Dishes of 2016

A few favourite samplings from a big year of dining in 2016

#1   A post Sydney-to-Surf at Ester included my knockdown-and-drag-them-out dish of 2016 – the wood fired roast duck in an Asian dressing

#2  Templo in Hobart moved the dial for me with it’s simple but perfectly executed modern Italian cooking – particularly pasta dishes like this Fusilli Zucchini in a buttery sauce infused with garlic and lemon rind.

#3  Fortunate enough to find a space at the Clove Club on a walk-in, this Scottish black pudding dish (yes, disguised by a foamy mousse, radicchio and apple.) was memorable

#4   Two McConnell brothers cooking in one kitchen  (Monster, ACT) was a highlight of early 2016.  Here’s their soldiers wrapped in pork lard.

#5  Aubergine’s Ben Willis has hit a winner with his brown butter ice cream and   chilled lemon verbena

#6  Franklin (Hobart) killing it with this stinging nettle barley risotto.

#7  Anchovy (Melbourne) became a few favourite – here’s the duck, fermented red rice and celeriac puree

#8  Bo ssam at Mel and Andrew’s in Griffith.  What a mighty Saturday afternoon lunch in the backyard