Australian Gourmet Traveller - (02)February 2021 (1)

Review

S

poileralert:you’regoingto

enjoyyourselfatBalthazar.

Oratleastyouwillif making

reservationsandà la cartediningis

yourideaoffun.In otherwords:allthe

thingsweusedtodoatrestaurants

beforetastingmenusandsmallplates

(“thekitchenwillsendfoodasit’s

ready”)tookoverthedininglandscape.

Notthatdégustationsandfood-slinging

winebarsarebadthings,ofcourse.But

in anerawhereestablishmentsoften

expectgueststofit intotheirsystem,

findingoperatorsthatgotheother

waycanfeelnovel.Restaurant-craft,

however,is nothingnewatBalthazar.

Sinceopeningin 1998,Balthazar’s

clubbyatmosphereandspirited

Mod-Ozcookinghasmadeit a go-tofor

businessandrecreationaldiningin the

CBD.In thefouryearsthey’vebeenin

command, custodians Emma Ferguson

andDanMorrishavestrayedlittlefrom

theplaybookestablishedbyfounder

NicTrimboli.Whattheyhavedone,

however,is refreshallthethingsPerth

lovesaboutthiscosy,ArtDeco

bolthole.Wine,asit alwayshasbeen,

remainsa vitalpartoftheBalthazar

experience.ButevenbyBalthazar’s

loftystandards– therestaurantis

a formerGTwinelistoftheyear

winner– itsformidablecellarreallyis

somethingandshowcasesnew-wave

localsalongsideChampagne,cabernet

sauvignonandotherfavourites.

LukeWakefield’scookingis

a similarlythrillingmixofclassic

andcontemporary.Anentrée

ofdashi-lacedrawbeefgirello

• finelydiced,notminced–
  withtunamayocleverly
  reimaginesvitellotonnato.
  Raw scallop and trout, flattened

totranslucentwhite,is Balthazar’s

contributiontotheMakeCarpaccio

GreatAgainmovement.

Therestoftheclippedmenu

reiterateshowtechniqueandanactive

imaginationcanmakethefamiliar

sparkleanew.Bouncyseafood

spaghettiniis theseasidepastaof

ourdreams(thetrick,it seems,is

emulsifyingeverything,carbonara-style,

withanegg).A reductionofpanjuices,

grapefruitandCampariequalsa fine

sauceforjuicyduck.Lardin thefryer

renderscrullerdoughnuts– stacked

three-highlikeanOlympicring tosser’s

peg– fluffyandcrunchy.

Justasconfidentis theservice.

ManagerEmmaHymusandhercrew

areanengagingbunchandappearto

enjoythemselvesalmostasmuchas

diners.Havinga goodtimeseemsto

beBalthazar’sdefaultsetting,

regardlessofwhetheryou’re

theretoworkorplay.It’sbeen

thrillingPerthfor 22 yearsand

I wouldn’tbesurprisedif it

continueddoingsofordecades

moretocome.Afterall,time

flies when you’re having fun.●

QU

ICK LOOK

BALTHAZAR

6 TheEsplanade,Perth

balthazar.com.au

CHEFLukeWakefield

OPENINGHOURS

Mon-Frinoon-12am;

Sat6pm-12am

PRICEGUIDE$$

BOOKINGS

Recommended.

VERDICT

A twenty-something

brimmingwith

confidence.

Clockwisefrom

topleft:dinner

serviceat

Balthazar;the

well-stocked

winebar;

Balthazar’sArt

Deco entrance.

TH

ECLASSIC

Perth,

WA

Perth’sBalthazarmightbea restaurantwithold-

schoolideals,butthispolisheddiningroomalsohas

an eye on the now, writesMAX VEENHUYZEN.

DECO-DENCE

GOURMET TRAVELLER 41

PHOTOGRAPHY DANICA ZUKS (BALTHAZAR).