Friday 28 December 2018

Top Venues for 2018


2018 has been an epic year for me personally which has come with it's challenges and also personal pride and fulfillment. What always brings more colour to life is delicious food. So what were the food highlights for 2018? I sit down my partner in crime Matt to come up with my favourite venues of 2018. 


Your mouth is going to water reading this... so let's start.



Glacage Cafe in Bankstown



Casual dining for the soul - Cafes and Casual Dining

I will start off with the casual corner. There are certain venues that trigger major food feelings for me. I can taste the flavours in my mouth as I look at the photos. I will start off with mentioning the delicious grazing breakfast from Turka in Crows Nest. With a huge variety of spreads, cheeses, bread - it captured lots of senses. I would also like to honourably mention suburban gem The Backyard in Concord. With a huge field for the kiddies to play in, there's no compromise on taste or flavour in this casual venue. I also want to shout out to my favourite dumpling places in Burwood. There's Yang's and also Mr Jiang who I revisited multiple times but always forgot to take photos.  My favourite cafe for 2018 is Glacage in Bankstown. The venue is hidden away but is a delightful oasis with Middle Eastern Breakfast boards, delicious acai bowls and colourful juices - I love this venue.


Vic's Meat Market

Matt's Meaty Favourites

This year I will also give some voice to Matt who is the often silent photographer on all my food adventures. He takes the delicious photos for you to lick. An honourable mention goes to Bare Grill which showed off two killer standing platters full of burgers, ribs, cheeseburger spring rolls and other delights which still make me feel full. Matt also really enjoyed Radley's in Chatswood and Radley's in Sydney CBD.

It's Churassco that dictates some of Matt's tastebuds from Chama BBQ and also Churassco in Coogee.  But I know Matt's favourite venue is definitely Vic's Meat Market. He is in love with the place and with the new addition of all the sides, I also really enjoyed Vic's Meat Market.  So delicious.



Yayoi
Turn up the flavour with these Asian Delights
I probably eat Asian food more frequently than any other cuisine. Frequently eating Vietnamese from the Hunter Connection, enjoying sashimi from Suburban favourites Moeru or Tatsuya or Korean in Eastwood. Here are three Asian venues that stick out in 2018. First there's Ho Jiak, my first visit and my second visit has really lifted my fondness of Malaysian food. In Winter, Ho Jiak had a delicious special truffle menu which was very enjoyable to eat. I also enjoyed a decadent and delicious meal at Urban Tadka which showcased modern Indian which was bursting full of flavour and showed cased a certain elegance. I also enjoyed Manjit's which made all my carbs dreams come true when a giant naan the size of a table came out. One of my favourites which I have frequently come back to is Yayoi - with it's enticing large umeshu menu, I can't resist coming back to their delicious food with a cheeky yuzu umeshu. 


House Bar and Bistrot

Simple, Tasty and Unforgettable European Cuisine


This year I also ventured out to a suburb I wasn't as familiar with - Potts Point - and discovered a whole host of delicious food. Honourable mentions must go to House Bar and Bistrot which had really simple, tasty and rustic Italian food. It's such a cosy venue perfect for date night. I also really enjoyed Lot One which has relocated to Potts Point. I'm still thinking about that delicious grass fed sirloin with pistachio puree. 



Sydney Cove Oyster Bar
Fancy Fine Food to impress and satisfy
So 2018 has been simply delicious and there's some more upmarket venues that have definitely been on my mind. I went to Sydney Cove Oyster Bar which had a stunning view and really delicious seafood. There was student run restaurant William Blue Dining that was a really enjoyable experience. I still remember a very shy and anxious girl waiting on our table and I smiled trying to ease her nerves.
District Brasserie was a surprising venue located in a large corporate building. Their salted caramel custard was simply divine and is a must try. 

Lisa's unforgettable venues in 2018.... 

I've had so many great meals in 2018 and I would highly recommend all the venues I've mentioned so far. There are so many delicious venues in Sydney, we are lucky!

This year it's has been some of the more upmarket and posh venues that have created long lasting food memories. I have managed to distill my favourite venues in a short list of four. 


So are you ready?  And drum roll.... definitely in my top four venues for 2018 is Macleay St Bistro which has traditional, rich and moreish French food that dictates my tastebuds. I can still taste that delicious onion souffle served with freshly baked bread and truffle butter. So delicious.



Macleay St Bistro
Next is Restaurant Plage which makes a return from last year to also land in my top 4 venues in 2018 with a delicious hirashima kingfish dish and on-going high quality, delicious and modern Japanese food. I highly recommend!


Restaurant Plage
I was then spoilt rotten when I experienced perfection at O Bar at a special Gault and Millau dinner. Darren Templeton worked his magic and I fell in love with his food. This wonderful dinner definitely makes for one of my favourite food memories and venues for 2018. This is definitely in my top 4 in 2018.

O Bar and Dining
Which leaves the very top gong for.... Cucinetta in Woolwich. This venue is perfection and it's this famous tiramisu that has captured my heart and mind in 2018. It's the delicate gnocchi in a rich gorgonzola sauce with sweet figs that is a fond memory. I predict great things for Cucinetta and thank you for the multiple food gasms and memories in 2018.



So that's it.. my favourite food in 2018. What were your top food memories? 

Make sure you also read last year's  2017's top eats... 

Cucinetta


Cucinetta

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