Jacqui Felgate reviews an ‘undiscovered gem’ at a train station
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Last year, I went to Italy. I’ll admit, Highett is a long way from Lake Como… but they do have one thing in common!
One thing I loved about Italy is every train station has a bar or little restaurant attached to it… and so does Highett!
Highett Road is a pumping little shopping strip filled with cool, grungy bars and hip restaurants. It’s kind of like the Fitzroy of the south. And right in the middle, just a step from the platform, is Abbiocco.
In Italian, Abbiocco means “the content drowsiness you feel after a delicious meal”, and after our dinner here I certainly felt content.
We dined on a warm night in the little outside courtyard and the trains pull in just on the other side of the platform and it’s very cool. You feel like you’re in the city. I loved it.
We started with scallop crudo with nduja and river mint, and Stracciatella, charred oxheart tomato and bush pepper. Both were around $20 and great value for money. It’s slick dining, but it’s homely and tasty at the same time.
There’s the courtyard, the main restaurant and a cool front bar where you can watch the world go by.
Of course pastas here are the hero – there are six to choose from and we enjoyed the Mafaldine with spanner crab, tomato and basil and Candele with pork “alla Genovese” pecorino and sea celery ($34). We shared both and I’m so glad because you couldn’t split the two dishes. We also had a side of charred cos (where have you been all my life) with buttermilk.
All translations for the pasta and menu items are on the other side of the menu and I loved that (you don’t have to feel silly constantly asking what certain dishes actually consist of!).
Dessert was a peach crostata and Lemon Myrtle semifreddo with honey and macadamia. This was basically like a really fancy golden gaytime and Abbiocco should sell them to weary passengers as they get off the train – it’s the perfect post transit snack!
Abbiocco is worth hitting the rails and heading to Highett for! It’s an undiscovered gem.
Abbiocco Pasta & Wine Highett
501 Highett Rd, Highett
Ph: 9191 4566
obee.com.au