Attica
Eleven Basils, Eight Courses, Four Diners, One Great Attica
Experience.
This was my first dining experience at Attica. I
don’t usually float around the words ‘dining experience’ unless it was truly
something more than simply eating and drinking. Attica had it all from
stunning, organically presented food to faultless, informative service and a
wine list, which covered all the necessities and so much more.
Attica probably isn’t the sort of place to go on an
awkward first date, or if you have no real interest in food, as I suspect was
the case on a few tables around us. The macho, well dressed, Hugo Boss model
lawyer types, with their scantily clad, fake tan, blonde bimbo girlfriends,
probably don’t get as much from the ‘Attica experience’ as you or I. It is,
without question, an involved process. You may find yourself rolling your own
sorrel leaves, in a weird foods junkie joint, kind of way. You might also be
whipped away to the herb garden out back to chat about their 11 different kinds
of basil, drink cider and roast marshmallows with a chef who, as proudly
claimed, certainly looks like the type of bloke to graffiti the outside wall
with his cooking inspirations.
The Blonde,
the Giant, the Business Partner and the Queenslander represented a table with
varying degrees of ‘food experience’, but we were all willing and able
participants for the ‘Attica experience’. The pre-dinner snacks ranged from
beautiful glossy pickled carrots, deep-fried mussels, to oysters and sorrel
leaves. Needless to say, these simple ingredients were as tasty as they come.
We eventually all chose the 8-course degustation menu (opposed to the 5 course
which operates Tuesday-Thursday only) with matched wines, except for the blonde,
who was tasked with rolling us all home. She initially improvised with a
mocktail, and then furthermore by ‘refreshing’ it with her sparkling water, as if
to now resemble the mocktail’s ugly sister in-law. Table etiquette was
temporarily suspended.
In reality, the whole menu was a
highlight. The “Crab, Shitake, Eleven Basil” dish (yes there was 11 different
types apparently!) started the night off on an extremely refreshing note. “A
simple dish of Potato cooked in the earth it was grown” (insert) was not only intriguing to read on the menu, but also to
eat, talk about and reminisce on for many weeks to come (just think the most
outrageously awesome baked potato of all time). “Whiting in Paperbark” was the
dish which generated the most table-to-waiter conversation, if not for the
sheer audacity of serving a dish wrapped in paperbark. Attica’s ability to
achieve the balance between simplicity and subtlety of flavour, whilst
remaining utterly delicious, kept us all enthralled. The crowd favourite,
however, went to the “Flinders Island Wallaby, Scorched Macadamia, Ground
Berry” (although given it was served with the first red wine of the night, some
biases may be observed).
Desserts
continued to wow, “Fresh Curd Ice Cream and Blueberries” (cheekily served fresh
and dried) was marginally ahead in my books as the winner in the dessert. The
final course named “Plight of the Bees” certainly fitted in the ‘interesting’
column, combining pumpkin, mango, honey and several other unusual flavours
(made less discernible admittedly, by the now ever apparent effects of wine
matching).
This blog has
been a little more food orientated than some previous, because the food really
is the biggest talking point about Attica. Sure the décor is smart, the service
and wine matching superb, but without paying huge respect to this kitchen team
would be a sin. Having said this, special mention must go to the three floor
staff who; lined up the next day at 7:30am for the Court of Master Sommeliers
Course and Exam. At around $300 with matched wines, I consider the Attica ‘experience’
better than many washed out music concerts, candy fuelled theme parks
adventures and shoe shopping splurges many of us engage in. Although caution to
readers, pick your company wisely, it mightn’t be for everyone.
Need to Know
This is the
sort of place you were your suit to, take ‘the one’ to, or have a fun foodie
experience with friends at. It is not the sort of place you order rum and cokes
at, take ‘the mistress’ to, or demand your wallaby cooked well done at.
http://www.attica.com.au/
Alex Beazley
Food Critic without a Face
Nationally recognised on paper, but never by his face.
With a long history in food, he lives for fine consumption; join his adventures.
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