The art of chocolate
People express themselves in different ways. Some like telling stories with paint. Others enjoy working with clay. For pastry chef Janice Wong, sugar is the medium of choice. The owner of Singapore’s popular 2am Dessert Bar, Wong is regarded as one of Asia’s finest dessert talents and was in Perth over the weekend for AGWA’s Pure Imagination Foundation Gala. For those who missed Wong’s cameo, AGWA is selling her single-origin chocolate bars, red-wine-aged chocolates and signature chocolate bon bons exclusively through its Design Store. Prices start from $14 and there are talks of future collabs to look forward to as well.

Totally bonza
When Liam Atkinson – chef-owner of Le Rebelle and Bar Rogue – was a teenager, one burger had a special place in his heart. And stomach. “As a 16-year-old delinquent hanging out on the Mandurah foreshore, the mighty [Chicken Treat] bonza burger was an afterschool thing,” he says. This Thursday, September 1, at Bar Rogue, Atkinson revisits his youth via a one-night-only bonza burger ($12) special starring a fried chicken tender, lettuce and pineapple, all cradled in a soft bun. Still not ’90s enough for you? Go a side order of popcorn honey shrimp and chips with sweet and sour sauce ($18) to really complete the throwback. Limited servings of each will be available on the night.

East feeds west
Matt Moran, the chef behind Sydney dining rooms such as Aria and Chiswick, has been announced as the new culinary ambassador for Optus Stadium. The collaboration between east and west sees Moran overseeing the food in the stadium’s premium and corporate spaces, starting with this weekend’s final between the Dockers and Western Bulldogs. Initial dishes steak tartare with cured egg yolk and sebago crisps, and an apple and vanilla tarte tatin. In future, Moran’s dishes will also be available to guests in general admission.

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Supporting the arts
To mark this year’s Margaret River Region Open Studios (September 10–25), Busselton’s Shelter Brewing Co has released Whale Pale, a special edition pale ale can that will be available at Open Studios events, Shelter and select bottle shop. The design on the cans is based on a 200-square-metre humpback mural painted by Margaret River artist Ian Daniell (who also happens to be the artist in residence at Shelter during the open studios pop-up). Details of this year’s program – including other crossovers between the worlds of art and food and drink – are available online.

Afternoon tea is served
Cape Arid Rooms, Como The Treasury’s elegantly appointed tearooms, has launched edition four of its Westraliana-themed afternoon tea. Named for and inspired by the camping and fishing spot in Cape Arid National Park, the Seal Creek edition includes porcini mushrooms with parmesan sabayon, caramel macadamia brownies and an Earl Grey custard eclair. Beverage options include matching tea, coffee, wine and cocktails, including drinks made with a house gin produced by WA micro-distillery Esperance Distillery Co. The afternoon tea starts from $78 per person, with bookings available online.