Get Naked at The Wild Fig

Have you ever noticed that after pulling an all-nighter of languorous love making, you wake up feeling ravenous? Nothing gets me out of bed faster than a great, steaming bowl of organic caffé latte and a hearty breakfast. Breakfast just happens to also be my favourite meal of the day and since returning to Perth after years of Canadian blizzard winters I have been promising myself to find the perfect beachside breakfast spot to kick start my morning mojo.

Winning the 2009 Restaurant & Catering Western Australia Awards for Excellence for Best Breakfast Restaurant, The Wild Fig (www.wildfig.com.au) on West Coast Drive in Marmion is where we decided to go sample their much raved about raunchy breakfast fare. I had heard about the café from a good friend of mine, an Amazonian kite-surfer chick whose regular Sunday morning ritual sees her strolling down to this beachside landmark to have breakfast in her pyjamas with her boyfriend after a wild night.


Walking into The Wild Fig with a beautiful man, I just had to stop and take a moment to breathe in the smell of the sea and cast our eyes on the magnificent backdrop of the Indian Ocean. The restaurant itself is quite funky, laid-back and has a neighbour-hood feel.

Starving, we ordered the health-conscious Nudie Vegan with a side of poached eggs, a Funky Chicken Salad and two free trade, organic coffees. The Nudie Vegan was spectacular and delicious. We dove into the grilled, bright green asparagus spears, roast pumpkin, roma tomatoes, field mushrooms, baby spinach and seasoned red beans which were succulent and zingy. This generous platter was accompanied by a serve of pumpkin rye toast which added a welcome crunch and nuttiness to the experience. The chicken salad was simple and hit the spot. Spiced chicken, avocado, grilled white peaches, cherry tomatoes were presented on a tower of English spinach. The tartness of the peach contrasted beautifully with the spicy coating on the chicken breast fillet. We washed down our meals with a fantastic cappuccino - rich, creamy and the perfect accompaniment to a mouth-watering breakfast.


I love figs. The way they taste and the way they look. Not surprising is the fact that figs have long had the reputation as a sexual super food arousing desire. I don’t know about you but I believe that the libido-building power of figs also stems from their suggestive shape and colour. They were even the favorite food of Cleopatra – a well known pharaoh and self-confessed nympho.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of any figs on the menu, but I still believe that The Wild Fig is the perfect name for this great beachside café which lived up to its reputation of serving high quality organic food, seasoned with a sprinkling of naughty and.... if you are really feeling kinky, you can always go sample Wild Fig’s hot tongue curry night.

The Wild Fig also has a new sister for you to try out- The Naked Fig on Marine Parade in Swanbourne.

Passion Rating ★★★★★
Food: ★★★★☆
Service: ★★★☆☆
Ambiance: ★★★ ☆☆
Overall: ★★★☆ ½

Here's a really fresh and fabulous summer fig salad recipe my mum's friend Marilyn has come up with.. delicious and simple:


Toss together mixed greens, figs, prosciutto, croutons, brie or camembert cheese, poached chicken slices and roast pumpkin. Pour over a dressing of honey,white balsamic, oil,Dijon grainy mustard.

An Italian Love Affair

“If only but one day I do not meet you, There is no place where I can find delight; But if I see you, then I want to eat you, For one who starves must sate his appetite” –Michelangelo

My first Italian love affair was unforgettable. His name was Paolo and he was a deadly hunk of a man. Dark wavy hair, tanned skin, chocolate eyes with lashes they went on for miles and a killer colgate smile with fleshy, pouty lips. As soon as I met him I knew I was in trouble. I was only 16 at the time and on student exchange in Mantua, Italy. If you didn’t know it already, Mantua is the home of Romeo as in Shakespeare’s tale of star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet. I am happy to say that my love story was just as passionate but thankfully not as tragic.

There’s nothing quite like the backdrop of a medieval city to set the mood for love – love for Paolo, love for the city, the culture, the people and above all, for his mother Adriana’s food. Between Paolo’s amorous advances and his mother’s cooking I had all the signs of being in love - flushed cheeks, a racing heart beat and clammy hands while inside my body there were some definite chemical signs that cupid had fired his arrow. I realised years later that the dizzy feelings I had experienced around Paolo had more to do with the anticipation of devouring Adriana’s heart-thumping meatballs than going on his promised magic love ride.

Unlike Paolo, one Perth restaurant that is guaranteed to deliver on its promise is Perugino Restaurant (www.perugino.com.au) in West Perth. Speaking to chef Giuseppe Pagliaricci you just know that he is going to take you somewhere special – as he will tell you “I am driven by the passion to create and do something poetic with my cooking”. I haven’t been to Perugino for almost ten years so I was curious to find out whether it had been able to sustain its past glory.

To kick off the evening, my buddy and I inhaled our delectable amuse bouche – a roast veal and endive salad sprinkled with bright orange nasturtium leaves. We popped the cork on a bottle of Laurent Pierre champagne – the floating bubbles tickled my nose and throat and made me giddy. For entrée, we shared an orgasmic experience – homemade duck ravioli with a puréed pumpkin and burnt butter sauce. The ravioli were soft and looked like miniature pillows and were stuffed with a pungent gamey centre. The wild flavour of the duck was tempered by the delicate creaminess of the pumpkin velouté. For our mains we shared rack of lamb encrusted with seasoned garlic and parmesan breadcrumbs, served with caramelized pomegranate-coloured figs and grilled dhufish seared in orange butter.

Giuseppe’s passion for food has certainly paid off and I was reminded yet again why he has won so many Gold Plate Awards. The meal was simple, elegant and heaven-sent. The décor at Perugino’s is classically European and floatingly romantic. It has the feeling of sitting in a conservatory and as you look up from your table, you can see the stars through the glass roof.

Despite its enchanting sleekness, the restaurant exudes the same warmth as you would expect if you were to walk into an Italian gourmet kitchen, with its open fireplace and ochred-terracotta tiled floors. The menu prices also reflect this modesty, which is rather paradoxical given the very chic location. What makes this experience even more authentic is the silver service trained staff fresh-off-the-boat speaking to you in their sexy Italian mother tongue.

In a recent poll conducted by Bon Appetit Magazine , it was discovered that readers liked eating more than doing the deed. An overwhelming 75.5% of those polled would give up sex for their favorite food. I can’t say that I would be one of the majority, but dining at Perugino I can certainly understand the inclination. If you and your loved one are looking to be titillated, Perugino is a blow-your-socks-off experience. Salute!

Passion Rating ★★★★★
Food:★★★★★
Service:★★★★★
Ambiance:★★★★★
Overall:★★★★★