A couple of weekends ago, J and I returned to one of our Mount Lawley favourites for a spot of breakfast. It was good to be back. It was one of those mornings where we both knew:

a) we were hungry
b) we wanted something really good
c) lack of food was making me a difficult person to be around

I don’t know about you, but sometimes, when this particular sort of mood strikes me I find myself shying away from trying a new restaurant; knowing that there’s also the potential to be terribly disappointed. When I go somewhere new, I really need to be in the right frame of mind – not tired, not grumpy and most of all, excited to try something awesome.

Returning somewhere familiar, somewhere you know is good, and being suprised – in a good way – makes the whole exercise even better.

Better, despite the total face-palm moment I had as I recalled one of my early blogging attempts, which involved this same restaurant. Seriously so cringe-worthy. I die.

J’s long machiatto (back) and my soy flat white (front)

It was a cold, drizzly Saturday, but that didn’t keep the crowds away from Cantina. In fact, when we arrived, we were faced with a line of about 12 people.

Not a problem at Cantina, as the staff know this routine well. We were told we’d have to wait about fifteen minutes, and joined the queue with one large group of six or seven, a table of three, and a table of two.

Our fifteen minutes passed quickly (more like ten, in the end) and soon we were seated, with coffees and breakfast ordered. 

Cantina’s house smoked salmon with rocket, hazelnut dressing and soft eggs, $20.50

As soon as our destination was settled, J knew straight away that he would order his favourite; Cantina’s house smoked salmon with rocket, hazelnut dressing and soft eggs.

It’s a fantastic dish, and one which I was very happy to share. Two perfectly soft poached eggs top a generous serve of rocket that’s generously drizzled with a chunky hazelnut dressing. The dressing is sharp, and the chunks of roasted hazelnut add a moreish crunch to every bite.

J’s a huge fan of the house smoked salmon, a cold-smoked version that’s generously dotted among the leaves of fresh rocket. Finely sliced red onions and finely chopped dill are perfect partners to the creamy salmon – it’s no wonder this combination is such a classic.

Cheesy toast, mushroom puree, walnut and slow cooked egg $17.00;
with new season Manjimup black truffles $30

I’ve only got eyes for one dish. I know I have to order it, as soon as I spot it, and I’m very glad I did. For a split second, I considered going with the full cooked breakfast – but in the end, I chose the Cheesy toast, mushroom puree, walnut and slow cooked egg with new season Manjimup black truffles for $30.

It’s just as well we don’t eat breakfast out every day, because with options like these, I’d need a second job just to keep up. Definitely an indulgence, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The fresh Manjimup black truffles were definitely a feature here – finely grated over the dish generously.

The combination of the silky just-set egg yolk with crunchy walnuts and the fragrant truffle was fantastic. I was definitely wide awake after a bite of this one.

But the simplest combinations are sometimes the most satisfying, and I certainly found that to be the case on this visit. The crunchy sourdough topped with molten soft cheese (forgot to ask what variety it was, but it was something like a brie) was the most stellar partner for the fresh black truffles.

I don’t know when I’ll get my hands on my own truffle stash, but when I do, you can be sure I’ll be recreating this. The oozing cheese and the satisfying crunch from the toast. Argh. Bliss.

On waiting: are we doing it wrong?

The funny thing about this meal, was that despite the fantastic things we ate that morning, the thing that J and I talked about the most afterward was the issue of queuing for a table.

Though there’s a few new establishments bucking the trend, reservations are generally standard practice in Perth, particularly for a Friday or Saturday night dinner at any mid-range to high end restaurant.

Wait lists and lines are usually met with sighs of frustration, many confused looks and on occasion, the angry outburst from the impatient diner. People in Perth are generally quite bad at it. Forget orderly lines. And don’t be surprised when the people around you forget that you were there first.

Cantina had this whole process down well – their front of house staff certainly knew the drill, and would approach anyone who arrived quickly, advising them of the wait ahead and asking them to join the line. It was quick, relatively painless, and totally fine with me (but maybe not my stomach, which had other ideas).

But on a visit this weekend to another popular breakfast spot, we were left waiting in the cold. Literally and figuratively. Though several staff members passed the door and came outside to serve outside tables, our stares went unnoticed – and we waited for ten minutes without a sign of what to do next.

We weren’t acknowledged once, let alone given a friendly greeting and given the wait time. We were just ignored (trust me, I used to work in customer service, I know when you’re ignoring me on purpose) and never given the opportunity to even approach someone.

We stood behind two other couples who seemed just as bemused by the flurry of action without much result – people left, plates were served, tables languished uncleared.

When another couple arrived, they pushed past the line, chased someone down and were told to put their names on the list. At this point, several of us noticed, and realised – there was indeed, a system – just one no one bothered to tell us about, despite seeing all six of us waiting in line outside.

Is there something I’m missing here? Something we’re all doing wrong?

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not suggesting wait staff should be mind readers – if you’re getting slammed, I don’t expect you to always know exactly how many people are waiting for tables outside. But some acknowledgement would be nice, and it might even make the whole process easier for you, as well as for your patrons.

After enjoying many meals at hugely popular establishments in Sydney and overseas, I’m forced to wonder why Perth continues to do this whole wait list thing so badly. It’s not rocket science.

Things I’d like to see more often:

• Front of house given the task of actually managing the wait list – ie. greeting people as they arrive, advising them of wait times and putting people on the list
• People lining up – in an actual line. This one is really really simple, folks. It helps others know where the line begins and ends – if you’re first, you’ll get served first! But then, I ride public transport every day in this city, so I’m not holding my breath on this one
• Clipboards – paper lists do actually work, if you can’t devote a staff member to be close to the door at all times. Refer to my post about the perenially packed out Chat Thai for a reference point (note the clipboard in the doorway)

What do you think? Are waiting lists for chumps? Are we all doing it wrong?
Which places in Perth do the wait list right? Please tell me, so I can go there instead.

I’d love to know what you think!