Uniquely Australian
Ripponlea, Elsternwick, VIC, Melbourne, Australia
Cuisine Style: Australian, Eclectic
Average Price: $$$$
Overall Rating: 5/5
Dined in: March 2015
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Booking a restaurant three months in advance can be a little bit nerve-racking especially when you don’t have your itinerary in place or plane tickets purchased yet, and the only thing you can hope for is if the experience is going to be worth it for the money you pay. When you visit a top rated restaurant it's not just about the food, though that is a high priority. When you visit a top 100, then it includes the service, ambiance, and quality. While visiting Melbourne on a two-city tour of Australia, I would visit four of the ten top-rated restaurants in the entire country. Attica was the second on that list after Vue de Monde.
Attica was a five-minute walk from the place I was staying while on my fourth day in Melbourne, and this would be the last meal in this wonderful city before heading onward to Sydney and to two more top restaurants. Depending on which sight you look too for reviews, like Elite Travelers which is a people-choice sight, or one that is by the critics San Pellegrino top 50, and Attica was on both of these lists.
It reminds me of a small town style restaurant. Located in Ripponlea, a suburb of Melbourne, and a short jaunt from the train station, with small stores, local markets and a laundry mat as neighboring businesses. Having been to ten other restaurants on the Elite Travelers list, one thing I had noticed about those other locations compared to Attica was that they were in neighborhoods or areas that drained your wallet by just looking, and walking around without ever making a purchase. It was refreshing to see a normal middle-class area with a restaurant that was on a list where the competition was in high-end neighborhoods or cities like New York, London, and Paris.
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| Dining Room |
The dining room was split into two sections with the open air kitchen towards the back, and the second dining area divided by a partition, where I was seated. Behind the kitchen on the back side of the building was a large herb and edible flower garden that becomes part of the meal with an interactive tasting later on.
The Tasting menu consisted of a prix-fixe menu with six separate amuse courses, which would then be followed by eight more menu items plus desserts, all representing Australian Cuisine. The first grouping of foods was served with a Rheinhessen Keller ‘Von der Fels’ 2013 Riesling, and according to the winemaker had a lively nose with intense citrus, slate, hints of undergrowth, and most minerals. Vibrant on the palate with intense citrus and grapefruit leading to a cleansing wave of acidity, which left a coating of minerals with a hint of sweet stone fruit. It finished on tart citrus, lime, inner florals and a hint of roasted nuts.
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| Walnut puree in a walnut |
The wait staff was well dressed and very professional, as was the ambiance of the dining room, though upon first arrival and seating there was a usually longer wait for the service introduction than what I was used to. The first amuse dish presented was curd topped with local honeycomb, followed by two more amuse back to back, which went perfectly with the Riesling selection. A walnut holding a walnut puree and a wrapped mushroom piece.
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| Curd with honeycomb |
Goolwa Pippies. Even when you are in the food industry you learn new things about your trade every day, and for today it was Goolwa Pippies or clams. The clam was presented on a bed of tiny rocks, followed by a plate of two baby pieces of corn in the husk.
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| Goolwa Pippies |
The amuse concluded with a piece of wheat bread with local butter, herbs, and olive oil, plus a bowl of aromatic broth with more fresh herbs from the garden behind the kitchen.
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| Aromatic Broth |
Spanner Crabs Also known as frog crab and red Frog Crab, Curacha crab, and Kona crabs (USA), have elongated shells, found around most of the Australian coast. This dish consisted of shredded Spanner crabs smothered in a broth and topped with assorted Begonia plant leaves. Begonia leaves are a slightly sweet-sour flavor to a lemon, and went very well with the soft and light flavors of the Spanner crab, finishing with the Rosé from La Paonnerie Rosé Sec 2012 - Coteaux d’Ancenis, France. Made from 100% Gamay Noir a Jus Blanc. The wine according to the makers is fermented with natural yeasts and is neither filtered or fined. This is a light, lively delicious rosé that is perfect for sipping at any time and is also a great match for a wide range of foods as it will not overpower them. It also has a very attractive mouthfeel and a lingering finish.
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| Spanner crab dish |
The next course on the list was salted red kangaroo and pine from the bunya bunya tree, sliced to look like red carrots, followed by minted potatoes, and baby new potatoes baked with fresh mint, topped with a light cream, garnish with mint leaves, and served with a beer from Two Metre Tall ‘Derwent’ Aromatic Spelt Ale - Hayes, Tasmania, a nice ale that I didn’t expect to go well with the mint flavor of the potato, but it went just fine together. At 5.1% alc vol. The Derwent region is also the home & birthplace of the Australian hop industry and has an excellent climate for growing grain.
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| Red Kangaroo |
The next dish was extremely well presented on a black plate, a piece of paperbark, and rolled up inside was a seared, then baked piece of King George Whiting, a fish native to southern and western Australia, A flakey mild tasting fish perfectly seasoned combination of the forest and the ocean in one served with a 2012 chardonnay from Cobaw Ridge, Macedon Ranges, Victoria. From the winemaker, it has a fine balance of summer flowers, wet granite, and spice with citric and pear fruits. Tightly coiled palate driven by clean natural acidity…all about latent power.
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| King George whiting |
Chicken and carrots, with beans, fresh herbs and croutons, and what is a better way to serve it then in a small casserole style glass dish with the topping of a chicken sculpture, and though the dish tasted fine, the presentation I thought to be better than the dish itself. With this dish, they served a Spanish wine called Viñedos Culturales ‘Tinajas de la Mata’ 2011, Alicante. It was a blend of 60% Merseguera and 35% Moscatel made from organic grapes, fermented with native yeasts, with zero to minimal levels of SO2 added prior to bottling.
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| Chicken and carrots |
142 days on Earth is an interesting name for a dish and for Attica, it consists of an intermezzo course and the course that follows. the two courses were paired with a 2014 Syrah from Bobar VineyardsYarra Valley, Victoria which according to the winemaker has a nose of cherry, plum, spice, and slate. The palate shows clean red fruits and a core of minerality. For the first part of this dish, the intermezzo, I was guided through the kitchen to the garden on the back side of the building. From there two cooks instructed me and the other tables that had come out to the back to pick assorted herbs from the garden, and from there the cooks would blend it to make a frosty. I spent about ten minutes looking through the garden, smelling the aromatic plants, doing small tastings before choosing five or six varieties to mix in with the slushy.
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| The garden and slushy presentation |
The second part of the 142 days on Earth, which as I looked up online to see why these courses would be given this name, and all I found were references to Earth Day. Anyway as I was escorted back to my table, passing through to stop and talk with some of the kitchen staff, the 142 days course arrived. It was an outer layered skin of red cabbage with cubed pieces of beet and some assorted herbs.
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| 142 days on Earth |
Dessert:
The final three courses to the tasting menu finished off with desserts and petit fours along with two final wines to split between these courses. The wines were from Domaine St Nicolas ‘Soliel de Chine’ 2011, the Fiefs Vendeens, France, a nice Chenin Blanc, and to be one of the best wines I had the entire evening, a Maidenii Vermouth, wine with woodworm, and 100% Chenin blanc grape vines from 15 to 25 years, planted on clay and thirsty soil. The first dessert was tiny Pears with chilled cream and flower peddles served on a wood dish shaped like a pear, very original but still a great tasting dessert. The next dish or first petit fours was the industrious beet covered in cream.
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| Pears with chilled cream |
The final course of the evening was extremely unique, Pukeko’s Eggs. Two eggs served on a bed of grass to resemble a birds nest, the Pukeko is an endangered swamp hen from New Zealand and are the most common of six species of the rail family. Pukekos are tough birds, foragers, “Confident, inquisitive and vociferous.” Now because the species is endangered, the Chef did not boil off their eggs and serve them for a dessert. This was just a take on the egg, more like a Cadbury Egg product where the eggshell is white chocolate. As you bite into it, your mouth fills with salted caramel.
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| Chocolate Pukeko Eggs |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine Regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
AGWA: Australian Grape and Wine Authority
Other Noteworthy Eclectic Cuisine Articles & Restaurants:
Alinea Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus in Chicago, Illinois
At.mosphere Upscale fine dining global cuisine on the 122nd floor, Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, UAE
Enigma Restaurant Turkish culinary journey with an eclectic European twist In Dubai, UAE
Fiddlesticks Eclectic and Innovative New Zealand cuisine in Christchurch, New Zealand
Junsui An eclectic taste of Asia with buffets at the Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Qui Restaurant Eclectic global plates and sushi in Austin, Texas (name changed to Kuneho)
Squid Lips Eclectic and casual style seafood dishes in Melbourne, Florida
The Test Kitchen Modern eclectic and Nouvelle Latin cuisine in Cape Town, South Africa
Other Melbourne restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Two city-block landmark market
Melbourne, Australia
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Rustic café for Modern Australian
Melbourne, Australia
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Elegant Modern Australian with Molecular Gastronomic
Melbourne, Australia
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
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A Few Australian Favorites:
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Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu
Sydney, Australia
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
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Seasonal Northern Italian at the De Bortoli Winery
Yarra Valley, Australia
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Quintessential Modern Australian Cuisine
Sydney, Australia
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
|
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Yearly tasting event at Hyde Park
Sydney, Australia
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Modern Australian haute cuisine
Sydney, Australia
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Creative modern Australian dining
Yarra Glen, Yarra Valley Australia
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Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Attica a 5 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, but they surpassed outstanding and were extraordinary.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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9
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1
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Food quality
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10
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10
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0
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Plate presentation
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9
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9
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0
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Customer service
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9
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8
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1
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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9
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0
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Total regular points awarded
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47
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45
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2
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.957446808510638
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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3
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0638297872340425
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Total percentage with a bonus for the final star rating
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1.02127659574468
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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5
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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5 of 5 Stars:
102% Rating with a 3 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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7.5 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia
New World selections:
California, Australia, New York, South Africa, Lebanon, New Zealand
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Semi-formal dining
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Cuisine style:
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Australian, Eclectic, New Zealand (Kiwi)
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Grass Fed, Local, Non-GMO, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegan and Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Required
Walk-Ins:
Not accepted
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Dress code:
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Business or Business casual attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Hotspot, Good for special occasions, Intimate, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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Australian Dollar (AUS)
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$$$$
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€
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Alcohol prices:
$145.00 AUS
Attica:
74 Glen Eira Rd
Ripponlea VIC 3185
Neighborhood:
Ripponlea
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+(03) 9530 0111
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Online reservations
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Australian Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC + 10:00)
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Dinner: Tue-Sat
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Sun and Mon
closed
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Rodízio buffet and churrascaria
Niagara, Canada
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Dessert shop with Southern treats, and praline
Savannah & Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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German Bites in Bavarian-style Tavern
Ruskin, Florida, USA
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Other Pictures:
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| Entrance to Attica |
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| Curd with honeycomb |
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| Walnut puree in a walnut |
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| Local organic corn |
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| Wheat bread with local butter |
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| Minted potatoes |
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| Minted potatoes presentation |
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| King George whiting presentation |
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| Chicken and carrot presentation |
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| 142 days on Earth presentation |
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| Kitchen crew |
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| Garden |
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| Slushy maker |
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| Herb slushy |
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| Pear dessert presentation |
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| The industrious beet covered in cream |
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| The industrious beet covered in cream |
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| Kitchen crew |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
