REVIEW
Some things you might not expect at Attica: lasagne, pikelets, a pie and sauce. Granted, these are Ben Shewry’s takes, so the lasagne (called “Eat the Problem”) features an invasive-pest ragù of buffalo, venison and boar wrapped in green-ant-studded pasta sheets. The pikelets, served with mud crab and bunya-bunya cream, are green with sea lettuce. The pie stars kangaroo tail, eaten watching a vintage AFL game in a pub constructed in Attica’s backyard. Shewry’s level of playfulness is a rarity at this end of the dining spectrum, where chin-stroking is often the default. Delightful, also, is his championing of Australian native ingredients – a gorgeous flower-shaped wafer containing emu-liver parfait is a highlight, as is an unadorned spoonful of rare, magnificent sugarbag honey. But what keeps Attica great, alongside spot-on service and a drinks list that plays cool sidekick to the food’s inventiveness, is that deliciousness matters as much as the messaging.
ABOUT
Attica
Australian
74 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea
(03) 9530 0111
Open Dinner Tue-Sat
Chef Ben Shewry
Price guide $$$$$
Bookings Essential
Wheelchair access No
This review was written independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, head over here.
Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Guide
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot of the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national guide.
