Bites

Leederville’s best kept burger secret is out. Retro Betty’s, famed for its generously proportioned homemade hamburgers, is moving to Innaloo.

Opening later this year, Retro Betty’s will be moving into an expansive location in the Greater Union Megaplex centre vacated by Il Vecc’s, an Italian bistro restaurant.

For those who know Betty’s original location, they will know that its individualistic décor is almost as creative as its cuisine. It is hoping nonetheless to revive the dinner-and-a-movie tradition.

June sees the celebration of food and wine north of our state as Pinjarra welcomes visitors to its annual festival.

Focusing around distinctive regional cuisine, the event will be paired with entertainment and cultural activities highlighting the unique flavours of the area.

Held across June 4-6, the Western Australian Food and Wine Festival is one annual event no serious Perth foodie should dare miss.

Moving to the new Perth Convention Centre for 2005, the event promises a cacophony of  flavours, tastes and sensations all produced by local wineries, farmers, butchers, bakers and chefs. The event, is set down for the June long weekend and event organisers are hoping this, their ninth annual event, will see their 100,000th patron munch their way through the wares.

Over 80 wineries will be pouring but many producers use the event to springboard new product lines and, for the drinking public, the festival is often a way to see what will be drinking well for the rest of the year.

Three separate cooking ‘stages’ will provide over 35 demonstrations during the weekend. And, as with the wines, expect to see local and national food brands launch their new products and brands at the show.

 For the very keen, wine tasting championships will allow punters to test their spitting and swirling with the best of them.

In a similar vein, local celebrity chefs and apprentice chefs from Hospitality Group Training will pit their skills against each other in live cooking demonstrations.

The event is a major money spinner for the state, attracting large numbers of visitors to one of the State’s greatest assets: its local produce.