58
describedasthe‘secondspring’where‘flowersare
explodingeverywhereandreptilesareonthemove’.
Aswesitfacingshaggypepperminttreesthat
filterWA’spuresunlight,weadmiretherustic-
yet-minimaliststyleofthenewbuild.Paredback,
caramel-huedyarriwoodandleathermeetpolished
concretewithyawningglassandindustrialblacklight
pendants.There’sasenseofpeace,brokenonlyby
thebubblywaitressdeliveringFremantle-sourced,
pickledsardines.Lappedbytop-shelfoliveoil,
they’repositionedasifonaskewer,heldinplacewith
squirtsoflabneh,brushedwithbushtomatosauce
anddottedwithdesertlime.They’remineral-fresh
andsweetlytangy,andcompeteforcompliments
withabowlofcevichescallopsdousedincelery
foamandsliveredapple,theslipperymouth-feel
texturedwithgratedlardo(porkfat).Wood-grilled
prawnsexhibitcharrycharmandlicksofXOsauce,
scatteredwithcrispedsaltbushleaves.Ricottagnudi
(similartognocchi)don’tlookasprettybutthey’re
acontenderforbestdish,tossedinoodlesofbrown
butter,peasandinterestingleafygreens.Wefinish
withtheburntcabbageanditsglossymisoglaze
garnishedwithbark-likelaverseaweedearnsmean
apology–andapledgemyfriendwilleatanything
ofmychoosingfromhereon.Yarrihasthateffect
onpeople.It’sapuntthat’spaidoff.DETAILS
YARRIRESTAURANT+ BAR
6/16CyrilleanWay,
Dunsborough,WA;
yarri.com.au
Verdict:In notimeat
all,thishasbecomeone
of theMargaretRiver
region’sbestrestaurants,
assemblingpristine
ingredientsthatare
skilfullycombinedwith
a wonderfullyrelaxed
setting– somethingyou’d
neverexpectfromthe
carparkfrontage.
Score:
We rated: The inside-
outside bush feel of the
airy restaurant floor and
the deceptively complex
flavours in the dishes.
We’d change: Not much.
Yarri is a collaboration
between Carr and the
team behind Snake +
Herring, so the wine
list is understandably
slanted in this direction,
with limited by-the-glass
diversity.
Notes: Starters and
sides range from
$10–$20 while bigger
plates sit at $22–$40.MY FRIEND IS GIVING ME A LOOK that says:
not happy. I’ve added burnt cabbage to our order
while she was off powdering her nose and apparently,
peasant-level leafy veg is not on her favourites list.
But I’ve heard it should be. The chef cooking
it, Aaron Carr, spent 21 years at Vasse Felix, the
lauded winery owned by the Holmes à Court family.
He’s switched the grand estate where he’d earned
chef hats and built a reputation for showy, technique-
driven, sometimes experimental fare for a bolthole
in the nearby beach town of Dunsborough. In opening
his own restaurant with the team behind nearby
winery Snake + Herring, he’s changed tack, opting for
a more mindful way forward. His food is still mightily
polished but it’s much more approachable than before.
The simplicity helps highlight his love of
sustainable, fiercely local produce – particularly
seafood – and for something new, there’s an
Indigenous influence subtly woven in. Yarri’s single-
sheet menu is framed around the six seasons of the
Noongar calendar, the current one detailed at the
bottom of the page. When I visit, it’s Kambarang,AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COMAll AT reviews are conducted anonymously and our writers pay their own way – so we experience exactly what you would.CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP
LEFT: Chef Aaron
Carr; Wood-grilled
prawns with saltbush;
Peruse a wine list by
Snake + Herring;
Dishes are based on
the Noongar calendar;
Pink snapper; Airy
interiors let the
SECOND SPRING outside flood in.WEEKENDS | Reviews
Dunsborough’s YARRI
RESTAURANT + BAR marks
a bold NEW START for one
of WA’s top chefs. FLEUR
BAINGER checks it out.