Toque Time (Sydney) – a wrap up of 2014 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards

The Melbourne Awards kicked it off last week, this time it was Sydney’s turn. Its been a bit of a tumultuous year in Sydney dining, with a few notable closures such as Universal, Ortolan, Assiette, Mezzaluna, and Claude’s announcing it would call it a day. But its also been a big year for openings, with the last twelve months having bought us Mr Wong’s, Movida, Gowings, Mejico, and many others.  I’m sure last night would have beeen a combination of cheers and tears.

Those who disappeared from the hat list – Otto (well overdue in my view), Chiswick (beautiful surrounds but nothing that special about the food), A Tavola (that’s a shame, but seems to have been substituted with Popolo), Black By Ezard (more hype than substance), and 4Fourteen. Shock went through the crowd apparently when Marque lost a hat – frankly I’m surprised it still has two – and Est, which has been a long time ‘special occasion’ favourite of mine.

Sokyo and Hartsyard – welcome to the list – well deserved!!

On my overrated list – Quay (and all my friends agree, we must all be missing something), Icebergs (amazing view, ordinary food), and Rockbool Bar and Grill (service has been consistently bad and slow my last few visits). I also find Aria very stuffy. But as I said last week, its food, its personal, and we will never all agree.

And the winners are…..

City Restaurants

Three hats

Guillaume at Bennelong, Sepia, Momofuku, Quay, Rockpool

Two hats

Marque (down a hat), Est (down a hat), Four in Hand, Buon Ricordo, Aria, Icebergs, Rockpool Bar & Grill,  Mr Wong, The Bridge Room, Tetsuyas, Claude’s, Lucio’s (up a hat), Ormeggio at The Spit, Movida, Longrain, Spice Temple, Gastro Park, Pilu at Freshwater

One hat

Porteno (down a hat), Clareville Kiosk, Sean’s Panorama, Balla, Catalina, Popolo, Monopole (new), China Doll, Berowra Waters Inn, Pendolino, Gowings, Bodega, Flying Fish, Ananas (new), Sixpenny, Billy Kwong, Three Blue Ducks, Sake, The Devonshire, Oscillate Wildly, Aki’s Indian, Sokyo, Boathouse on Blackwattle, Xanthi, Bistro Moncur, The Apollo, Hartsyard, Buzo, Kepos Street Kitchen, Foveaux Restaurant and Bar, Bathers Pavillion, Berowra Waters Inn, Billy Kwong, Bistrode CBD, Cafe Sopra, Glass Brasserie, Jonah’s Restaurant, Ms G’s, Tomislav, Uccello, Ume

Regional Restaurants

Two Hats

Biota Dining, No 2 Oak Street, Subo

One hat

Lolli Redini, Restaurant Mason, Fins, Muse Kitchen, Restaurant Como, Eschalot, Racine, Muse Restaurant, Wharf Rd, Zanzibar Café, Caveau, The Stunned Mullet, Neila, Tyler’s Pantry, Bistro Moline, Manfredi at Bell’s, Darleys, The River Moruya, Flooded Gums, Town

Toque Time (Melbourne) – The Age Good Food Guide 2014 Awards

It’s that time of year again where tensions run high in the restaurant industry. Will I get one, won’t I? Up, Down? Lost completely? Will my phones be ringing hot tomorrow morning or will there be deathly silence? Its the power of The Hat.

This year’s Victoria award winners, announced in Melbourne last night, are below (Sydney is being announced next week). I do agree with the three hatters (although have not been to Attica yet so will reserve judgement, but it has a list of accolades a mile long, so expectations are high). Review on Vue De Monde coming soon. Flower Drum is seriously expensive Chinese, but the service is world class and there has been some new creativity of late. On my last visit I had some noodles, but they made out of barramundi – they were pretty amazing.

Of the two hatters I’ve been to, Cutler & Co – love; Ezard seemed a bit passe on my last visit, Grossi Fiorentino overrated, Movida is always a solid contender, Rosetta is good Italian but so overpriced for what it is and given other Italian options in Melbourne.

The one hatters, my picks – big fan of Coda, great modern Asian, same with Longrain for fabulous modern Thai; Golden Fields too for Andrew Mcconnell’s clever food; Becco and Il Bacaro are stalwarts in the Melbourne Italian scene and always reliable, and thumbs up to Sarti for great Calabrese. Guilluame didn’t cut it when I went. Taxi was a long time favourite but was very disappointing on a recent visit – though people tell me they have been a little inconsistent of late – lots of highs and lows.

But as always with food, its a personal thing, and we will never all agree.

Drumroll please…..and the winners are…………

City Restaurants

Three hats
Attica, Flower Drum, Jacques Reymond, Vue de Monde. Attica also took out Melbourne Restaurant of the Year.

Two hats
Cafe Di Stasio, Cutler & Co, Ezard, Grossi Florentino, Matteo’s, MoVida, Rockpool Bar & Grill, Rosetta, Spice Temple

One hat
Albert St Food & Wine, Bacash, Becco, Bistro Guillaume, Bistro Vue, Brooks, Cecconi’s Flinders Lane, Centonove, Church St Enoteca, Circa, Coda, Cumulus Inc, Da Noi, Dandelion, Donovans, Easy Tiger, Epocha, Estelle Bar & Kitchen, European, Golden Fields, The Grand, Grossi Florentino Grill, Hare & Grace, Huxtable, Il Bacaro, Kenzan, Koots Salle a Manger, Longrain, Maha, Merricote, Moon Under Water, MoVida Aqui, Pei Modern, PM 24, The Point Albert Park, Pure South, Saint Crispin, Sarti, Stokehouse, Taxi Dining Room, Tempura Hajime, Tonka, Vin, Yu-u

Regional Restaurants
Two hats
Lake House, Provenance, Stefano’s, Ten Minutes by Tractor

One hat
A La Grecque, Bella Vedere, Eleonore’s, Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant, Gladioli, Healesville Hotel, Kazuki’s, Montalto, Neilsons, Oscar W’s Wharfside, Paringa Estate, Scorched, Teller, Simone’s Restaurant, Tea Rooms of Yarck, Terminus at Flinders Hotel, The Terrace Restaurant

Stay tuned for the Sydney awards.