Working on my piece on the best dishes of 2007 made me pleased (remembering just how much excellent food I consumed over the course of 12 months), chastened (remembering just how much excellent food I consumed over the course of 12 months), and expectant (I know there's great food out there, but I don't know where it is yet). There's something a tiny bit loaded about selecting the first restaurant of the year to review after that brisk trot down memory lane. South Food & Wine Bar appealed for several reasons. I'd been reading about new Australian cuisine (eclectic, Asian-influenced) for a number of years without ever being able to try it. Australia's native ingredients, especially its seafood and widely exported lamb, are famously superb. And, thanks to my... More >>>