The people of Perth talk entertainment

Wonderful – where to get the best raw milk cai in Perth

WONDERFUL: What I really enjoy is having a drink with my coworkers and friends. Many people think Perth's CBD is quiet; that's because they don't know where to go. There are many great bars. I love this place, Picabar, and I love Hygge Bar on Mounts Bay Road at the base of Jacob's Ladder. It mainly serves craft beer, but also makes cocktails and wine. My biggest complaint about Perth is that too many places serve the same thing, so I'm always looking for bars and restaurants that serve different craft beers, especially WA ones. I also like venues that have live music like The Bird or The Rechabite. The CBD is great for entertainment. You just have to know your way around.

Chuonkin Thai Restaurant on Barrack Street is fantastic. I have been there several times. It's always busy, which is the surest sign of a good place to eat. I also like Hifumiya on Murray Street which is great for noodles.

When my colleagues ask me where they can get a cheap but good meal, I always recommend Soi 29 at 160 Central. It's cheap, fast and really good.

And there are so many great coffee spots in the city that I can't narrow it down to one, so I'll give you my top three. Smooth Operator on Milligan Street, Howard's Groove on Howard Street and Telegram Coffee in the State Buildings. I'll usually have a chai latte. If I'm feeling adventurous, I'll get a dirty chai latte, which is a regular chai latte with a shot of espresso.

As for the concerts, Fred again… [ed’s note: a musician, not a typo] it was really cool and I've been to a lot of great shows at Jack Rabbit Slims, a great live music venue in Northbridge. But probably the most memorable, I wonder if I should say this given his reputation, was Kanye West at the Perth Arena in 2014. That was before he was cancelled.

Vacation? I love Albany for the views and the cafe culture. And the Margaret River region has plenty of great craft breweries worth visiting. Cheeky Monkey and Wild Hop are the two I would recommend. I don't travel to drink or eat, which is what you might think, but that's an added bonus.

Karen and Gus: Footy, burgers and the WA holiday spot you can't beat

KAREN: What do we do for entertainment? Soccer! I like many other things (films, theatre, ballet) but footy is my first love. Yesterday I went to the ballet at Her Majesty's and then the footy. We are Eagles members and go to the game every other week. I also like to read, but I'm not a member of a book club because I don't drink wine.

GUS: And we watch all the other games on TV. I also like cars and motor racing. I have several vintage cars, which I “race” (I use the term loosely). I love watching motor racing on TV, I've been to Singapore to watch Formula 1 and I go out in Wanneroo.

My favorite restaurant is El Greco in Stirling. It's a very reasonably priced family run Greek restaurant that opened just before COVID. They served takeout to stay afloat during the lockdown. We have supported them through COVID and love the food and service. It is also very convenient. Easy to get to, easy to park right in front.

For cheap eats though, it's Hungry Jacks – a quick and cheap meal on the way home from the foot.

KAREN: If we go through the Swan Valley we'll stop and have a burger at Alfred's Kitchen in Guildford. The burgers are excellent and it has a nice and cozy atmosphere.

loading

GUS: Coffee? I much prefer a pub to a cafe.

KAREN: We often go to Tassel's Bar and Bistro in Innaloo. We go there for dinner and to watch the footy and for birthdays and celebrations. It's a regular place for our family.

As for the concerts, I think my favorite concert was Adele. Amazing stage presence, amazing voice. You liked Adele too, didn't you Gus?

GUS: I liked her. I didn't know a single Adele song until I went to the concert, but it was great.

KAREN: You really liked the Rolling Stones.

GUS: They were fantastic. The Rolling Stones would have to be the best thing I've ever done. I also loved the midnight oil. And the By The Sea concert, just before the COVID.

KAREN: That was wonderful. It was on the beach. There was Icehouse, You Am I, Dave Graney, James Reyne.

GUS: My favorite holiday spot is Exmouth. It's not as good as it was in the 80s and 90s, but it's still a very good place. Totally unique.

KAREN: It's very remote and sparsely populated and everything is pretty basic. But that's what makes it so wonderful. The beach is beautiful and the water is warm.

GUS: The diving is amazing. All you need is goggles and a breathing tube. This year we were for the baby turtles. Simply sensational.

KAREN: Baby turtles! They were so beautiful.

Karen: The good art of living

Ballet is what I do for entertainment. I danced from the age of 16 to 58, but then I had a health problem and I can't dance anymore. I haven't danced in a couple of years, but I can still put my leg over my head! Dance is still my passion and I go to the WA Ballet production The Bayadere tonight at His Majesty's house. I am an art consultant and have been working in the art industry for 40 years, so I love everything to do with the arts. And I love movies. I especially like the French Film Festival, which just ended. I also like new Australian movies.

My favorite restaurant in Perth is Ekiben which is over the road on Angove St in North Perth. It's a Japanese restaurant and it's fabulous. I also love Chinta Cafe on Scarborough Beach Road. It has a Balinese atmosphere. They make a good breakfast. The building used to be a gas station, so the setting is really interesting.

For coffee, I love this place, Hank's Corner [Scarborough Beach Road North Perth]. Like Chinta, it has also shifted from serving bikers to serving food and coffee. It used to be a motorcycle repair shop and a tire shop. They have done an amazing job renovating it. Have you taken a look inside? It's very cool. They serve good coffee and have a great atmosphere. An almond latte here in the sun is a wonderful way to start the day.

For cheap eats, I'm the wrong person to ask – I'd rather make a salad from my garden.

I've been working hard for the last ten years so I haven't seen enough of Western Australia. Like many Western Australians, I have traveled more overseas than my own state. But I do want to go to Esperance. Everyone is delighted with this. I love to go out in nature.

Anne: Retired and loving the Leedy life

For entertainment I play drums. I joined a samba drumming group on the weekends and do full moon drumming on the beach. When the moon is full, we take our percussion instruments to Pinnaroo Point, which is just north of Hillary's, and celebrate nature at its most beautiful. I also do line dancing. I'm part of an online modern dance group and we meet two or three times a week and have meetings. And next week there is a flash mob. And I love movies. I go to Luna Outdoors all the time. I like to go anywhere you can find a drink afterwards, which isn't hard in Leederville. It's a great place. Everything I need is here and within walking distance.

I don't eat much, though. It's just not a big deal to me. I don't mind the Kitsch Bar Asia just down the road here on Oxford Street. I like good food, but I don't particularly care where I eat. I'm happy to have a glass of wine with cheese and crackers. The important thing is the company, not the food.

My favorite place to have a coffee is this. temptations They do a nice Italian roast that's a little stronger. I keep coming back so it must be my favorite coffee shop.

loading

For cheap eats, like I said, I'm not really a foodie, so I'm usually directed by my friends. They take me to South Terrace in Fremantle which has a lot of nice places. I love food trucks. Sometimes we'll pick up something from a food truck in Scarborough on a Thursday night. And I love the food trucks at the Monday Night Markets on Beaufort Street in Inglewood. It's always busy and a lot of fun. Just a great atmosphere.

Travel wise I've done a lot of Europe so I need to see more of WA. I love Exmouth for snorkelling. It's nice to stay on the beach and literally be able to walk on the water. But I've been there since it was modernized. I'd rather walk away now that it's changed. I hiked the head to head a couple of years ago with friends. That was great. I love anything outdoors.

Start your day with a summary of the day's most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Subscribe to our morning edition newsletter.