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Best New Restaurant: Time Out Food Awards 2012

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Many have closed, more have opened: the best new restaurant in Sydney is... 

First published on 9 Jul 2012. Updated on 29 Aug 2012.
The Apollo

Jonathan Barthelmess has long been one of Time Out’s favourite chefs. We sang his praises back at Coast in 2008/2009 when he was doing his elegant, restrained Italian food and then again when he opened Manly Pavilion. He’s back on the mainland now, doing Greek food. And we couldn’t be happier. Barthelmess has opened this new joint with fellow Greek Sam Christie – the man behind mod-Thai restaurant Longrain. And while Christie is still juggling vodka stick drinks and egg-nets, he’s now also serving up plates of fried saganaki and Ya Ya’s Moustaches (Greek brandy, bitters with an ouzo wash). Expect family-style dining with big plates of food and whole fish aimed to share around the table. Do the Full Greek for just $55 a person – it’s all the stuff you’ll want to order off the menu and exactly the right amount to eat. Start with the taramasalata – a dip of mullet roe and yoghurt – with house-made pita bread points served warm in a little pizza box. There’ll be pickles and olives and then out comes the Greek salad. And then there’s the big bowl of sticky roast lamb ribs with a side of lemony roast potatoes. If you’ve managed to not eat all the pickles on the table, this is the time to revisit them and cut some of the richness of the lamb. Finish up with fine filo pastry cigars filled with a mix of chopped walnuts, honey and olive oil. Personally, we like to sit up at the big marble bar to eat and drink – it’s a bit more comfortable and you can look at the whole room. It can get a little loud, as the surfaces are a beautiful rough-and-raw concrete, and low lighting means unless you’re a possum you’re likely to squint. But you needn’t look at the menu – just ask them to bring you everything.



Runners Up

Balla

Pyrmont

The Star smashed it out of the ball park with Momofuku and Balla. We love the casual, breezy Italian gear here, almost as much as we like propping up the bar with a plate of house-cured meats and a Campari. Take a seat in the restaurant proper, which opens out onto sparkling Pyrmont bay.

Momofuku Seiobo

Pyrmont

"You can only book online." It’s probably the most uttered line when people talk about chef David Chang’s Australian branch of the Momo empire. But we bet you didn’t know you can drop into the bar and have snacks without having to go anywhere near a computer. Take that, refresh button!

Three Blue Ducks

Bronte

Café by day, restaurant by night, and home to four little hens out the back. This beachside locavore joint is all about small plates, displaying the awesome cheffing power of ex-Tetsuya’s Darren Robertson and company. It’s not fine dining, but it’s a helluva lot of fun.

The Bridge Room

Sydney

Ross and Sunny Lusted have redifined the CBD restaurant. Here it's about clean lines, a snappy wine list and Ross's incredible cooking. His dessert of burnt caramel cream with sherry soaked sultanas and fresh pistachios is not to be missed.

Food Awards 2012
Food Awards 2012 View our full list of winners from the Time Out Food Awards 2012

By Myffy Rigby   |  
 

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