SA Rocks

Hands up – who likes eating out?

I think that’s pretty much a yes from everyone – and (budget permitting!), it’s one of our favourite leisure activities. So I’m guessing we’ll all be interested in who the winners will be in the annual Prudential Eat Out Restaurants Awards. 20 nominees have been selected from over 1000 countrywide restaurants to compete in the 2008 awards for one of South Africa’s most coveted culinary accolades.

The list, which represents the best of the local restaurant scene, features eight first-time entries – Bizerca, Food Barn, Hartford House, Mosaic, Myoga, Overture, Rust en Vrede and The Saxon – as well as renowned favourites.

On the judging day, convener and Eat Out editor Abigail Donnelly joined a panel of highly respected judges that included restaurateur Dario De’Angeli, Arnold Tanzer, director of the SA Chefs Association, and food alchemist Pete Goffe-Wood.

“When judging a restaurant the entire experience is triggered by flavour, which to me is the emotional component of a dish,” comments Donnelly. “Great hospitality is firstly about caring and then service. This year it became clear that menus have been simplified, with modern takes on old classics proving popular.”

The Eat Out Restaurant of the Year, Chef of The Year and Top 10 Restaurants will be revealed and celebrated at the Prudential Eat Out Restaurant Awards ceremony on 30 November 2008 at the Westin Grand in Cape Town . While enjoying a four-course meal prepared by the country’s top chefs, guests will also find out the winners of the following categories:

* Eat Out Service Award
* Eat Out Lifetime Achievement Award
* Woolworths TASTE Bursary Award

The 2009 edition of Eat Out Magazine will also be launched at the event and will feature the winning restaurants and chefs, as well as provide a guide to South Africa’s 1 000 best restaurants.

Restaurant lovers are invited to read about the event and nominated restaurants, and to predict the Top 10 on the Eat Out website.

The 20 nominated restaurants in the 2008 Prudential Eat Out Restaurant Awards are:

9th Avenue Bistro (Durban)

Aubergine (Cape Town) – see my review here

Bizerca(Cape Town)

Bread and Wine (Franschhoek)

Food Barn (Cape Town)

Hartford House (Mooi River, KZN)

Jardine (Cape Town)

La Colombe at Constantia Uitsig (Cape Town)

Linger Longer (Johannesburg)

Mosaic Restaurant (Elandsfontein, Pretoria)

Myoga (Cape Town)

Overture (Stellenbosch)

Reubens (Franschhoek)

Roots at the Forum Homini Boutique Hotel (Johannesburg)

Rust en Vrede (Stellenbosch)

Saxon (Johannesburg)

Showroom (Cape Town)

Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais (Franschhoek)

Terroir (Stellenbosch)

Zachary’s at the Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa (Knysna)

Each restaurant had to meet a basic list of criteria to be considered as a nominee:

1. The restaurant should have been operational since November 2007.

2. The restaurant owners and chef should display an unwavering passion for their business.

3. Chefs should be concerned about the origin of their produce and be aware of seasonal and sustainable ingredients.

4. Consistency and excellence should be displayed in every aspect of the business.

Menu composition, seasonality of ingredients, presentation of dishes and, of course, taste will all be scored. Ambience is also important, as is the service and selection of wines offered. Judges work according to a score sheet which outlines each aspect of the restaurant experience.

I think there are some world-class restaurants on this list – South Africa can certainly hold its own among the best in the world. So be sure the check the Eat Out site at the end of November to see the results!

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