Good Dude Guide

The young-uns are rewriting the Good Food Guide where dude food rules and foie gras drools.

The Good Food Guide 2012 awards held last week were all about hats and new tricks. Sydney’s next generation of chefs are shaking up the food scene, giving the flick to old-school French styles and instead cooking what they want to eat. Some may say this is typical stubborn ‘Gen Y’ behaviour. But actually it’s a testament to our hunger for simple and totes yummy food without the pretentiousness.

Tricky techniques are being swapped for American, Asian and Latin American-inspired street cuisine. Think of fun fare that is grabbable, dippable and slurpable like tacos, hot dogs, chicken wings and noodles.

Clearly Sydneysiders are eating up the trend with the likes of Porteno and Duke Bistro receiving hats. To cap it off, the Porteno boys were also awarded Best New Restaurant. Diners are meating their hearts out at the Surry Hills South American restaurant, not to mention the delish pulled pork sliders in the Gardel’s Bar upstairs. And by now the whole city’s swooped over Duke’s chicken wings. Both open ‘til late, hats off to spots with food offered at a non-grandma hour.

Those who are thirsty and hungry no longer need to ask ‘dude, where’s my (good) bar (food)?’ Pubs and bars with decent grub are popping up faster than you can refresh your Twitter feed. Redfern, Surry Hills and ‘Surryhurst’ is where it’s at.

The three-hatters probably deserve a mention; Bilson’s, est, Marque, Sepia and Quay. No surprises there except Sepia, that traded two toques for three. Young-ish chef Martin Benn is certainly doing fine things with fine dining.

On the flipside the non-traditionalist TOYS Collective scooped up the Innovation Award. The posse of young chefs, food professionals and sommeliers play with traditional dining to create original experiences. ‘Ballz Deep’ is just one example of the events hosted by TOYS like Dan Hong, Adriano Zumbo and Thomas Lim.

They may scoff at pre-Gen Y customs of caviar, truffles and white tablecloths but hey, at least they have balls.

By Jenna Chaitowitz
Image: Flickr