Ostro Eatery’s small touches make it extra special

Our Premier provoked all kind of pearl clutching last year when he dared suggest that Cottesloe, amid debate about how to revitalise the silvertail strip, might aspire to be more like the seaside spread in his electorate of Rockingham. Egads! Opponents of buildings taller than a 12-year-old were verily roiled by the audacity. For it’s easy to dismiss Rockingham as a bogan outpost where undesirables gather to do whatever it is one does with nangs and joust — especially if you haven’t been there since the SS Kwinana cargo ship broke its mooring, washed ashore and delivered a previously nameless beach and later, a suburb, a refinery and a Motorplex, a moniker. Rockingham foreshore is one of the prettiest around. (It would want to be given the “revitalisation” is costing a cool $15-odd million). The beaches are pristine. It feels safe (there’s plenty of CCTV and lighting), vibrant (a smorgasbord of bars and eateries) and authentic (they don’t mind which socio-economic group you identify with). Ostro Eatery, a super-friendly, unpretentious haunt in the heart of the promenade, is a very good reason to rock on down to the ’ham. It’s run by hospo veteran and Rocko local Kerry Goder — you’ll find her cheerful presence on the floor, skippering a crew of smiley staff. Ostro prides itself on fresh and clean flavours that err on the virtuous side without being spiritless. And it’s the small touches by chef Sam Hodges that make things extra special — for example, the wildly smoky eggplant puree on which the hefty and significantly better than average eggplant and mozzarella arancini ($20 for three) sit. An oven-roasted tomato salad ($22) takes molten baby Romas and piles them atop al dente freekeh, a favourite of the wellness crew. Folded through are house-pickled baby cucumbers, blanched beans, Persian feta and a tangy vinaigrette. Scoop up the broad bean hummus with shards of toasted dark rye. It’s a good value, simple-yet-sexy dish that shows care and imagination. An arrangement of blackboards boast the daily specials. A lemon herb chicken salad ($19) is another bowl of goodness packing plenty of flavour and value: lashings of roasted sweet potato, Persian feta, radicchio and the addictive sweet/savoury crunch of candied walnuts. Crispy skin salmon ($28) is omnipresent but this one, with a bean and fennel salad, potato gratin and that eggplant puree, stood out from the crowd. We shared a perky Picardy SBS from the short wine card — a stunningly reasonable $39. And as buzzy a scene as it was at lunch, Kerry reckons weekend brekkie is where Ostro shines even brighter — there is their famous chilli-infused eggs, with feta, corn and bacon, they make their own cold-pressed juices and have an alluring “morning cocktail” menu. Need we say more?