Mamma Maria’s, the Italian restaurant operated by Mal Bennett for more than 20 years, is a step closer to becoming a lounge bar. Its new leasee is Graham Hunter, who is keen to reopen the venue as a lounge bar for an older demographic than that serviced by many of the area’s existing cabaret licences. Mr Hunter has lodged an application with the Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor for a cabaret licence. Should the application be approved, Hunter’s Piano Bar will open in the coming months.
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A new upmarket cafe is to open on Stirling Street that will provide local businesses with some welcome lunch, coffee and cake offerings. Located next to the Unions WA building at 85 Stirling Street, the new cafe is part of a new motel owned by the Berbata’s family called Emperor’s Crown. The cafe is called Café Crown 85 and, according to its promotions manager Melanie Gaensler, it will offer quality takeaway and sit down meals.
“We’re not doing the greasy takeaway it will be sandwiches and focaccias,” she says. “We will have nice coffee and cake and we’ll have a really good alfresco area. There is a huge market for this in this area.”
The facility is expected to open by mid July.
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The Wine and Truffle Co is considering plans to produce hazelnut oil. The company’s marketing manager, Mark Quirk, says the by-product of truffle growing is hazelnuts and the company is considering turning the nuts into a gourmet oil product.
He says discussions are taking place with some of WA’s hospitality heavyweights to determine the style of the oil and potential market.
The Wine and Truffle Co is in the midst of its second harvest and initial signs are promising.
“We supply the local Australian market, but if the supply develops we can export,” Mr Quirk says.
“We’ve had a lot of interest from the UK, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.”