3 weeks Ago By Jade Jurewicz
If page clicks and popularity of a weather story on PerthNow are anything to go by, West Aussies are obsessed with the seasons — the more extreme the better. The aftermath of a massive storm, click. The hottest day of the year, click.
Hail reminiscent of the great 2010 storm that rocked Perth and its car bonnets, click. On the evening we were heading into Fremantle to eat at Ode to Sirens, the headlines told us we’d be met with intense rainfall and potentially hail. Typically, this would be enough to raincheck (sorry, had to) and spend the night by the heater.
But the weekend before I’d eaten at the bar and restaurant, and after raving about it to anyone who would listen, we were all willing to brave what Mother Nature threw at us. Ode to Sirens has a lot going for it. It’s in a gorgeous old building that’s been jazzed up with stylish furniture and quirky embellishments.
Its dedication to good music is evident the moment you walk in to meet a wall of vinyl records. But it’s likely the fun cocktails, mostly WA wines (as well as some Greek ones) and a Greek-inspired menu that draws people in and keeps them coming back. Some diners might request a drink on arrival, but I quickly put in an order for the white bean dip ($11) and homemade pita ($7).
It’s amazing how such a humble ingredient can taste so good with the assistance of salty capers, acidity of preserved lemon and a good slug of olive oil. Also on our list was the weed and feta pide ($18), halloumi saganaki ($18), smoked eggplant ($20), grilled fish ($37) and the village salad ($20) for balance. The halloumi was a standout (though it’s hard to do the delicious cheese dirty).
Ode’s came drizzled with honey and thin slices of green chilli for a hit of spice. The pide was another hit, the mixture can often be a little tasteless or gluggy, but this was salty and tasty with the pastry nicely crisp. We enjoyed the salad — a riff on the Greek salad — but it was a little pricey at $20.
The well-cooked fish arrived on a bed of olives and capers and was quickly devoured. I’d been looking forward to the smoked eggplant after having it previously, its roasted flesh topped with creamy tahini, zhug (a hot sauce made of herbs, chilli and spices) and pops of pomegranate and pistachios. While the previous version had a hint of spice, this one had you immediately reaching for water.
I’m partial to a bit of heat, but the levels here overtook all of the other delicious flavours. Balance was restored with a slice of the Greek orange cake ($15) with bold blob of labne on top, making it extra decadent. I’m glad we braved the weather to head to Ode to Sirens.
Not just because the experience was delightful but because the promised downpour and potential car-denting hail was nowhere in sight. 25 High Street, Fremantle OPEN Mon-Thurs, 4-10pm, Fri-Sun, 12pm-late BOOKINGS Yes CONTACT odetosirens.bar THE VERDICT Great tunes and a delicious Greek-inspired menu is music to the ears in this gorgeous Fremantle venue.
16/20.
