Australian Gourmet Traveller – September 2019

Attica’semu-

liverbagel

p 67

VomoIsland,Fiji;

YvonneCLam,digitaleditor

Thisluxeresorthasallthemakingsofa

tropicalholiday:coconuts,snorkelling,

sunsetsonthebeach.Imadeevery

[email protected]

Wherewe’vebeen

testamenttotheawesometalentsand

diverseexperiencesthatcontinuetoshape

thewayAustralia’sgourmettravellersdine,

fromtheexuberantflavoursat Africolato

thedeeplythoughtfulapproachofchefs

FedericaAndrisaniandOskarRossiat

Fico,andfromthemeticulousfusionat

Kazuki’sandLuMitothelobster-and-live-

musicpartyat Mary’sUnderground.

Andjoiningthepartythismonth

isGourmetTraveller’s neweditor,Joanna

Hunkin.Congratulationstoher,and

allour 2020 RestaurantAwardwinners.

T

heterm“finedining”still

suffersfromthenotionthatit

canbea bitstiffandstuffy.But

Australia’smodernfinediners

areanythingbut.Insteadthey’rehotbeds

ofcreativity,wit,humourandplayfulness,

wheredinneris as muchperformanceas

it is dinner.They’vebecomemorefun.

AtAttica,inMelbourne’sRipponlea,

BenShewrytellsthehistoryofthe

surroundingareathroughthemedium

ofthreesmalltarts, servesfinger-lickin’

crocodileribsandhaulshiscustomers

intothebackyardsotheycanchatwith

thechefsoverbillyteaorwhiletoasting

marshmallowsoveranopenfire.This

breakingdownoftheoldexpectationsof

finediningis oneofthereasonsweloveit

andwhywe’veawardedShewryandhis

teamGourmetTraveller’s 2020Restaurant

oftheYear.Congratulationstothem.

There’ssomuchtocelebratethisissue.

Atticatopsourlistofthenation’stop

50 restaurants,a stellarlistassessedby

GT’s teamofexpertreviewerswhohave

selflesslygoneout,knifeandforkinhand,

todiscoverthecountry’sbest.Ourguideis

NationalGalleryofAustralia,

Canberra;LauraJacobs,artdirector

Haystacks,waterliliesandParisian

streetscenes–thecurationofthe

Monet:ImpressionSunriseexhibition

isconcisebutimpressive,and

worththeroadtriptothenation’s

capital.@laurajanejacobs

Bokenäs,Sweden;

HarrietDavidson,writer

&editorialcoordinator

AweekonSweden’swestcoastsawnot

muchmorethanforagingforberries,

readingonsun-drenchedclisandeating

[email protected]

GOURMET TRAVELLER 15

Editor’s letter

PHOTOGRAPHY MELANIE KAYE FIJI, COLIN PAGE ATTICA & ROB SHAW PORTRAIT.