If you’re planning to host a soirée this summer, lean on some Subiaco favourites to enjoy the whole thing as much as your guests will.
Organising a shindig is no small feat, but it can be a whole lot of fun with the right suppliers and support network. Fortunately for Subi locals, herein exists a company that knows all there is to know about hosting an event to remember for all the right reasons. Perth Party Hire has been around since 1958, although in the early days it was known as Hendie’s Hire Service after its original owner, according to current co-owner Michael Fish. “Mr Hendrix started Hendie’s hire Service in 1958 on Rokeby Road near the bike shop. He ran it with his daughters who called him Old Man Hendie,” Michael says. “I was the fifth owner with my father-in-law when I bought it in 1988 and by that time, it had moved to Nicholson Road.”
After Michael’s father-in-law retired, he merged forces with Mal Thomas from Claremont Party Hire in 2001 and these two very passionate humans remain doing what they love to this day. “Over 30 years in the business and I still enjoy coming to work every day,” Michael says. “If you don’t have a clue about a big event, the team here understands all the logistics and provides great advice, and you get everything delivered and picked up by the same company.”
Between Michael and Mal, they’ve helped create just about any event you can imagine from birthdays to weddings, business functions to election day gigs. In 2013, Hendie’s didn’t make sense anymore so they rebranded to what it is today. “We bought the domain name Perth Party Hire and shot up to the top of google search!” Michael says, laughing. “In the old days, it was all very local but because of our central location, we get a lot of interest from far and wide.” With thousands of trestle tables and chairs in their warehouses (the Nicholson Road location is their showroom) amongst small items like glassware to large such as fridges and portable ovens, Perth Party Hire has everything you’ll need to cater for the masses. To speak with Michael, Mal and the rest of the friendly team, visit 103 Nicholson Road, Shenton Park or call (08) 9382 2088.
What to eat?
If it’s the thought of cooking for a crowd that’s keeping you up at night, Subiaco also houses plenty of catering businesses to lighten the load.
Cupid Catering – 14C Hood Street, Subiaco
Cupid Catering Owner Amanda Lummis knows good food and how to create it for the masses. Her career began as a teenager working in her family-owned Fast Eddy’s in the city (for the uninitiated, an iconic restaurant that was a must-do before concerts and big sporting matches at RAC Arena) and evolved to cooking for royalty, international heads of state and more at many large and intimate private functions. Now, Subiaco hosts her catering business so you can serve her delicious creations to your own cast of ‘royal’ guests, from platters and light bites to plated meals.
Casa del Dolce – 85 Rokeby Road, Subiaco
Literally named the ‘house of sweets’, there’s more to this little Italian addition to Rokeby Road than sugar fans. Teresa Strangio may have established a devoted fan base for her cannoli but she’s also a dab hand at creating gorgeous bespoke special occasion cakes, gourmet biscuits (try the Fior di Mandorla), as well as homemade pasta and other Italian treats.
Sushi Izu – 29 Station Street, Subiaco (inside Woolworths)
When you need to fill up a crowd, there’s nothing like good Japanese with an abundance of rice and tasty fillings. The sushi platters from Izu are creative masterpieces with even the staple of teriyaki chicken getting a ‘crunchy’ glow up. Go for a simple platter laden with a variety of fillings or try the spectacular Party Tray Yon which makes a great table centrepiece with items like dragon chicken katsu, mango panko prawn rolls and Mount Fuji spicy salmon rolls. And for the optimistic host, you can order
Sushi Izu platters the day before your party.
By Lisa O’Neill
