The Mussel Bar @ Fremantle, Perth

Fremantle is apparently a Must-See when in Perth. I had to squeeze in a visit to this quaint little town as my last visit to Perth was when I was a child and I don't remember much of it.

Fremantle is about half an hour's drive away from Perth city centre and is an interesting place to hang around for a few hours. The clear blue skies, warm sun and cool sea breeze were most conducive to strolling around or chilling in the park. The best time to visit Fremantle (affectionately called "Freo" by the locals) is during the weekends when it comes alive with activity. Fremantle Markets is open from Thursdays to Sundays.

The Mussel Bar looked like a nice place to stop for a quick Mussel lunch. It's prime location at the Fishing Boat Harbour ensured a nice view of the luxury boats that were on show, away from the madding crowd as there was a boat show going on that weekend.

Oyster Menu

The Freshly Shucked Oysters looked appealing so I ordered one of each flavour for the fun of it. I usually eat Oysters au Naturel and rarely give other variations a try but I thought I should buck the trend this time.

Natural Oyster @ AUD3.50 (about USD2.52)

I started with the Natural Oyster as I wanted to savour its freshness with nothing more than a spritz of lemon juice. The plump oyster had the fresh salty flavour of the sea and a touch of zinc. This is a Must-Try!

Oyster Kilpatrick @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

I generally prefer my oysters raw but I thought I would give Oyster Kilpatrick a try. The tomato and Worcestershire sauce overpowered the flavour of the oyster, which reaffirmed my belief that oysters are always best eaten raw and freshly shucked.

Oyster with Shallot & Balsamic @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

I could barely taste the balsamic vinegar for this version and the dollop of chopped shallots was just a little excessive for my liking.

Oyster with Tomato Jelly & Basil Sorbet @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

Next I tried the Oyster with Tomato Jelly & Basil Sorbet. The tomato flavour was a little muted and the basil was only barely discernible. The topping made for an interesting palate cleanser and the flavour of the oyster was not overshadowed by it.

Oyster with Avocado & Ginger Salsa @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

The Oyster with Avocado & Ginger Salsa was delicious! The creamy and buttery flavour of the avocado that had been spiced up with the slight sharpness of ginger and the tanginess of lemon juice. The combination of rich avocado and succulent oyster was divine! This is a Must-Try!

Oyster with Tobiko & Truffle Oil @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

This item looked really interesting on the menu and I was initially thrilled by the combination of colours. Unfortunately, the Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe) was rather bland and the truffle flavour in the truffle-infused oil was not strong enough. Though the menu had described this as truffle essence, it tasted more of olive oil than truffles. I would much prefer a classic Oyster with Caviar combination.

Moules Marinières @ AUD29 - Main (about USD20.85) (Mussels with White Wine & Fresh Herbs)

When in a Mussel Bar, eat Mussels. That was my philosophy though Fish & Chips would have made a very interesting option. I was afraid that I would not be able to stop eating the chips so I avoided that choice altogether even when ordering my mussels.

The Mussel Baroffers 4 different styles of cooking mussels: 1) Traditional Chili, 2) Italian, 3) Moules Marinières and 4) Thai Red Curry. I chose a French classic, Moules Marinières because I love shellfish (mussels/white clams) in white wine. I probably should have opted for the Traditional Chili version that was on every table because my large bowl of Moules Marinières was disappointing! The mussels were very fresh and sweet but the white wine sauce was bland save for a strong sourish aftertaste which was rather unpleasant. I yearned for the rich flavours that I enjoyed in the simple bistro fare of Moules Frites (Mussels with Fries) in Nice.

House Bread with Olive Oil @ AUD7 (about USD5)

I loved the warm and soft bread with a crisp crust. It was great dipped with the Olive Oil and would have been excellent with the Mussel "broth", if only it wasn't so bad.

The Mussel Bar 42 Mews Road, Fishing Boat Harbour, Fremantle, WA 6160, Australia Telephone: +61 (08) 9433-1800 Email: musselbar@musselbar.com.au Operating Hours: Mondays: 6pm till late Tuesdays to Sundays: 12pm till late