First Look: Light Years Lands in Perth With Its Most Ambitious Menu Yet

When east coast restaurant group Light Years announced it would make the trip west to open a venue in the Perth CBD, for some it was an unexpected move. The group has typically clung to coastal settings with outposts in Byron Bay, Newcastle and Noosa, but when they opened their doors in Perth over the weekend, nothing felt out of place.

Trading the typically surfy fit-out for a sleek design, the team tapped east coast designers Will Rathgeber, of Studio Plenty, and Sarah Ellison to create a blush-hued 200-seat dining room. Located in the corner of the heritage-listed 140 William Street precinct, you’ll find plush banquettes, travertine-tiled columns, curved oak chairs and round tables perfect for longer, louder lunches and celebratory dinners.

The modern Asian menu reflects the venue’s sprawling scale. Dishes are designed to share. A few familiar favourites have made the cross-country trip, but the size of the Perth kitchen (which is bigger than its east coast counterparts) has allowed the team to create a more ambitious menu.

“Here we have a much bigger kitchen space, so we can try out more ideas,” culinary director Robbie Oijvall tells Broadsheet. “We feel confident to push bold, punchy flavours.”

That means Moreton Bay bug rolls: a tempura tail tucked into a buttery brioche with spicy tartare. Or, Oijvall’s pick, Korean-style beef tartare – a tightly composed take on yukhoe (the Korean raw beef dish), seasoned with gochujang and bonito cream, and served with diced pickled pear and sesame prawn crackers. There are cumin lamb pancakes, too – a DIY set-up of grilled lamb backstrap marinated in cumin and Sichuan pepper, served with pancakes, green goddess sauce, fresh mint and cucumber. “It’s sort of like Peking duck pancakes, but using the flavours of Xinjiang lamb,” he says. “Cumin, chilli, herbs – they all just work together.”

Lobster noodles play perfectly for a city crowd. Wide egg noodles, cut like mafaldine, are curled through a rich lobster bisque flavoured with laksa aromatics and topped with chunks of Moreton Bay bug, fried shallots and Thai basil.

There’s still room for Light Years’ signatures. The sticky pork belly bao is a two-day process involving a master stock bath, an overnight press, and a final grill-and-glaze in chilli caramel. “It comes out glossy, sticky and super rich,” says Oijvall. It’s served with sriracha mayo and house-made cucumber kimchi. The eggplant katsu bao is another standout, with its “strange sauce” (a tangy, tahini-based black vinegar number).

For dessert, soft, chewy coconut sago is paired with a silky mango mousse-like cream. “We set the mango puree with agar agar before blitzing it. It’s a great texture, thanks to the pastry know-how of our executive chef Colin Barclay,” says Oijvall. Finished with honeycomb crumble and fresh lemon balm, it’s a bright, surprising take on familiar flavours.

The wine list, curated by hospitality manager Logan Bendeich, is the group’s most expansive to date. It’s built with seafood and spice in mind. It’s mostly Australian, but dips into Europe with picks like German riesling and Italian pinot grigio.

Cocktails showcase tropical flavours and unexpected pairings, with 10 house signatures leading the charge. The Lola Paloma blends red Thai chilli-infused tequila with Campari, watermelon and lime. The Cherry Cola Negroni adds a nostalgic twist to the classic with cherry, cola syrup and bitters. And the Smoking Yuzu – with Yuzushu, bourbon, maraschino and a touch of peaty Laphroaig – is as aromatic as it is theatrical.

There’s also a short list of classic cocktails, including a lychee Martini, Japanese Slipper and a Jungle Bird built on pineapple, rum and Campari. Non-drinkers are well looked after, too, with house-made zero-proof cocktails.

Light Years
140 William Street, Perth
0456 465 023

Hours:
Daily midday–late

www.lightyearsasiandiner.com.au/perth
@lightyearsasiandiner