Restaurateurs Josephine Mac Fie, Chris Vane and chef Belinda Martin, have finally settled on a new name for Verve Restaurant, which they bought more than a year ago.
After failing to agree on a new name for the business when they bought it they have finally found something they are all happy with – Platform.
It comes from a suggestion from a former colleague and has all three of them hooked, Ms Mac Fie says. It is a play on their links to Woodside, with the restaurant sitting at the bottom of the oil and gas giant’s headquarters, or as Ms Mac Fie sees it, the start of their platform rig.
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Gusto has learned that one Perth laneway could become a little more like the lively backstreets in Melbourne. Alda’s Café, which is situated behind Pierucci on Wolfe Lane, has applied for planning approval to change its use to a small bar. Wolfe Lane runs like an elbow between Murray Street and King Street. The application will follow planning approvals for a small bar to be located at soon-to-open restaurant 1907 on Queen Street and Amphoras in West Perth.
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The judges for this year’s Royal Show baker’s bread and pastry competition reckon it’s worth the five-hour drive to Denmark just to tuck into a bit of cheesecake, apple pie or a Danish pastry from the Denmark Bakery. The bakery has won the best overall exhibitor prize for the 2007 competition as well as winning the best cheesecake, best apple pie and best Danish pastry category.
“It’s worth driving down there for a taste test,” says the competition’s head judge, Mike French.
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Margaret River winery, Watershed Premium Wines, is getting into the beer market. It has taken on distribution for Sydney-based independent brewer St Arnou. Watershed Premium Wines has its own sales force across Australia. Watershed managing director Geoff Barrett says the St Arnou brand provides the winery’s sales force a more diverse product offering.
