LOVE BITES

When it comes to food, a cult classic is a dish that inspires a following beyond its own neighbourhood. Something so good, it justifies time-consuming detours to sate the deepest of cravings.

Here, we celebrate some of Australia’s best-loved bites that have earned the esteemed title, as determined by those in the know.

CHARCUTERIE PLATE

 from Must Winebar, WA

“The bread is what makes it… It’s crusty, chewy and fluffy at the same time.”

When Must opened in late 2001, the Beaufort Street wine bar sold half a dozen of these each week. Two decades later and the dish – a joint creation from chef-patron Russell Blaikie and his Brittany-born charcutier Andre Mahe – is a Perth classic that introduced the west to the pleasures of parfait, rillettes and terrine. It also inspired many chefs to sharpen their boning knives. “[My wife] Susan and I would go to Must just to have the charcuterie,” says Melissa Palinkas, chef at Fremantle bar Young George and a respected charcutier. “You couldn’t fault any of it. Being Hungarian-German I grew up eating a lot of cured meats and pâtés, but this was a lot more refined.”

Must Winebar, 519 Beaufort St, Highgate

CONTINENTAL ROLL

 from The Re Store, WA

For some people, Western Australia’s Italian-Australian sandwich is about the roll’s deli meat and vegetable payload. For others, it’s about the roll itself. “The bread