When rebooting an Osborne Park restaurant during COVID, a Macedonian family created a singular neighbourhood bar
chic
Eastern Europe$
Once upon a time, there was the Court Wine Bar: a famous clubhouse on Beaufort Street known for good drinking, European cooking and political scams.
Opened in 1953 as a Macedonian cafe by Tominia and Nicola Andonovski, The Court gave Perth six decades of action-packed success before the street-level bar and cellar restaurant became The Dominion League and later the Palace Arcade.
I bring up the trial because I see a glimpse of it at Chich, a small bar in Osborne Park. I see it in Chich’s two-story room of large stands, vintage print ads, and custom furniture.
I see this on shelves full of raki liqueurs and Macedonian wines made from vranec, temjanika and other native grapes.
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But most of all, the indifferent spirit of the Court survives through the energy and enthusiasm that Louis Mesev and Chich’s sons Fil and Alek, the Macedonian owners, bring to the family business.
Although the Mesevs worked in many fields, nurturing others is a recurring theme in their story. Before coming to Western Australia, Louis’ father owned a traffica (roadside kiosk) in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia.
The Mesev family’s previous businesses included cafes and North Perth’s popular Red Chilli Burger Bar. The staff go about their business with a sense that they are either family members or appreciate Chich’s relaxed sense of hospitality.
Despite the Mesevs’ strong ties to their homeland, Chich isn’t shoving Macedonia down anyone’s throat. (Except perhaps teaching guests that chich is Macedonian slang for “uncle” or an older man.)
The menu frames the cooking as “Balkan”: a wide range of cuisine that includes Arab, Levantine and European influences.
But at the same time, you may be unaware of all this backstory and find yourself in Chich just because the bold Vegas neon signs catch your eye.
Even if you just want plain bar food, you’ll have a blast. There are tacos. There are onion rings. There are chicken wings with sauce. As per Aussie pub dining protocol, you order at the counter and staff bring the food to your table when it’s ready.
There is also the “traditional Balkan” part of the menu.
As someone who has not seen the inside of the Balkan tavern, I am not in a position to comment on how authentic these dishes are. But regardless, things like wraps (cabbage rolls stuffed with rice) and mixed-meat casseroles reflect the region’s reputation for bold, agricultural cooking.
Grilled kebabs are Mesevler’s contribution to the casing-free sausage variety.
Compared to the crumblier, coarser answers often seen around Perth, Chich’s samples are more pliable and more emulsified in texture. They’re still very juicy and eat terrifically, especially when smothered in ajvar: the region’s lauded red pepper sauce that deserves a place on your fridge door.
But the menu’s best moments are the mashups: dishes that channel both the Mesevs’ original and adopted homebodies to create new third-culture dishes.
While Italian food and language lovers may be triggered by “aranchini ala Balkan,” the rest of us can enjoy these fried cricket balls made with first-use arborio rice rather than repurposed risotto, flavored with feta and ajvar.
The kebab’s fishball-like bounce is revisited in burgers made with pljeskavica, a dense, springy beef patty that originated in Serbia before crossing over to the region. The original Chich burger is a nice introduction to this Balkan favorite, ideally with the addition of the fermented, mayonnaise-like condiment kajmak.
Otherwise, “Balkan steak parmi” offers another path to pljeskavica enlightenment. Here, the dumplings are stuffed with cheese, Kyiv style; crowned with slices of bacon; and drowned, you guessed it, ajvar. In theory, that sounds like a lot. In practice, this alpha counter meal should be on the schedule more on weekdays.
Although described as a small bar, Chich is more of a family-friendly Sizzler, with A-1 drinks and less painfully hip cocktail lounge. The well-oiled kitchen isn’t just about big flavors. It offers these dishes at modest prices and in portions that are not at all different. We weren’t the only ones who had to bring food home.
Sometimes we had leftovers from dinner in our takeout containers. At other times, they hid large slices of walnut baklava, one of the homemade desserts added to Chich’s menu by Louis’ sister and former restaurateur Venera Trajcevski. If I understand Macedonian correctly, it would be wrong to call it stylish. But like his other relatives, he has a talent for brightening people’s lives.
Down
Atmosphere: A family-friendly neighborhood bar that everyone can (and should) enjoy
Dishes to use: Balkan beef parmi ($33), kebapi board ($30), “aranchini ala Balkan” ($15)
Beverages: One or two contemporary pub favorites served alongside Balkan beers, wines and cocktails
Cost: Approximately $85 for two, excluding drinks
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and independently paid. A restaurant cannot pay for a review or inclusion on a list. Good Food Guide.
Max Veenhuyzen is a journalist and photographer who has been writing about food, drink and travel in national and international publications for over 20 years. He reviews restaurants for the Good Food Guide.
