Takeaway food has stepped up a notch and, as OLGA DE MOELLER finds, is close at hand:

 

Girls’ night

Just you and your BFFs. A chick flick and girl talk. Anything goes.

 

Roll’d Vietnamese , Cloisters Arcade, Perth: Stock up on the way home from work. This is one for girls watching their kilojoules. New offerings including a low-carb pho that replaces half the noodles with vitamin-rich enoki mushrooms. There are low-carb “soldiers” packed with crisp white and red cabbage, cucumber, pickled carrot and red onion, shallot, coriander and mint, with lean chicken breast, barramundi or tofu for a guilt-free taste of street food. Phone: 9481 8529.

 

Dusit Thai , Northbridge: One of the originals on the Perth dining scene that’s stood the test of time. Traditional dishes really sing — or sting if you’re bold enough to order the “hot and spicy” tom yum soup. Most of the a la carte menu is available to go, including the red, green and yellow curries and zingy salads. Phone: 9328 7647.

 

Hudson & Hughie, Mt Claremont: From gourmet deli to cafe with food to go, this is a well-kept secret known only to locals and passers-by. Plenty of pasta- based family meals even girls will love. Lighter choices include risotto patties, salads, slices and tarts. Duck in on the way home. Phone: 9383 1437.

 

Date night

It’s raining and all you want to do is snuggle up. Time to tantalise the senses with food that won’t weigh you down.

 

Darlings Supper Club, Northbridge: Asian flavours like you’ve never had before from the gifted hands of bar entrepreneur Andy Freeman. The offering is outrageously tasty and the takeaway menu has all the favourites, including dumplings, Asian slaw, char kway teow, nasi goreng, coconut and pandan rice, plus laksa. All dumplings are $8. You can’t go past the chicken lemongrass ginger dumplings in a light chicken broth and gyoza-style, pan-fried sticky pork and tamarind dumplings. Love at first sight. Phone: 9328 9883.

 

Ha-Lu, Mt Hawthorn : It’s long been an institution among Japanese food lovers and is one of the best of its kind in Perth. Presentation is immaculate and the takeaway menu offers five bento box options with a choice of chicken, fish, tiger prawn, scallop or vegetarian tempura main, plus a gyoza dumpling, deep-fried pumpkin corquette, omelette, chicken kara-age and steamed rice. Phone: 9444 0577.

 

Suburban Table, Mosman Park: Modern Australian with clean, fresh flavours and Asian influences. This little suburban gem has a changing menu but in winter there’s always a pie — goat now — beef cheeks, curry and blue swimmer crab risotto with mascarpone, fennel and rocket. Lots of gluten-free options, including all desserts. Everything but the creme brulee can be taken away. Phone: 9383 2233.

 

Footy night

A big game calls for big food to soak up the beers as the boys work up an appetite cheering their favourite team.

 

Good Fortune Roast Duck House , Northbridge and Victoria Park: Take it from a high-flying Singaporean entrepreneur, roast duck here is better than anything he’s had at home. Crisp skin, tender meat, tasty dipping sauce. There’s even a boneless roast duck option. Big appetites won’t go hungry with plenty of meaty offerings, including barbecue and roast pork.  Phone: 9472 8236 (Victoria Park); 9228 3293 (Northbridge).

 

Virsa the Punjab, Attadale: Give them curry. All the old favourites, such as butter chicken, lamb korma, tandoori king prawns, samosas and onion bhaji. There’s a takeaway menu, plus an online ordering option via EatNow with delivery to Alfred Cove, Attadale, Bicton, Melville, Myaree and Palmyra so you don’t have to move. Phone: 6261 7040.

 

La Casetta, Wembley: An oldie but goodie with Italian staples to go, such as scaloppine, cottoletta, saltimbocca, lasagne and everybody’s footy favourite, chicken parmigiana. To sweeten your team’s victory, desserts include cheesecake, creme caramel and sticky date and pecan pudding. Phone: 9383 7877.

 

Family night

Be adventurous or play it safe. The beauty of takeaway is you can share two or three dishes to suit all tastes.

 

Pho Que Huong Vietnamese Noodle Shop, Girrawheen: It’s a toss- up between this unassuming local between a barber shop and convenience store in the shopping centre carpark, or Hu Tieu Thanh Liem in Mirrabooka down the road. Take your pick. Que Huong does prawn and pork rice paper rolls, pho and shaved-ice desserts. Where else can you get a main for about $10? At Hu Tieu Thanh Liem it is chicken pho, DIY rice paper rolls and savoury Vietnamese pancakes called banh xeo. Phone: 6162 2499 (Que Huong); 9248 2612 (Hu Tieu Thanh Liem).

 

Poppet’s Pantry, North Fremantle : Stock up. Home-cooked meals to go, all frozen in single, double and four-person serves, including chilli con carne, cheesy tuna pasta bake, lasagne, chicken korma and Thai red prawn curry designed to heat and eat. It’s all made on site at the back of the Stand Up Surf Shop. Drop in and take your pick or plan ahead and order online. Phone: 0432 877 984.

 

Blue Spoon, Wembley: All tastes are catered for at this home-style local in an old fish and chip shop front, where everything is takeaway. Owners Jane and Neil Nesbitt have three chefs on rotation doing eight to 10 meals every day, plus a cold selection and a short- order menu that’s cooked on the spot and includes herb-crusted barramundi, linguine and Thai red chicken curry. Plenty of gluten-free options. Phone: 9387 1178.

 

Feast

An anniversary or big birthday calls for all the trimmings with food to impress. This is a special occasion, after all.

 

Boatshed Market, Cottesloe : Feed a couple or a horde. Food is displayed on platters, so you can pick and choose anything from truffle mash and lamb shanks to miso-poached salmon, beef cheeks and all manner of salads and desserts. Soups made fresh every day. Drop in and take home or order online. Phone: 9385 0611.

 

Hansens Gourmet Food to Go Catering, Perth: Fresh from Coventry Village, in Morley, chef Dan Hansen and his sister, Jess, have just set up base in the CBD to cater for the corporate market but still do family meals. Order in advance and food is delivered to your door. Everything is made with locally sourced ingredients, from crab and sweetcorn cakes, to spiced lamb koftas, prawn and avocado salad in a fluffy filo pastry shell and sticky date pudding. Phone: 9275 3311.

 

Gourmet Republik , Claremont Quarter: Takeaway doesn’t have to be bland, according to chef and co-owner Sandro Puca, who has set his sights on creating a ready-made meal revolution with his eclectic menu selection drawn from around the world. Think classic beef bourguignon and quiches using handmade pastry (France), curries from India, Asian favourites, such as Thai green chicken curry and Szechuan beef, plus Moroccan lamb with olives and dates. Meals feed three adults or a family of four and use locally sourced ingredients. Desserts are pure luxe and there’s a choice of 12 cakes, plus a selection of gluten free. You won’t go wrong with a birthday surprise from here. Phone: 9384 1880.

 

© The West Australian

More Lifestyle and food news: thewest.com/lifestyle/food