Given the name and logo for this little café in Freemantle I assumed I’d enter to find ducks everywhere. But no, no ducks. But there is a Bruce. And there is a nice little hot chocolate.
Lets start with Bruce. Lets start with the fact that Bruce is a bit of mystery since the creators of this great spot are actually Sean, Charlie and Woody. I guess Bruce is hiding out back with the ducks but no problem, I’m a fan. Actually I did a bit more searching and Bruce is the name of the model shark used in the movie Jaws which is Charlie’s favourite movie. This restaurant was originally supposed to be a Fish and Chip Restaurant. I like this approach better.
This little café feels like it would be the most popular spot at any seaside resort. Freemantle is indeed right on the water, but Duck Duck Bruce isn’t quite waterside…but if feels like it is. It feels like you are entering someone’s house but is much bigger when you get in than it initially seems from the outside. White washed walls, lots of seating spread out across several different areas. There are large colourful works of modern art hanging on the walls and pops of greenery throughout. The staff are full of life and really the cherry on top of a pretty good pie (or maybe I should be making duck analogies…the quack on the duck?). They recommend Brucey’s signature bits and we are sold. The roasted pumpkin Makhani with puffed black rice is great. I’m still getting used to the fact that $19 is a standard price for a vegetarian lunch in Western Australia but I’d order it again, and again and again.
Brucey’s hot chocolate is interactive which I love! There really aren’t enough interactive hot chocolates in the world and there should be! Why shouldn’t we have fun with our drinks and hot chocolate just begs to be interactive, beyond just dropping in a couple of marshmallows. The hot chocolate is served in a small glass container that you pour into your mug. It comes with marshmallows (all hot chocolates in Australia seem to come with the same type of white and pink marshmallows…they are starting to grow on me) and a little duck made out of white chocolate and sprinkles (or hundreds and thousands as the locals say). The hot chocolate is made using Margaret River Chocolate, a local company based out of, yes you guessed it, Margaret River.
Duck duck bruce is just across the street from the Esplanade, a large grassy area with a playground, a skate park and a great Ferris Wheel where you get stunning views of all of Freemantle. This area is also home to many festivals. At the moment it is hosting a sort of winter wonderland with a skating rink, toboggan hill, snow room, fire pits where you can buy and roast marshmallows. Perth might not actually ever get cold weather but whoever put this together did a fantastic job recreating it. Walk by and watch the locals try to ice-skate by pushing large plastic statues of penguins along the ice for support. If you know how to skate please don’t laugh as you watch them. I think they are doing a pretty good job all things considering!
Verdict: I love a hot chocolate that is a bit playful and this one definitely is. I could have eaten a whole bag of those little white chocolate ducks. Thank you Sean, Charlie, Woody, Duck and Bruce. Duck Duck Bruce, 18 Collie St, Freemantle, Australia
