisp, elegant and hugely underrated pizza – some of the city's best. It loves it through the day and night when the dedicated enoteca offers a quiet perch to recharge and explore one of Perth's best stockpiles of European wine, available for drink-in or takeaway pleasure. But most of all, it loves it whenever the occasion calls for spirited Italian dining. Alexandra Haynes eschews the confines of regionality and tradition in favour of a cosmopolitan menu rooted in deliciousness. Sweet summery tomatoes are crowned with thick pucks of pickled cucumber, shichimi togarashi and shavings of dried beef; grilled octopus is played off against vinegary braised witlof; and tagliatelle correctly sauced with an oxtail ragù spiked with cocoa is typical of the gutsy, house-made pasta on offer. Attentive staff patrol the entire venue and know when to swoop with comforting Italianate sweets (a tumbler of tiramisù, perhaps) or to reload glasses.
Phone:
(08) 9325 7077
Bookings:
Bookings recommended
Features:
  • Licensed
  • Bar
  • Vegetarian-friendly
  • Wheelchair access
  • Outdoor dining
Accepted card types:
  • American Express
  • Diners Club
  • MasterCard
  • Eftpos
  • Visa
Chef:
Alexandra Haynes
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide's reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.