Balti

City Indian

This unknown gem to us suburbanites is worth a visit next time you are in town either as a theatre-goer, fine diner or bar fly.

The Balti, which means bucket, opened in April 2008 and the idea came from the balti-style food served in the UK by the Pakistani restaurants. The food is served in little copper buckets which are very pretty and hold a good-sized portion of food. The owners, the Grewal family, have started a few Perth restaurants including Chutney Mary's and Cinnamon Club.

As my friend described it, the Balti has "funked up" décor with gorgeous big photos of Indian people in colourful traditional outfits. There is a hot pink bar and bright suede chairs, all with a gleaming black background.

The Balti is a feast to the senses visually, with Buddha Bar-style ethnic lounge music and delightfully-presented and freshly-prepared Indian cuisine.

The chefs are flown in from Northern and Southern India 's top five star restaurants. The menu is small compared with the average Indian restaurant, but all the food is freshly prepared.

For those who have places to go, you can pre-order your food so it is ready when you arrive. This works well for office workers, or there is a new simple set menu catering for the quick office lunch break. It also works well for theatre-goers. The kitchen closes at 10.30pm so there is time to eat and have a few drinks after your show.

We chose the Tandoori Tasting Plate with delights from the tandoor oven. The accompanying sauce of mint and yoghurt was gorgeous and cooling to the palate.

My favourite taste was the Tandoori Salmon with Green Spices. These succulent salmon fillets were surprisingly not overcome by the marinade of yoghurt, ginger, garlic, chilli, coriander root, dill and mint. I would definitely choose that for a main in future.

My friend liked the Seekh Kebab - fillets of lamb marinated in green papaya, yoghurt, ginger, chilli, garlic and selected spices roasted in the tandoor. The meat was juicy and pink and the flavours delicious.

The Tandoori Chicken Legs had a flavoursome coating of marinade which included mustard leaves and seeds, and had a real bite! The Prawns with Fennel and Coriander Seeds were also marinated with the added spice of crushed seeds and the heat was enhanced by their moist centres.

The serves were generous and the crisp vegetable garnish was refreshing and a perfect partner for spicy delicacies.

Next we tried the Paneer Muttar Tikka-Baked Peas and Cheese. The cubes of homemade paneer cheese were stuffed with spiced green peas then marinated and baked in the tandoor. I liked the lightness of the cheese - a lot like a dry ricotta, and the spiciness of the marinade and the mild creaminess of the peas. A great treat for vegetarians. It was served with a green yoghurt and mint sauce which had an unexpected bite.

Finally we tried the Bengali-Style Fish Cakes with Raisins- flaked fish mixed with potato, spices, sultanas and coriander, and fried in breadcrumbs. This would be a winner for everyone. The crispness of the coating, the smoothness of the filling and the sweetness of the sultanas was unusual but very morish. They were served with mayonnaise which added a slight sweetness to the final taste.

I would recommend the Balti to those of you who rarely venture into the city. It is a great place for a business lunch, a leisurely dinner, a few drinks or a quick snack. It is open seven nights and weekdays and is fully licensed.

By Frances Myshel