Duendé, Leederville
Duendé is known for its Spanish menu – tapas, paella, sangria. Breakfast is a fairly recent addition. The breakfast menu is small, but worth a look if you’re in the mood for something other than the typical fry-up. Don’t worry, there is bacon and eggs – Schulz bacon from the Barossa Valley and Cackleberries eggs from the South West, cooked any way Even better, breakfast is served practically all day, from 7.30am to 4.30pm, handy if you’ve slept in or are just slow to get moving.
Across the road, breakfast heavy-hitter Sayers Food is pumping as usual but it’s not busy at all at Duendé when we arrive at around 10.30am on the sunny Friday morning of Jac’s birthday. The staff are friendly but (thank goodness) not annoyingly chirpy. I get nods from the kitchen and smiles from the bar, and that’s all I need before my first meal of the day. As soon as we are seated we’re given water and our coffee/drinks order taken before we are left to peruse the menu – another big tick.
Even before our tummies are fed, Duendé delivers a feast for the eyes. There are so many interesting things to look at – I find myself getting distracted in the details around me and have to apologise to Jac for my inattention.
From where we sit we have a great view into the kitchen. On high shelves there are stacks of earthenware dishes, crusty loaves of bread, and bottles, tins and packets of ingredients. On the chalkboard, delicious scribbles that make me think about coming back for tapas sometime.
A view into the kitchen, Duendé
Jac orders the corn fritters, hot smoked salmon, asparagus, egg (AU$19.50). The hot smoked salmon, rocket leaves and tender spears of lightly pickled asparagus have been tossed with a creamy dressing and served with a soft poached egg and two very tasty corn fritters. The presentation is simple, elegant and appealing.
Corn fritters, hot smoked salmon, asparagus, egg (AU$19.50)
I choose the crab, chorizo & spring onion omelette (AU$17), served with toast and French butter.
Crab, chorizo & spring onion omelette (AU$17)
The omelette is cooked beautifully, soft in the middle without being runny. The chorizo adds a burst of spice and salt. I reckon a little more crab would make it perfect. The Lescure butter adds a touch of decadence to the rusky toast. Both of our dishes are delicious and deceptively filling. We wash it all down with tall glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice (AU$7).
Crab, chorizo & spring onion omelette – innards
Spanish wine may sneak into your consciousness even if you haven’t ordered any – the back wall has been constructed from wooden wine boxes and the names of Spanish wineries are inscribed all along the wall above the bi-fold doors.
Quirky drawings adorn the panels above the windows. The back wall has been constructed from wooden wine boxes.
Duendé, Leederville – bar, loaded with local and imported beverages
I’d like to return to Duende for tapas and dessert, available from noon till late. I rather like the sound of sticky pork belly bites and doughnut balls with condensed milk ice cream…
Duendé, Leederville, on the corner of Carr Place and Newcastle Street
Duendé
Open everyday 7.30am to late
After breakfast, we went to the Cat Haven and came home with a sweet tabby kitten we named Truffle. I wouldn’t call her and Pixel “friends” yet, but things are slowly moving in that direction. All good – we know it will take time.