42 Mews Rd, Fishing Boat Harbour, Fremantle
Ph: (08) 9433 1800
www.musselbar.com.au
What’s In a Name?
The Mussel Bar is one of Fremantle’s iconic restaurants. Located right on the water it boasts spectacular views of the Fishing Boat Harbour. Although called The Mussel Bar, diners can expect to experience an array of cuisine at this restaurant and new management has meant that The Mussel Bar has relaxed its prices and reinvented its menu to accommodate for family friendly dining whilst maintaining its commitment to be a superior seafood restaurant.
For entrées, the ‘Seared scallops’ were perfectly cooked and well complemented with Italian sausage. The salty and flavor rich sausage enhanced the delicate and subtle flavours of the scallops.
Staying true to the restaurant’s trademark name, mussels are offered both as an entrée and a main in three different varieties of ‘Traditional chilli’ in a Napolitana sauce, ‘Green Thai curry’ and the French inspired ‘Moules mariniere’. The ‘Moules mariniere’ has gentle flavours of garlic, white wine and fresh herbs in a smooth and light cream sauce and is served with fresh basil leaves and freshly toasted Turkish bread. Not surprisingly, the mussels at The Mussel Bar will not disappoint.
With both entrées, the Stella Bella Chardonnay was recommended and the slight sweetness and fruity flavours of this wine went quite well with seafood. The chardonnay would also be an excellent stand alone drinking wine especially in the warmer months.
The main meals are reasonably priced for quality restaurant food and a new addition to the menu is the ‘Seafood paella’, full of scallops, mussels, prawns and fish with a touch of chilli and a spicy relish on perfectly cooked grains of separated yellow rice. The wine recommended to complement the flavours in this dish was the Fire Gully 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, a fruity and refreshing wine with a dry finish and at a reasonable price.
Not in the mood for something seafood? Not a problem, The Mussel Bar menu generously caters for every taste and specialises in a range of cuisines, not just seafood and not just mussels. ‘Spicy BBQ pork ribs’ are sweet and sticky and served with the meat falling off the bone. The outside of the pork is crispy and chewy while the inside is moist and melts in your mouth. The ribs are accompanied by crunchy asparagus adding a new texture to the dish along with the smooth potato mash. The pork ribs are infused with chilli, lime and ginger adding an Asian inspired dish to the varied menu at The Mussel Bar.
If you’re looking for a great red wine at a reasonable price to go with the ribs, the recommendation is the Pierro 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (from Margaret River and also the makers of Fire Gully wines).
Finishing the dining experience at The Mussel Bar is a major highlight, with the dessert menu reinforcing that this restaurant is something special with its classy individual ‘Raspberry chocolate tarts’, one of the most popular desserts and served with a basket of Cointreau soaked strawberries, adds a nice touch. The Mussel Bar do something a little bit unique and special with the ‘Trio of sorbets’ and this is a great visual dessert that’s taste will live up to its bright and beautiful appearance.
The lesson learnt here at The Mussel Bar is not to judge a book by its cover, or not to judge a restaurant by its name. The Mussel Bar certainly lives up to its expectations by offering an assortment of mussels and seafood dishes, however it has made a new name for itself in offering a new menu that everyone will find to their taste. The Mussel Bar is open every night for dinner and Tuesdays to Sundays for lunch. The restaurant also caters for all types of events and functions including weddings. Contact The Mussel Bar for more information.