“IT’S always a delicious treat to look over my reviews for the year to cherry pick the best on the capital food scene,” says dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON. 

ONCE again, dozens of new dining establishments (casual to fine dining) popped up, making it hard to keep track. 

Here are my top five for 2023 (no particular order and note that menus may have changed since reviews were published).

Such and Such (Civic) is bold, brave and it made its mark in the capital in nano-seconds. Radically different from sister restaurant Pilot, Such and Such is casual and less structured, relaxed but not too carefree. The food is sensational. Relax over a couple of share plates or stay for a full meal. To-die-for? Smoked beetroot with smooth macadamia cream, and cucumber with smoooooth tahini miso. The wine list is amazing.

Mrs Wang (Civic) is wow-factor. This modern Australian Chinese restaurant, in the heat of the bustling Tiger Lane precinct, guarantees an exciting gastronomic journey. Local chef Gerald Ong puts a contemporary twist on traditional Chinese flavours. The key to his prawn toast – the best I’ve ever had – is the duck fat. We worshipped all the dumplings and the absolutely delicious duck pancakes. The high-quality hiramasa kingfish is perfection.

Fun, vibrant and exciting is Luna Bar (Civic), with chef Adrianne Davos at the helm, drawing inspiration from her south-east Asian roots. This talented chef creates elevated street food with complex umami flavours. The One Night in Paris gin with house-made lavender and Davidson plum syrup was herbaceous and punchy. The raw bar was sublime. Tacos are fabulous, especially the duck, cherry and goats cheese version. Don’t forget the miso eggplant with puffed grains, and the satay roasted cauliflower with nut praline.

Sophisticated and elegant is Koto (Parkes), with its Zen gardens, stunning interior and magnificent food and wine list. The Saikyo miso eggplant is an absolute must. Also showcasing the kitchen’s superior skills in arranging food with delicate precision is the Aburi salmon belly (melt-in-the-mouth) and Black Angus beef tataki with tomato yuzu ponzu. Love the crispy sweet potato. 

It was oh, yes to Oh No (Manuka) with the team in the kitchen drawing inspiration from places such as Korea, Japan, Philippines and Nepal. No wonder the tastes at Oh No are memorable. Wild tuna sashimi is beautifully presented, and the dish features paper-thin slices of radish for crunch and honey yaju for sweetness. Sesame prawn donuts are vibrant. The large cubes of tofu with chilli salt, stacked on a sexy sweet sambal are not to be missed.

And for a sweet ending, I can’t resist mentioning some others I thoroughly enjoyed. Each deserves a raucous round of applause – Queenies (now with an all-gluten free menu), Grazing, Inari, Peonee, Louis, The Marion, French Flair and Dada.