Over the Christmas break, I had time to reflect on my experience of Sydney’s restaurant scene for 2012. Overall, it was fantastic. There are always some disappointments of course, but I will happily return to about 70% of the restaurants I visited last year. Below are the restaurants I would return to and why:

• 4Fourteen for hip atmosphere, smoked salmon bread and bounty dessert.
• AKI’s for fine Indian flavours, and the cardamom and pistachio kulfi.
• Azuma for outstanding sushi and sashimi.
• Barrafinna for the range of tasty tapas and spanish wines.
• Bentley for fantastic food and wine matches.
• Buffalo Dining Club for buffalo mozarella and antipasto plate.
• Cafe Morso for views of Sydney harbour and outstanding breakfast dishes.

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• Catalina for stunning 180 degrees views of the harbour.
• Chez Dee for great decor, atmosphere and service.
• Chiswick for its laid-back, country feel and lovely garden.
• DOV for original and always delicious breakfast dishes – in particular those with brioche.
• Food Society for well-priced, modern Eastern European fare.

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• Guillaume at Bennelong for top french dishes and very professional service.
• GPO Cheese and Wine Room for the somewhat mysterious atmosphere, and cheese and wine flights.
• Jimmy Liks for beef cheeks in green curry.
• Kingsleys Steak & Crabhouse at Woolloomooloo Wharf for mud crab in Singapore chilli sauce, green beans with almonds, and stunning views.
• Malabar Darlinghurst for chicken chettinad, and okra masala.
• Marque for its exquisitely refined tasting menu.
• Mere Catherine for quail with raisins, and profiteroles.
• Momofuku for the surprising and exciting tasting menu.

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• Mr Wong for superlative surrounds, steamed lobster with ginger and shallots, pork and chives dumplings, and service a step above traditional Asian restaurants.
• Ms G’s for funky atmosphere, intensely flavoursome dishes and margaritas.
• No. 9 for Bruschetta with poached eggs and avocado salsa.
• Ocean Room for views of the Opera House and an interesting, well priced, degustation.
• Pendolino for beef carpaccio with truffle oil, and veal pasta with bone marrow.
• Pilu at Freshwater for the picturesque setting, and panacotta.
  
• Porteno for the best vegetable dishes in town.
• Public Dining Room for idyllic views, and Boston style baked beans with ham hock.
• Sushi-e for the sashimi platter, infused kingfish carpaccio and Waygu beef score 9.
• Sushiwa for quality lunch time sushi with a modern take.
• Rockpool Bar & Grill for grandiose decor, wood fire grilled king prawns, and Cape Grim rib-eye on the bone.
• Sepia for chocolate forest and other sophisticated dishes.
• Sky Pheonix for wok-fried snake beans, deboned roast duck, prawn and spinach dumplings, and crab in spicy salt and chilli.
• The Alibi for seared scallops & ocean trout tartare, and banana harumaki.

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• The Apollo for taramasalata of mullet roe and Kritharaki pasta with braised oxtail. 
• The Bather’s Pavillon for sights and sounds of the sea, and pistachio and raspberry gateau.

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• The Owl House for duck terrine, cocktails and friendly service.
• The Sardine Room for consistently delicious seafood dishes and attentive wait staff.
• The Winery for the beer garden and Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc by the glass.
• Universal for “Gaytime goes Nuts”, and great cocktails.
• Watermoon for reasonably priced, yet delicious, sushi and sashimi, and Wagyu beef steak with sweet miso sauce.

Because I eat take-away pretty much every working lunch, I am also going to list my 3 favourite places for an on-the-run weekday lunch:

• CBD Noodles for flat rice noodles with chicken / beef, oyster sauce and Malaysian chilli paste
• Guzman & Gomez for mini burrito or soft-shell tacos with chicken guerrero or pork chipolte
• Sabbaba for messy but tasty Algerian falafel roll

Please note that a number of restaurants haven’t made the list. What are your recommendations for 2013? I’d love to read them in the comment box below.