Welcome to Copperwood (The)

A sad loss for Kalamunda and lovers of good food everywhere, the Copperwood has closed. The family has sold the restaurant and it is going to be redeveloped as some other form of business. Even if it becomes a restaurant again, it will never be the Copperwood again! That is the end of good Rosti in WA.

Just had to go here tonight for dinner. Being a Tuesday night, I figured we would probably be one of the few tables there. Wrong!! During a lull in conversation, I counted 23 covers! For a Tuesday night! This place is popular with locals and deservedly so. The two waitresses were kept busy but remained friendly and professional the whole night.

Starting with pre-dinner sherries was a lovely way to commence the night. We followed this with the natural oysters served with smoked salmon, crumbled egg and salmon roe (devine), and the pork and chicken terrine which was accompanied by cranberry and horseradish jelly, avocado, salad and toast. Everything was just enough to stimulate your appetite without filling you up.

For once we were sensible and ordered entree sized mains of Harvey beef fillet with gorgonzola sauce and olive tapenade, and the Margaret River venison medallions on a grilled polenta cake with poached pear, blueberry and cassis sauce, and braised witlof. As we only had the smaller serves, these dishes are unaccompanied (main sized gets veges or salad), so we also ordered the vegetables and rosti potato. All the food was lovely, the only quibbles I have are that I believe the gorgonzola sauce would have been better slightly thicker and I ordered my steak rare, yet it came out medium rare. Very minor issues however.

After the Entertainment Book discount, and including a glass of wine, we paid $96 for the meal. Very happy campers!

Having dined frequently at the Copperwood, I thought it was about time to try their tapas bar which is attached to the main restaurant. The interior design of the tapas bar is as far removed from the main restaurant's design as can be imagined. The bar has modern clean lines, is light and bright and there is no open ceilings and heavy wood of next door. Even the tables and chairs are completely different. The only shared aspect are the staff!

We were the only patrons today for lunch so had the waitress's undivided attention. She was helpful and nice. The flavours of the tapas menu are quite removed from the restaurant menu. On this occasion, we ordered mixed olives and bread to accompany our drinks, and followed this with a field mushroom filled with spinach, chargrilled squid with green chilli jam, Freo sardines with tartare sauce, skewered BBQ scallops in a citrus sauce, quail breast wrapped in bacon in port wine sauce, and grilled eggplant, capsicum and zucchini stack layered with tomato coulis and topped with melted cheese. Everything was lovely and there are several other items that I would have liked to have sampled but did not have room for.

The Copperwood's tapas experience is one I am keen to revisit, and this will be assisted by the discount voucher they presented me with on payment of the bill.

This restaurant is consistently good.

Most of the dishes can be ordered either as an entree-or main course- size. They now have a tapas bar as well. The restaurant itself is nicely laid out with a wood fire in winter and al fresco dining in summer. They used to host Rotary meetings there, not sure if that still continues since the conversion of the private room to the tapas bar. Otherwise it can cater for small groups or couples. I have never found anybody else's conversations impinged on my evening. Service has always been friendly, and while some of the junior staff over the years have not been entirely knowledgable, the front of house is under the charge of the chef's wife and co-owner, and she has always been very impressive.

It has a decent sized wine/beer/cocktail list. I really enjoy going to this place and have seldom felt let down by any of the dishes. I have driven from Fremantle to have an oyster fix there!

If it is a bit of a hike for some of you, I believe it would be worth it. Bookings are also recommended.

I have just talked myself into wanting to go there tonight!!