Wilhelmina's

Is it a bar with great food or a restaurant with a great bar? This polished Balmain newcomer is split into two spaces at the front of the beautiful old Institute Arcade. And both halves make the answer to that question equally as tricky.

On one side of the arcade's entrance, there are tall bar tables and a stunning wall mural by street artist Anya Brock next to an open kitchen serving up stunning dishes.

In the larger room across the hallway, there are more tables for big groups to settle in for dinner and a floor-to-ceiling black tiled bar littered with hanger plants, minimalist wooden stools and scattered bits of art.

But never mind putting it in a box. All you need to know is the liquor is good, the larder is good.

This is the third venue from James Brady and Warren Burns, owners of the Irish whisky/oyster tavern The Wild Rover and basement tiki/knitting bar Grandma's.

Number three is completely different. It's refined and grown up with a major focus on food, thanks to MasterChef alumnus Jamie Fleming in the kitchen.

"When Grandma's opened we were more into small little kitsch cocktail-style venues. When the Rover opened we wanted to do something bigger and brasher and blokey. This time, we wanted to do the kind of place we'd pick at the moment to go eat and drink," says Brady. "Generally we don't go out like we used to and pound the booze."

Wilhelmina's is a sleek, softly-lit spot for those who aren't interested in pounding the booze anymore; for those who want to share a good bottle of wine, graze on classy, produce-driven food and still be in bed by 11pm.

All the wine and beer is Australian to keep in line with their seasonal, local approach. Wines are lush and elegant, served in big glasses and the dozen or so beers are all from boutique NSW brewers.

It seems only fitting to have a Balmain Brewing Pilsner ($11) but it's worth venturing slightly further afield to Marrickville for the Batch India Black Ale ($25 for 640mL) and to Curl Curl for a Dad + Dave Pale Ale ($8.50). 

Surprisingly, given the owners' bar cred, the cocktails are underwhelming. A rotating list of just five cocktails are big on herbs, fresh fruit and simple ingredients but they are very short, not overly strong and have a mix of herbs that can be a bit confusing and overpowering.

The simplest worked the best, like a Booze + Juice (Ketel 1 vodka, aperol, granny smith, $10).

In any case, wine and beer seem the better match for the hearty, home-style food.

Fleming is excelling at share dishes that are simple, colourful and rich. There are a lot of farm veggies and fresh meat/seafood on a concise menu that rotates often depending on what's good at the market.

A plate of pumpkin, squash and zucchini with a dollop Pecora sheeps yoghurt ($12) is perfectly simple and Newcastle pippies are beautifully served in butter-y, white wine broth with bread ($23).

In among all the paddock-to-plate fare, there is still something from the fried family for those who can't down a beer without a side of something greasy.

The Ranger Valley Beef brisket croquettes with smoked brown sauce ($8) are like McNuggets for grown ups and they're a popular snack option for those not doing dinner.

The food is the highlight but the whole package is pretty on point: elegant, good quality and easy.

THE LOW-DOWN
You'll love it if... You've grown out of rowdy bars.
You'll hate it if... You want a hands-dirty, burger-and-beer kinda night.
Go for ... NSW boutique beers, Ranger Valley Beef brisket croquettes.