It’s taken me a bit longer to get it together this year. I’d like to blame my 2.5 year old and school holiday lethargy. But I still like to share this list of ours in any case.
We haven’t been out as much this year, but we did make good use of the parentals and babysitter so we could experience some quality date nights and meals. Rather than a few articles on “fine dining, cafes, cheap eats” like we normally do, I’ve done one article, incorporating all of our favourites of 2023.
Although the rest of this list isn’t in any particular order, Blue Door makes the number 1. Incredible food, immaculately prepared and presented and it demonstrates culinary expertise and creativity. Hats off to Dylan Cashman Chef for the great food and ethical approach, focusing on sustainability and also to Angelica Nohra for the superb wine list.
A recent fine dining experience at Le Salle dining by bar Chaplin is an intimate venue with sophisticated, refined and creative dishes. Chef Patrick Dang hosts a “menu du jour” (Le Voyage) at reasonable prices – $88 for 4 courses or the option for supplementary add ons.
Loam was also a recent visit, located in the Ace Hotel Surry Hills, where we absolutely loved everything we ordered; the BEST ocean trout with crispy skin and garlic butter, lamb blackstrap, and OMG the fries, with bloody Mary salt – we’ll return for a bowl of those any time, any day.
Lion and buffalo is a cafe favourite. We’ve been often, and it’s bright wall murals, friendly staff, single 0 coffee, inventive brunch dishes and of course their unicorn babychino are some of the many reasons you must visit!
Armorica was my birthday choice. The Surry Hills Grand Brasserie is magnificent with its lavish decor, bistro style food including excellent proteins; brilliant steak, Murray Cod, and of course their “gold bullion” chocolate dessert.
Salmas Canteen is the partnership of Saga’s Andy Bowdy and Maddison Howes with Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley from Kepos Street Kitchen. There’s a canteen style ordering arrangement for protein and salad boxes, amazing pastries and take home products you can heat up or serve at home. Now they’ve also added Stitch coffee to the menu.
Bouillon L’entrecote is bistro in Circular Quay with great French food, an excellent Saturday Set Lunch at reasonable prices. Excellent wines on offer too.
Yan, a contemporary Singaporean/Chinese neighbourhood restaurant in Wolli Creek, that focuses on smoked food. It’s very popular and you’ll understand why if you try their food. We recommend their beef short rib and smoked katsu chicken.
Becketts Glebe, set on an historic site in Glebe in Sydney’s Inner West is a fabulous restaurant which gives off mid New York classic bistro / Brasserie vibes. The venue also has a sub-terranean private dining space and wine cellar to host intimate, private and group dining experiences.
The newly revamped Mittagong Hotel has an incredible bistro menu that is super sophisticated, yet still approachable for a local pub. We loved it on each occasion we visited; kingfish Crudo, pork belly, schnitzel, and hand cut papardelle to name a few.
Besuto, a 14 seat restaurant in Loftus Lane offering traditional Japanese Omakase where you’ll try 18-20 dishes showcasing high quality ingredients, flavour and technique. In the omakase, you’re leaving all the decisions to the chef; from sashimi to miso, toothfish, nigiri and sorbet.
Moku, a fusion of Australian native ingredients with the Japanese dishes has super creative things on offer. Think corn tempura fritter balls, chicken & saltbush tsukune and hojicha smoked duck breast. A great barman who’ll mix up a top notch drink for you too.
Summing it up is Panivore for our local coffee and brekkie, Suzuya for our amazing Japanese, Charcoal Kingdom for chicken and chips, Filante for a local woodfired pizza, St Kai for the post golf coffee, Bills for a consistently good brunch, AP bread and Paramount Coffee Project for their pastries, brekkie and coffee. When in Camden, I also like going to B85 Artisan Bakery for little marionette coffee, sourdough and pastries.
We must make note of some out of NSW venues – Rosellas on the Goldy at Burleigh for crazy cool inventive cocktails and Bottega Gelateria on Henley Beach SA for their gelato!
Hope this helps to find some new places to try!