Balthazar

This spiffy and seminal Perth institution proves that old-school can indeed be good-school. 

Has it really been 25 years since Balthazar first flicked on the lights? In restaurant terms, that’s almost an eternity. But if there’s a trick to the remarkable staying power, it’s that there really isn’t one aside from a confident understanding of what makes diners tick.

For some, it might be a classically minded shortcrust pastry tart stacked with smoked ricotta, seven types of mushrooms and a thicket of fresh herbs. For others, it could be the way sunrise lime and native-thyme oil frame juicy duck breast with just-crisp skin, further brightened by orange wedges and caramelised witlof. And for everyone else, it’s no doubt the childlike pleasure that swells as sweet chocolate sauce is poured tableside over crunchy cruller doughnuts and nashi sorbet.

If there’s a trick to the remarkable staying power, it’s that there really isn’t one aside from a confident understanding of what makes diners tick.

From the time-tested three-course format to the sizeable portions, this is a place where traditional comforts rule the roost. Refreshingly, it all comes across without a shred of stuffiness due to steady-handed service and a monumental wine list that’s as much a paean to local heroes and Europe’s powerbroker regions as it is a platform for rising lo-fi stars. If it’s been a minute between visits, consider getting reacquainted.