“We opened with the idea of always staying as local as possible and there’s not a lot on the menu that isn’t, to be honest,” he says.
The Corner Dairy has built a strong following over five years for its blend of bar snacks, share plates, and hearty mains, and genuine sense of community. It’s the sort of place you can come straight from the beach for a few beers and a bite to eat, or dress up for a night with friends. As they say, it’s “about getting to know each other better, treating each other better and having better stuff on offer”.
The local instinct is also front and centre for head chef Dave Thornton, whose winter menu is a deliberate refresh built around the best WA produce available and delivered with more than a hint of Japanese flavours.
“We did a big menu change and I can feel the energy of the people coming in,” Ben says. “I am seeing people I haven’t seen for a while, too, which is great.”
Leaning further into local sourcing is at the heart of that winter boost. Ben, who has been with the Corner Dairy since its inception, says food numbers have never been better.
What’s cooking
Beef tartare has become a breakout star. Made from premium Stirling Ranges beef supplied by Ryan’s Quality Meats, it is served with cured egg yolk rather than the traditional raw egg and piled over a bed of fries. Ben reckons he sneaks into the kitchen pass to scoff a serve at least twice a week.
Running a close second for the venue manager is the hibachi-grilled pork (also supplied by Ryan’s Quality Meats), served with braised borlotti beans, confit leeks and chimichurri sauce. “I put it next to a steak and I reckon I’d pick the cutlet every time,” Ben says.
Even the oft-maligned Brussels sprouts get special treatment (though there are some cooking secrets Ben can’t reveal). Served with a green goddess dressing, toasted almonds, feta, and finished with Block 275 canola oil, they are a real hit. “I think Brussels sprouts might make a comeback,” Ben says.
Then there are the BBQ mushrooms from The Mushroom Guys, glazed in teriyaki sauce with lemon, kombu, tofu, house-made furikake (a Japanese rice seasoning) and herb oil. Ben admits he’s not a mushroom man but clearly regulars are. “That and the tartare have been our most popular dishes since we changed the menu,” he says.
People behind the produce
Dave, and chefs who came before him, found several of their local suppliers at Meet the Buyer™, Buy West Eat West’s annual trade show that brings producers and buyers together for one big day. The head chef has gone every year since the event’s inception, with Ben first going a few years ago to check out the drinks offerings. Enthused by the experience, he brought the whole kitchen team last year.
“The chefs love finding new produce and Dave gets genuinely excited about it,” Ben says. “After all his years of cooking, he still finds meaning in what he does through discovering really good suppliers and producers. It’s really quite empowering.”
The Corner Dairy regularly uses about half a dozen suppliers discovered through Meet the Buyer™, some daily and others on a seasonal basis. Popular cheesemakers La Delizia Latticini, which make a range of high-quality cheese from local ingredients, were an early find, while Halls Family Dairy have also become a firm favourite, and not just for the quality of their Halls Suzette.
“Phil and Suzanne (Hall) deliver everything themselves – Phil is this big farm man with a bellowing laugh that you hear before you see him,” Ben says. “They are always so grateful to us for having them on the menu, but it just makes sense to us from a quality and local perspective. We love supporting them.”
Those face-to-face conversations are also a big part of Meet the Buyer’s™ appeal for the restaurant team. “Normally there’s a delivery driver bringing produce, so it’s great to meet the people behind the business,” Ben says. “It’s about making those connections and building those relationships. Then when you do need something at the last minute, they are only too happy to help.”
Hidden gems
With Ben’s focus more on the bar than the pass, the event has a similarly practical drawcard in the drinks sections. “It’s always good to find a new distiller or someone who is up and coming and maybe we can help them get a leg up, just like people helped us get a leg up,” he says.
Meet the Buyer™ is also simply an enjoyable, low-pressure day out for a hospitality team that is often under the pump. “It’s really good for our community and the producers’ community – everyone gets to meet everyone in a comfortable and relaxed environment,” Ben says.
“It’s great to see people come together to support each other and letting everyone know the quality of what WA produces.”
The Corner Dairy team will be returning in October, with a “hit list” in hand, excited to find inspiration for summer’s menu. “If you’re smart about it, you look at the program beforehand and plan a few stops, but you always leave room to be surprised by something you hadn’t thought of,” Ben says.
Meet the Buyer™ is at Crown Perth on Tuesday 20 October. The exhibition floor has sold out, but buyers can still book tickets to the trade show.
Note: Meet the Buyer™ is a trade and industry event only but you can support local by supporting the businesses mentioned and looking out for local produce wherever you shop.
