Unless you’re a national magazine full of expensive glossy ads, it’s crazy to claim to publish a definitive list of ‘the best dining experiences to be found’. So consider this a list of the most memorable meals I’ve eaten in the past 12 months, with a stand out dish (or two) that I can’t get out of my mind.
New Classic – Gilda’s
I’ve eaten my way through the entire Gilda’s menu in the past 12 months and love it all. But if I must choose one, I’ll cheat and choose three! The trio of Gilda, Grilda and Matilda: a classic olive, anchovy and pickled pepper on a silver toothpick; a play on that with lightly grilled fresh fish; and an Aussie spin with deliciously rare kangaroo. And the soft serve – I have to have that too!
1+1=3 – Monopole
I love the way Nick Hildebrandt challenges my wine boundaries with brilliant matches for Brent Savage’s inspired dishes. I think I don’t like sake but change my mind when it’s served alongside a finger of sourdough toast topped with perfect swirls of rich, creamy Comte custard. And OMG the glazed quail with smoked celery + Ochota Barrels Gamay!
Tradition With A Twist – Pilu at Freshwater
I love the place where tradition and innovation merge seamlessly into one another. And I found it this year, as I so often do, overlooking Freshwater Beach in a humble, comforting dish of toasted fregolone in seafood broth studded with chunks of delicate blue swimmer crabmeat and finished with a scattering of lemon zest and bottarga. Heaven! Bottarga butter makes lightly charred focaccina memorable too.
Best Duck Dish Ever – Civico 47
I was apprehensive about returning to 47 Windsor St in Paddington, so full of memories. And so glad I did for the best duck dish I’ve ever had. So apparently simple and so delicious! Dry-aged for a week, roasted on the bone, filleted, grilled with maple syrup glaze, finished over charcoal and served with mandarin dressing and a few witlof leaves! Mmm, still thinking about that seada too!
Steak Sandwich – Lunas
I love a good steak sandwich, and the best I’ve ever had is the Portuguese-inspired prego at Lunas. Garlic-studded steak on a crisp Sweet Belem Portuguese roll with peri peri mayo, mustard, grilled onions and a touch of salad. I’m not generally big on sweet breakfasts but make an exception for Lunas’ hotcakes with stewed apple and raspberries topped with a disc of Portuguese tart custard.
Legend – Red Lantern
How can something so generic be so good? You’ve had salt and pepper squid in hundreds of Asian restaurants, pubs and casual diners. Then you have it at Red Lantern and it’s a revelation! Fresh squid, good oil and a thin crisp coating help, but it’s that white pepper and lemon dipping sauce that takes it off the charts! The same sauce that does amazing things to five spice quail!
Unexpected – St Siandra
Don’t you love it when you go expecting ‘good’ and experience ‘great’? I popped down to this new spot on the sand at The Spit expecting a pleasant lunch with a nice view and discovered tender little curls of Balmain bug flash-fried in a coating of baharat, sesame seeds and curry leaf that blew me away. Smoky, tender skewers of beef short rib with fermented tomato sauce were unforgettable too.
Eat Your Vegies – Chiswick
Who doesn’t love a good deep-fried potato? And I’ve had some pretty memorable ones this year (I’m looking at you St Siandra) – but when they’re dusted with savoury salt made from celery grown in the kitchen garden and served with herb mayo for dunking, they’ve reached perfection! Don’t get me started on the rosemary flatbread, beets with buckwheat, or roasted eggplant with Romesco.
I Want Dessert – Ormeggio at The Spit
Everyone knows the gelato at this beautiful waterside diner is the bomb! Yet it was a palate cleanser of tiny frozen pearls, flakes and splinters that blew me away: an explosion of texture and flavour with blood orange, carrot, calamansi and blood orange on mandarin gelato in a stunning bowl. Did I mention black garlic tagliolini with crab and chilli pangratatto?
The Full Experience – Viand
It’s such a joy when everything comes together to create a dining experience that’s more than the sum of its parts. By having the courage to offer just two perfectly balanced Thai menus, Annita Potter makes it easy for guests to simply relax and her vibrant open kitchen. A sweet-sour-salty-spicy flavour explosion of fresh fruit, veg and herbs dance in harmony with the likes of braised duck, deep-fried snapper, stir-fried quail and aged pork belly.
And of course there’s Fangs for Sydney best dumplings, pizzaiolo Tommy’s superb pizzas at Cavallino, spuntini I can’t get enough of at Braci, and the best seat in Sydney: the kitchen counter at Firedoor! And so many more deserving folk across Sydney’s vibrant hospitality scene, all working tirelessly to bring us the best dining experience possible. I salute you all!
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