PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIASubiaco Square, for those who aren’t sure, is the retail precinct across the railway tracks at the end of Rokeby Road. Now you know where it is, you have no excuse for not being able to find Fire and Ice; the latest restaurant to take up residency at the Square. Although it’s not in the heart of the precinct (near the supermarket, that is), its location offers diners a little bit of serenity with the odd train passing underneath, which you’ll barely notice after a wine or two. A fresh interior with a polished concrete floor, basic black-and-white colour scheme and a gorgeous chandelier hint that the decorators wanted a minimalist theme here, with plenty of space. So much space, in fact, they could easily accommodate a few more tables.
At least there’s ample room on the table for all the dishes ordered, since the menu items are designed to be shared, tapas style. There’s a smattering of seafood and gourmet delights to choose from, a couple of which may need a little explaining. The majority of offerings, however, are fairly straightforward, like the duck liver parfait, chilli citrus pork belly and the duck and shiitake spring rolls with coconut rice. If any of these dishes take your fancy, you can request them in a la carte size or choose one of the three dishes from the “big food” menu. The best thing about sharing dishes is dessert – you get to indulge in not one, but many creations, with the Fire and Ice dessert grazing plate. At least this way, you might also have room for the superb daily cheese platter.
Karen Bilsby, November 2008
