Get Shucked at Palais 85

Picture this. Sweeping views of the Perth city skyline at sunset over the Swan River, crystal chandaliers, richly coloured satin drapes, beautifully upholstered high back dining chairs, elegant set tables. Palais 85 is a restaurant that oozes style and sophistication and sets the mood for what could be one of the most amorous nights of your life. I was brought here by a broad-shouldered rugby hunk turned finance guy for a special night out. Our eyes lit up as we entered this palatial looking restaurant and hoped that it would live up to its name, princely prices and put us in the mood for love.

My muscular date was as smooth as the bottle of Veuve Cliquot he ordered. Chilled decadence with just the right amount of pop and froth. The coolness of this golden nectar was a tingling accompaniment to the dozen freshly shucked oysters served to us on glass platter atop shaved iced ready for the sucking. I found it deliciously sensual to be fed natural oysters from the shell whilst being squirted with lemon juice.

Oysters have always been linked with love. When Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, sprang forth from the sea on an oyster shell and promptly gave birth to Eros, the word "aphrodisiac" was born. The dashing lover Casanova also used to start a meal eating 12 dozen oysters. The jury is out or whether or not oysters may or may not cause people to fall in love with each other but they have been touted as being rich in rare amino acids that trigger increased levels of sex hormones. They have long been a favorite of food lovers throughout the centuries, beginning with the Roman emperors who paid for them by their weight in gold. I am not convinced about the arousal impact of the humble oyster but I have long had this belief that men who enjoy devouring fish, shellfish or sushi are more adventurous in the bedroom.

We also tried the braised pork belly with wild berry coulis, savoy cabbage and pear chutney. Crispy and smoky the pork belly contrasted well against the sweetness of the berry coulis and pear chutney. For our mains we ordered the crispy skinned barramundi with blue ridge marron, eggplant caponata, potato cake and lime foam and the beef angus tenderloin with sautéed marinated prawns, broccolini, carrot, potato mash and chilli garlic jus. The barramundi skin was tough and chewy and had an insipid flavour. The cremated beef tenderloin was not much better with its broccolini sidekick still raw and tasting of soil.

Service at Palais 85 was akin to the quality of the overall meal, consistently mediocre with fleeting moments of greatness. It is at times like this when you realize how much the company and conversation makes up for what could have been an underwhelming dining experience. The world that night at Palais 85 faded into the background as I was otherwise mesmerized by other more compelling and passionate distractions.

I would not recommend Palais 85 as a restaurant to go for the ultimate dining experience, but sitting on the outside patio with a glass of sparkling champagne in my hand, a smattering of oysters and the splendid views of the water make it a great place for a pre-dinner drink and romantic conversation. You could even take a picnic rug in the car and go and sit down on the foreshore afterwards to watch the sunset and put my theory to the test.

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