East coast schnitzel restaurant chain Schnitz has identified an emerging food hub in Belmont for its opening foray into the West Australian market.
Founded by Polish-born restaurateur Roman Dyduk, Schnitz' proliferation in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane reflects a craze for fresher, lighter versions of traditional fast food.
The same fad has made successes of chains such as burger bar Grill'd and Guzman Y Gomez and, like them, its menu recognises a demand for lower fat and higher protein menu options.
"The Schnitz way is not that of the production line, but of the perfection line," the website says, promising to bring the "age-old culinary tradition of the schnitzel to modern-day tastebuds through fresh ingredients, a healthier pan-cooking technique and a delicious, crunchy crumb that would make even the most seasoned schnitzel pro swoon".
Its plunge west will be welcomed by many fans who have lamented on travel review site TripAdvisor its absence in WA, with comments such as "You can't visit Melbourne and not try Schnitz... now we just need a franchise in WA!" and "Fantastic - now come to Perth".
Schnitz, which like burger bars Flipside and Grill'd has playfully named menu items such as Basic Instinct, American Dream, OMG!, Parmageddon and Thai the Knot, opened on Thursday at a Belmont Forum that's ramping up its food credentials.
The new food hub opposite Reading Cinemas joins Chinese restaurant and bar Canton Lane, which opened on Monday, and Guzman Y Gomez, which opened on Wednesday with a free burrito day, giving away a staggering 3536 burritos (that's eight per minute).
Also opening soon is Japanese ramen bar Sakaba and a San Churro outlet.
Local workers can score a free ride to the hub on a Forum-sponsored shuttle bus weekdays from 12pm-2pm.
The new dining precinct is part of the centre's $65 million redevelopment, which has included the recent opening of an ALDI supermarket.
The second WA Schnitz outlet will open soon in Rockingham.