Fifty of New Zealand's best announced as finalists

The standard of New Zealand restaurants is going from strength to strength, as shown by the number of finalists in this year’s Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards climbing from 40 to 50. And 26 of the restaurants are first-time finalists, including Barolo at the Langham Auckland, Hawke’s Bay’s Elephant Hill and Black Barn Bistro, Wellington’s Ortega Fish Shack & Bar and Dunedin’s Two Chefs Bistro.

Now in its sixth year, the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards, proudly supported by Mercedes-Benz, is the only national restaurant competition in New Zealand.

Two new categories spice up the 2010 awards: Best Specialist Restaurant recognises excellence in seafood, ethnic or vegetarian; Restaurant Personality of the Year will celebrate spectacular service by an individual.

Cuisine is delighted to announce Kerry Tyack as new head judge. Tyack, also head judge for the Monteith’s Beer & Wild Food Challenge, the New Zealand Sausage Competition and the 2009 Kapiti Chef Collection, has a wealth of experience in food and wine, and is regarded as one of the most experienced food and restaurant judges in the country.

“These are undoubtedly the most important restaurant awards in New Zealand,” Tyack says, “assessed by leading local food and wine experts and a highly respected international judge.

“We have an impressive line-up of finalists. And it’s not just about big-city dining – this year we see a greater number of provincial finalists, with Paihia and Mt Maunganui making the list for the first time in the history of the awards.”

Editor of Cuisine, Sarah Nicholson, says the new award for a restaurant personality is an exciting addition. “Great service, which is unobtrusive, intelligent and efficient, can make or break a dining experience, no matter how good the food is, so we want to acknowledge that.”

Judges will visit each of the final 50 restaurants anonymously in pairs to select eight category winners: Best Smart Dining (metropolitan and regional), Best Casual Dining (metropolitan and regional), Best Neighbourhood Restaurant, Best Specialist Restaurant, Best Winery Restaurant and the Cuisine Restaurant Personality of the Year, plus an overall Supreme Winner.

Returning this year is the month-long “Dining with the Stars” opportunity. During July, 43 finalists will offer specially created, fixed-price menus matched with wines from New Zealand’s most-awarded winery, Villa Maria Estate, silver sponsor for the second year.

Cuisine also welcomes San Pellegrino as the bronze sponsor of the awards.

A full list of finalists is available in the July issue of Cuisine, on sale Monday 28 June.

The winners of the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year 2010 Awards will be announced on 16 August at an exclusive event for the restaurant industry in Auckland. The awards will be profiled in the September issue of Cuisine, on sale from 19 August.

Note: Last year’s Supreme Winner and winner Best Smart Dining – Metropolitan, Wellington’s Logan Brown, was ineligible this year as co-owner Al Brown is now Cuisine’s senior food writer.

Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Finalists 2010

Please note: « symbol indicates a participant in Dining with the Stars

NORTHLAND
À Deco «

Kamo Rd, Whangarei

2009 finalist



Puretastes Restaurant «
Marsden Rd, Paihia


WAIHEKE ISLAND
Cable Bay Vineyards
Nick Johnstone Drive, Church Bay


AUCKLAND
Barolo «
Langham Hotel, Symonds St, City

Cibo «
St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell
2009 finalist

Clooney «
Sale St, Freemans Bay
Runner-up, Best Smart Dining – Metropolitan, 2009

Delicious «
Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn
2009 finalist

Dine by Peter Gordon «
SkyCity Grand Hotel, City
2009 finalist

Harbourside Seafood Bar & Grill «
Ferry Building, Quay St, City

Merediths «
Dominion Rd, Mt Eden
2009 finalist

Mondial Café & Bar «
Great North Rd, Grey Lynn

O’Connell Street Bistro «
O’Connell St, City
2009 finalist

O’Sarracino «
Mt Eden Rd, Eden Terrace

Ponsonby Road Bistro «
Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby

Prego «
Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby
2009 finalist

Red Elephant «
Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket

Rocco «
Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby
2009 finalist

Soul Bar & Bistro «
Viaduct Harbour, City
Winner, Best Casual Dining – Metropolitan, 2009

SPQR «
Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby
2009 finalist

The French Café «
Symonds St, City
2009 finalist

The Grove «
St Patrick’s Square, City
2009 finalist

TriBeCa Restaurant & Bar «
George St, Parnell

Two Fifteen Bistro & Wine Bar «
Dominion Rd, Mt Eden


SOUTH AUCKLAND
Bracu Restaurant «
Main Rd, Bombay


HAMILTON
Palate «
Victoria St, Hamilton
2009 finalist


MT MAUNGANUI
Mount Bistro «
Adams Ave, Mt Maunganui


TAUPO
Bistro Lago «
Hilton Lake Taupo, Napier-Taupo Highway


HAWKE’S BAY
Black Barn Bistro
Black Barn Rd, Havelock North

Elephant Hill
Clifton Rd, Te Awanga

Terrôir at Craggy Range
Waimarama Rd, Havelock North
First equal, Best Winery Restaurant, 2009

Vidal Winery Restaurant «
St Aubyn St East, Hastings
2009 finalist


WAIRARAPA
Wendy Campbell’s French Bistro«
Kitchener St, Martinborough
Runner-up, Best Casual Dining – Regional, 2009


WELLINGTON
Ambeli «
Majoribanks St, Mt Victoria
2009 finalist

Bisque on Bolton «
Bolton Hotel, Bolton St, City

Gusto Bistro «
Jackson St, Petone

Martin Bosley’s «
Oriental Parade, City
2009 finalist

Matterhorn «
Cuba St, City

Ortega Fish Shack & Bar «
Majoribanks St, City

Red Ginger «
Tory St, City


NELSON / MARLBOROUGH
Bouterey’s at 251 «
Queen St, Richmond
Winner, Best Smart Dining – Regional, 2009

Hopgood’s Restaurant & Bar «
Trafalgar St, Nelson
Winner, Best Casual Dining – Regional, 2009

Gibb’s Vineyard Restaurant
Jackson’s Rd, Blenheim



CANTERBURY
Pegasus Bay Winery
Stockgrove Rd, Amberley, Waipara
First equal, Best Winery Restaurant, 2009

Pescatore «
The George Hotel, Park Terrace, Christchurch

Restaurant Schwass «
Ferry Rd, Phillipstown, Christchurch
2009 finalist

Saggio di Vino «
Victoria St, Christchurch
Runner-up, Best Casual Dining – Metropolitan, 2009


CENTRAL OTAGO
Botswana Butchery
Marine Parade, Queenstown
2009 finalist


NORTH OTAGO
Riverstone Kitchen «
State Highway 1, 12 km north of Oamaru


DUNEDIN
Plato «
Birch St, City
2009 finalist

Two Chefs Bistro «
Lower Stuart St, City


NOTES TO EDITORS

The categories for the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year 2010 are:
Supreme Winner
Best Smart Dining – Metropolitan
Best Smart Dining – Regional
Best Casual Dining – Metropolitan
Best Casual Dining – Regional
Best Neigbourhood Restaurant
Best Specialist Restaurant (new category)
Best Winery Restaurant
Restaurant Personality of the Year (new category)

Winners will be announced on Monday 16 August and featured in the September issue of Cuisine, on sale from Thursday 19 August 2010.


What the judges look for:
Judges are seeking restaurants that deliver well what they set out to do. Criteria include food, wine, service and atmosphere. First and foremost, judges look for excellent food and a well-chosen wine list. They are also looking for top-quality ingredients, selected with attention to season and region, and skilfully prepared; wines carefully selected to match the food, clientele and nature of the restaurant; and delivery with service by knowledgeable and professional staff.