Bouchard

LOCATION
Located on the ground level of Riverview Apartments on the outskirts of Perth CBD. Accessible via Cliff Street.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Harbouring city skyline views and glimpses of the Swan River, Mount Street is so much more than bitumen lined with towering apartment buildings. If you’ve ever taken a drive or walk along this street, you may have noticed the cafes servicing the community at ground level. In addition to providing locals with their essential morning coffee fix, one of these said cafes has become quite a dining institution for local apartment dwellers and those seeking fine modern Australian fare with a French twist. Bouchard, once known as Cimbalino, is the brainchild of hospitality guru/musician Sebastien Bouchard. Pooling his experience with chef Todd Stuart, Sebastien has stepped up a notch from his former cafe existence to create an intimate dining destination that exudes class and sophistication.

Before you discard this venue as an evening-only hangout, it should be stated that Bouchard offers cafe dining (both breakfast and lunch) by day. But once the sun begins to dip beyond the horizon, the designer pendant lights are dimmed and Bouchard adapts a more romantic, intimate approach to eating out. The cuisine is predominantly modern Australian but when you tuck into entrees such as braised pig’s head ballotine with black pudding, apple puree and Pedro Ximenez reduction or potato and quail rosti with foie gras butter, the French influence becomes very apparent. The melding of these two culinary styles is executed quite beautifully with the perfect balance of textures and flavours, on most nights it is also complimented with service driven by the man himself. As with most French-inspired restaurants, Bouchard is not to be visited on a tight budget, but when you sink your teeth into the organic Black Angus beef with 12-hour braised boneless oxtail, bone marrow croquette and creamed savoy cabbage with sauce soubise, you’ll realise you’re getting your money’s worth.

Karen Bilsby