What a year its been. Yes there has been lots of great food and new places to try, but it is not just the food, it is also about what it represents – my husband and I celebrating something special or simply enjoying each other’s company, our kids daring to try something new, catching up with friends I haven’t seen for a while, thanking clients for their business, a birthday, an anniversary, a Christening, a home baked box of biscotti to say thank you or I’m thinking of you.
So here are some of my food highlights from 2013, my favourite dish of each calendar month. And with that I sign off for the year, and wish you all a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. We will, as is the customary tradition, be enjoying an Italian-Australian style Christmas – the fresh prawns, the turkey, alongside the lasagne, arancini and tiramisu, and at least twenty other dishes. And of course we will eat way more than is good for us.
Thanks to all of you around the world who have read, followed and commented throughout the year, and I wish you all the best for 2014!
January – the pork buns at Ippudo. A great, juicy snack for $4
http://www.ippudo.com.au/
February – the fresh Egg Squid Ink Linguine with crab meat at Cucinetta. This restaurant was a bit of a mixed bag experience, but this dish was spot on
http://www.cucinetta.com.au/
March – the strawberry and balsamic vinegar gelato at The Cow and Moon. Wow, and this comes from someone who doesn’t eat strawberries
April – the blue swimmer crab and corn congee at Rockpool. Rockpool have since moved to new digs on Bridge Street; I hope they have kept this on the menu
http://www.rockpool.com/sydney/
May – deep fried custard with silky ricotta ice cream at A Tavola. I adore custard and I love ricotta, so to me this was an irresistible combination
http://www.atavola.com.au/
June – the shredded duck, dried chestnuts and black fungi with Pixian chilli paste and fried tofu at Spice Temple – a perfect combination of spice and texture
http://www.rockpool.com/sydney/spice-temple/
July – this was a hard one. I had so much good food in New York. Scarpetta was one of my favourites (I even subsequently bought the cookbook), so it has to be one of Scott Conant’s dishes – his polenta with mushrooms almost had my husband and I licking the bowl
http://www.scottconant.com/restaurants/scarpetta/new-york
August – the octopus with potato skins, white corn, and piquillo peppers at Hartsyard. Lots of clever, delicious food happening at this Newtown homestead, and recommend it if you haven’t been already
http://hartsyard.com.au/
September – the prawn dumplings at Lotus Dumpling Bar. This little newcomer to the dumpling scene has plenty to tempt.
http://lotusdumplingbar.com.au/
October – the mango sago at Palace Chinese. Even when I’ve overdosed on shumai and gow gee (which I inevitably do when I come here), I always manage to find some room for the sago
http://www.palacechinese.com.au/
November – Ananas four ways at Ananas Bar & Brasserie. A fresh, unique, and delicious dessert
December – Wok-Fried Prawns with Fresh Crab Meat in Spicy Sauce at Lung King Heen
A great mix of seafood and heat overlooking the Hong Kong lights.
http://www.fourseasons.com/hongkong/dining/restaurants/lung_king_heen/