Cork & Bottle Old Perth Road – Bassendean

When I first heard that a new bar with wine nuances was opening up in good old ‘Basso’ I could hardly believe my ears! It was extremely exciting news for those of us locals in the area, but my only worry was if they’d be able to pull it off?

Prior to opening the Cork & Bottle team kept mentioning about their wine list on Facebook and I was just praying they’d put the time and effort in to make it a great wine list. The anticipation was literally killing me with every hint they’d drop.

Cork & Bottle (great name by the way – they’re just missing the ‘corkscrew’!) have been open for a few weeks now but due to their dress code we didn’t make it down until last weekend. They request no singlets, high vis, boardies and jandals/thongs – which is a hard one for us as being kiwis we live in our jandals. So we put shoes on and finally popped down to Bassendean’s new drinking hole just up the road from the train station last weekend.

The Look

Even from the outside I was thoroughly impressed. I love the black tile looking bricks against the wood and the wine barrel tables/planters out front. It looks swish and classy from the outside with a bit of trendy hipster flair in there. There was even a dude doing security on the door at 4pm on a Saturday, so I was glad we were abiding by the dress code!

On the Inside

Inside it’s a fest for the senses, there’s something to look at and touch in every corner of the establishment and the aromas coming out of the kitchen were making my taste buds weak at the knees.

That classy exterior flows from the outside to the inside yet it has a very welcoming ‘come and get comfy’ vibe. On the ceiling there’s an old ‘scull’ rowing boat equipped with paddles and there’s even a pair of shoes on board. Antique bird cages hang from the ceiling in one corner, while wine prints adorn the walls and the mismatched furniture suits the flow of the venue. Between the wood, leather and assortment of dark winey-coloured fabrics you immediately feel like grabbing a big glass of vino and settling in for a few hours.

The Wine Menu

But more importantly what was the wine list like? I have to admit I was well impressed, a nice assortment of local Swan Valley and WA wines alongside some from further afield including NZ and France. Prices were reasonable with glasses starting at $7.50 and bottles from $28.

The only thing I think would help the menu would be adding more info about each wine, where it’s from and perhaps a short sentence on it – but then again I am a complete wine geek! Long story short, I’ll be going back just to try my way through the wine list!

On this particular occasion I had a glass of the Madame Coco Sparkling Blanc de Blanc for $9.50 which was perfect with the bites to eat we ordered and by gosh I was happy to see they use nice glassware – Plumm glasses in fact.

Every time I am presented with one of those thick pub glasses or short stumpy tasting glasses something inside me has a wee cry. Pathetic I know, but there’s nothing better than sipping out of a beautiful piece of glassware that showcases the wine to the best of its ability alongside looking good.

There are also a range of beers, ciders and tons of spirits on offer. Again prices are really good in my opinion, you can get a 1 pint can of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer for $7 and the tasty Quilmes for $6 a bottle! So my drinking friends of all persuasions – you won’t he disappointed.

The Food Menu

I love it! One page of delectable  sharing type plates and I wanted to try everything! Naturally my eye was drawn straight to the Carb Overload Treats section, I couldn’t help it!

On this particular visit we ordered:

• Chilli Salami Cold Cuts Board which comes with bread, relish and gherkins $10
• Potato Spun Prawns with Mango Salsa $9
• Rosemary Chips $9

Deliciousness! Those Rosemary Chips were out of this world good. I’d order all 3 plates again! However I’m definitely keen to get my lips around the sliders and splashing out on the oysters.

We were pretty happy that our 2 drinks and 3 dishes came to under $50 – definitely a good date spot.

My Verdict

We will be back! Having lived in the area for a good few years now, Mr. Spittoon and I were both refreshingly surprised at what Cork & Bottle has brought to the table. Bassendean is definitely upping it’s game Perth with a myriad of awesome new hot spots so I’d suggest getting down to Basso soon!

Visit Cork & Bottle Today

• Address: 77 Old Perth Rd, Bassendean WA 6054
• Phone: (08) 9279 6005
• Email: [email protected]
• Web: corkandbottle.com.au
• Opening hours: 
  • Monday – Wednesday: 3pm to 10pm
  • Thursday – Saturday 3pm to midnight
  • Sunday – 10:30am to 10:00pm

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