A taste of Argentina

Atticus Hospitality purchased the former Efendy restaurant site in the midst of the 2021 lockdown. After two years of planning and a complete redesign of the venue, they are ready to start the build which is scheduled to be completed late this year. Darling chats with owner and local resident Michael Fegent.

Michael, you have two successful restaurants, Tequila Mockingbird in Paddington and Esteban in the city. Why Balmain for your third venture?

Put simply, I love Balmain. I am a local from Mort Bay. My son goes to Birchgrove Public School. I remember the old days when Balmain was pumping and you could have a night out with afternoon drinks, dinner and even a late-night dance. I want to contribute to bringing that back and now is the time.

What can locals expect from your new restaurant?

Balmain has such an amazing pub culture, with ample pizza and Asian fusion restaurants but I think it needs more diversity. There are minimal offerings for people who don’t want to drink beer and house wine. Our big focus is the food offering. The restaurant concept is Argentinean, so it is all about cooking with fire. We have a custom-made Asado BBQ that is literally the size of a bedroom where we will be cooking on numerous types of wood to add unique flavours to the produce. And don’t worry vegetarians and vegans, we have you covered!

Beverage wise, we have a curated selection of wines from South America, Spain and Italy.

How did you get your inspiration for this new restaurant?

The inspiration came from the number of Uber trips I have made to Esteban (in the city) or Tequila Mockingbird (Paddington). I often have a craving for our 1 kilo tomahawk steak, slow-cooked over charcoal for two hours, or I want to drink our signature cocktail, the Tequila Mockingbird. I thought that it would all taste so much better being sipped in this beautiful Balmain courtyard where the restaurant is being built. To date, Atticus Hospitality has had a Latin American focus and I thought that Argentinean food would be the perfect fit for the area, keeping in line with our brand.

Are there any unique or signature dishes for which your restaurant will be known?

Will Quartel (Head Chef) and I just got back from a three-week culinary journey across Argentina, so we are just starting to put pen to paper for the menu so it’s early days. Right now, we are working on a pork dish rubbed in toasted chile de arbol and confit éléphant garlic. The meat is cured for 24 hours, smoked and slow-cooked for 48 hours.

Can you describe the atmosphere you aim to create?

The beauty of this building is that the bones of the restaurant are so amazing with the focus being around the courtyard and its leafy surrounds. The ground floor will have a beautiful long bar where guests can pop in for a drink and light tapas style snacks and watch the chefs cook over the open charcoal BBQ. The mezzanine floor has a private dining room that also acts as a wine cellar with the focus on Argentinean, Spanish and Italian wines. The first floor opens onto a large balcony and is designed for both larger groups and normal a la carte dining. We will be able to facilitate large group bookings for up to 75 people. We are putting a lot of emphasis on creating an offering where people can come in and have a well-priced meal on a Tuesday night or go all out on the weekend or a special occasion.

What have the past few years taught you as a restaurant owner?

Make sure you know your audience and always think outside the box. I also learned that no matter what happens in the world, people need to eat and drink! Whether you are cooped up at home looking after kids or working hard in the office, people need an escape and a place to meet and converse. Restaurants and bars play that role.

What’s your favourite restaurant in Sydney? No bias here but Esteban and Tequila

Mockingbird of course. There is also this Argentinean restaurant and bar opening in Balmain soon that I am looking forward too!

RESTAURANT NAME: REVEALED SOON ATTICUS HOSPITALITY

79 Elliott Street, Balmain atticushospitality.com.au