For an actor known for giving terse comments to the media, Robert de Niro was unusually jovial when he arrived in Perth at the weekend.
The two-time Academy Award-winner and restaurateur lobbed into WA on Saturday night to officially open the latest Nobu Japanese restaurant, at Burswood Entertainment Complex.
In Perth for Nobu opening ... actor Robert de Niro.Credit: Rebecca Hallas
De Niro is a co-owner of the chain, which has restaurants around the world.
The Perth restaurant is the second in Australia - a Nobu opened in Melbourne in 2007 - and 24th to date.
De Niro told reporters he was happy to be on the west coast, which he had heard was a bit like Los Angeles.
"I just got here last night, in the middle of the night," he said.
"We have a list of things to do and see, and so we're on it. We're here for a short time, but I want to see as much as I can."
De Niro first met chef Nobu Matsuhisa in 1994 and began a partnership with him and Hollywood producer Meir Teper.
The Perth restaurant opened in September last year, but De Niro's schedule had stopped him coming to Perth until now.
De Niro said there were still things on the Nobu menu he hadn't tried but he had favourites that he returned to, such as the black cod.
De Niro said 50 years from now he does not know what his legacy will be, but he will be happy for people to remember him for his films or his restaurants.
"We'll see, whatever sticks. Who knows?" he said.
"Nobu is a great chef so this was easy for me.
"Being in the restaurant business, if you will, is not easy.
"It's as hard as anything and most of them fail from what I understand, so I consider myself very lucky to be involved with Nobu and I think the success of the restaurant is a testament of how good he is."
Nobu Perth will host an invitation-only gala event on Sunday night with up to 140 WA A-listers.
AAP