Anglesea review: New spot in thriving Fremantle combines an interesting food concept and elegant dining room

The redevelopment of the former police precinct in Fremantle, already home to Old Courthouse, Moon & Mary, and Cassia, has picked up a new resident: Anglesea. Billed as a modern Australian restaurant with Japanese and Korean influences, with a name inspired by a ship tied to Fremantle’s colonial past, it has been open less than two weeks when we stop in on a recent Friday night. What can I say? The prospect of new eatery in my neighbourhood is exciting, even when the place is stacked with great places to dine. The first impressions of Anglesea, tucked inside the old convict quarters and from the same team as Emily Taylor, Gimlet, and Sailing for Oranges, are good. We step down into a sunken limestone courtyard with a few sun-dappled tables and umbrellas; so far, so gorgeously Fremantle. Inside, the stylish dark wood interior and bar, elegant couches and tables and draped fabric roof and matching wall gives me more of a Manhattan vibe. This is not a bad thing, although it does make me want to order a martini. I play it safe and opt for a glass of pinot noir instead, while my dining partner tries the White Lotus cocktail, which arrives adorned with a juicy lychee. The attentive waiter makes a joke about just how brand spanking new the place is: “I’d ask you if you have been here before, but no one has.” And the first thing to know about the menu is that it is set, to a degree: for $65 per person, you get a choice of a dish from the main or raw section, plus dessert, as well as a Teishoku platter, described as a “balanced and complete meal”. The platter arrives fast and looks intriguing, with little bowls and some sculptural puffed sesame crackers in the centre. They are great for scooping up the wasabi and edamame guacamole and a whipped gochujang spiced tofu; the wasabi is MIA on our visit, but the tofu brings the heat. The cucumber and shiitake pickle with toasted sesame and tamari has nice crunch and a lively acidic hit; the spinach and shimeji mushroom in yuzu is more subtle. The star is a salted plum and red bean dango; a version of the Japanese dumpling made with glutinous rice, dotted with sesame seeds and stuffed with the unusual (to me) but very moreish plum and bean combo. The chewy texture and light crunch of the exterior are lovely. For our main dish, I choose Angus fillet with teppanyaki sauce and a dot of nori kosho on each of the six pieces. My companion opts for the glazed pork belly chashu with pickled beansprouts and ume vinegar. Both arrive nicely presented and are tender with good flavours — but at room temperature. For dessert, the options are two types of ice-cream. I go for a matcha, sesame praline and black sesame maple syrup version, and my friend chooses the miso caramel sauce with popcorn clusters. The former is a more interesting mouthful but still a bit underwhelming — with any luck, a great version of a Japanese or Korean dessert will land on the menu down the track (please?). By the time we leave, the dining room is buzzing with guests, which is promising for a restaurant that only opened its doors mid-last month. Anglesea has a fun concept, fabulous location, and once a couple of minor niggles are ironed out, will be a worthwhile addition to Freo’s thriving food and drinks scene. The verdict: 13/20 A new addition to Freo’s thriving scene, with an elegant dining room and interesting concept. Anglesea Corner Parry Street and William Street Fremantle Open 6.30am-late Contact 9239 3300, angleseafremantle.com.au Bookings Yes