Bushfire threatens homes, locals told to flee

A BUSHFIRE is threatening homes near the WA Kimberly coast town of Broome and residents have been told to head for the beach.

The blaze has so far blackened some 15,000 hectares and houses in Coconut Wells, about 18km from Broome, are now at risk, says the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) says.

Residents who abandoned their homes were advised to go to the beach as the blaze has also begun to close in on Morrel Park and Lullfitz.

“It may be hours before it is safe to return home so take water, food and sun protection,” FESA said in a statement.

“People who have decided to stay and defend their home should prepare for the fire.”

Residents have been told to close all doors and windows and turn off evaporative airconditioners.

The FESA says 25 volunteer fire and rescue service and bushfire service firefighters from two brigades are involved in the operation.

They saved six homes yesterday and extra crews are being flown in.

Road closures are in place and motorists have been urged to drive slowly.

Source  :  www.news.com.au

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Rebirth of Oceanus restaurant

WITH a new manager running a very tight ship, and a new chef in the kitchen armed with a new menu, Oceanus on the Beach in City Beach has undergone something of a renaissance in recent months.

Since moving to Perth from his native Scotland, chef John Martin has run kitchens at the likes of the old Campo De’fiori in Applecross and the Royal Perth Golf Club as well as his own Wembley restaurant, ultimately selling the business to spend more time with his growing family.

Martin said the first thing he did was change the Oceanus’ menu to something more in tune with the beachside restaurant’s oceanic surrounds.

“The last chef went sort of 90 per cent meat on the menu, and I thought, we’re surrounded by water here, so I went back to about 80 per cent seafood, 20 per cent meat,” he said.

“There’s nothing on the menu that I’m not proud of.” Martin – who was originally trained in French cooking – said simplicity was an important part of his culinary ethos.

 “I go for the good taste and the flavour and I tell the staff in the kitchen to keep it simple ,” he said.

 “You get a lot of chefs that put too many flavours in; complex flavours, and you end up with this mish-mash on your plate.

” Another recent addition to Oceanus is manager Paul Fox, brought in by owner Tom Galopoulos. Fox said he arrived at the restaurant shortly after Martin.

“All I’ve done is just streamline the staff to make sure the service is at a level where it should be, that all the staff are fully professional and really compatible with the industry,” he said.

“I’m teaching my staff the three things I find lacking most in the industry – complex flavours, and you end up with this mish-mash on your plate and, to let people know that the menus are suggestions.

“If you like the sound of the fish of the day, but you don’t want the mashed potatoes with it, we will ask what would you like with it?

“Products in the fridge are there to be used and the chef is there to cook the food that you want to eat.”

Oceanus is also introducing some dinner shows later in the year, with pub-rock legends Mental as Anything dropping in as part of their 30th anniversary tour, as well as a show by Richard Clapton.

Source  :  www.inmycommunity.com.au

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Indian Palace Restaurant

THE smell of simmering curry grows stronger with the ascent off the street up to the warmth of the Indian Palace Restaurant in Bull Creek.

Guests will discover with delight that the rich, spiced aroma matches the taste of the food as they choose between vegetable samosas, tikka chicken and shish kebabs for entree.

For mains, one of their house specialties is the butter chicken, which arrives garnished with light almond flakes and sultanas.                                                     

The Bengali fish curry has a strong tamarind flavour and chunks of fresh tomato, and may go well with the rich Indian cheese and spinach dish – the palak paneer. To accompany, there are naans with different fillings such cheese or garlic, and different fruit chutneys and pickles.

With its inviting atmosphere and sensible prices, it is easy to see why Indian Palace is so popular with local families.

The great value extends even further on Friday and Saturday nights with the buffet, which includes such favourites as butter chicken, vegetable korma, Kashmiri dahl and lamb rogan josh. At $29.50 for adults and $14.50 for children, the buffet is the perfect opportunity to taste a range of the special dishes on offer at Indian Palace.

There is also an extensive takeaway menu.

Catering and functions are available upon request, call 9332 2126, or visit Shop 9, 110 Parry Avenue, Bull Creek

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Minimum wage increases $12.30 a week

The State’s lowest-paid workers will get a $12.30 a week pay rise, in a move social advocates say will have them relying on community services more than ever.

The WA Industrial Relations Commission today handed down the 2.2 per cent increase, effective from October, saying the rise was in line with the Perth CPI.

It will take the minimum wage, which covers about 2.2 per cent of the state’s workers, to $569.70.                                         

Unions had argued for a $31 a week increase, while the Chamber of Commerce and Industry pleaded for none.

The State Government had submitted $19 a week as appropriate.

WA Council of Social Services chief executive Sue Ash said the commission was “out of touch” with community expectations.

“This decision means (low-paid workers) will bear the brunt of the economic downturn,” she said.

“The CPI is a wholly inadequate measure of the real living cost pressures and income value of minimum wage workers as it does not reflect the basket of goods that (they) have to spend their money on.”

Food prices had risen 8.6 per cent in the year to March, while housing (8.1 per cent), health services (11.9 per cent) and education (15 per cent) had far exceeded the CPI figure.

“These stark increases… mean that low income earners will be relying on community services more than ever,” she said.

Source  :   www.watoday.com.au

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Perth resort restaurant named and shamed

A Swan Valley tourist resort is the latest outlet to be named and shamed on WA’s ever-growing filthy restaurant register.

The Swan Valley Oasis Restaurant and Function Centre at Henley Brook is the 46th eatery to be so exposed on the ‘Notifications of Convictions’ list published by the the WA Health Department.

As revealed first on WAtoday, the venue was fined $8,750, and ordered to pay $1571.70 in costs, for hygiene breaches including:               

– allowing vermin into the restaurant;
– exposing food to possible contamination; and
– failing to ensure the premises and appliances were clean.

The restaurant is part of the Swan Valley Oasis Resort, which also boasts a golf course and boutique brewery.

The eatery serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, and is a popular wedding reception venue.

Testimonials on the venue’s website include one from Helen, of Hong Kong.

“Clean, relaxed and family-friendly – really pleased to have found a nice, reasonably-priced place to stay before heading out of Perth,” Helen wrote.

According to the website, Rebecca, of Paynes Find, was “pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meals and service”.  Samantha, of Albany, found the venue “very clean and neat” and said she would “definitely be back”.

Since September 2006, the 46 prosecuted food outlets have together been fined in excess of $170,000.

However, this might only be the thin edge of the potato wedge, because it is not compulsory for local authorities to report breaches to the government.

Hence, only hygiene breaches in 11 of WA’s 139 local authorities appear on the government’s dirt list.

After WAtoday.com.au exposed the initial 41 list inductees in January, Health Minister Kim Hames rejected a call by consumer group Choice to post hygiene ratings on restaurant doors.

Mr Hames said that hygeine breaches from every local council would be added to the list when mandatory reporting was introduced under a new Food Act that is being drafted.

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Masterchef Australia

George Calombaris has been awarded more accolades for his work than most receive in a lifetime, and this exuberant chef is still just 30 years of age. 

George’s molecular gastronomy has seen him become a much talked about chef in the international cooking circuit.

In 2004, the Global Food and Wine Magazine voted George one of the Top 40 Chefs of Influence in the World. An internationally successful restaurateur, George owns three restaurants in Melbourne and one in Mykonos, Greece. His flagship Melbourne restaurant, The Press Club, was recently awarded The Age Good Food Guide ‘Best New Restaurant 2008’ with George named ‘Chef of the Year 2008’.

Fiery, passionate and outspoken, George does not mince his words and will push the contestants to grow, improve and strive for excellence in their cooking.

“MasterChef Australia is the first reality prime-time cooking show that not only depicts the highs and lows of the hospitality industry, but the passion that each person on the show has for food. It is real. Real food and real people. I am a living example for all the cooks on MasterChef Australia and I hope I can give them the full reality of what this hard but beautiful industry is all about. I am fair and understanding, but I will not accept rubbish.” – George Calombaris

www.masterchef.com.au

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