PEOPLE'S CHOICE

SYDNEY’S FAVOURITE RESTAURANT, AS VOTED BY YOU

NEL

SYDNEY

We couldn’t agree with you more, Sydney. Nel is a seriously awesome restaurant. At only a few months old, it has captured your hearts and minds, the same way it has ours, with its warm, Nordic-meets-New York interior, its elegantly constructed cocktails, exciting wine list, and exceptional food coming out of patron-chef Nelly Robinson’s kitchen. It’s also extraordinarily good value – at lunch, a five-course degustation is $35; dinner is eight courses for $88. A painterly plating of tomato foam and little daikon disks hiding mayo-dressed spanner crab is fresh and pure, telling the story of its ingredients with grace and precision. During the fungi course, Robinson comes over and grates fresh black truffle over a heady mushroom consommé. Do not miss the hunk of buttery, six-hour braised beef cheek sitting among leaves of Brussels sprouts, fresh figs, cassis gel and the thing that brings it all together: a caramelised oxtail sandwich. A first dessert of pineapple ice cream, rockmelon jam and grated Comté cheese slowly transitions you from savoury to sweet. And a dish of pistachio ice cream and chocolate textures proves that complexity need not be just for the sake of it. It demonstrates the educated flourishes of a chef who trained under Michelin-starred chef Nigel Howarth in the UK. Settle into a comfortable chair, enjoy the velvety caress of Ella Fitzgerald and be wowed by dishes that are inspiring and playful. And all for half the price you’d pay at just about any other five-star restaurant in town. 75 Wentworth Ave, Sydney 2000. 02 9212 2206. www.nelrestaurant.com.au. Dinner Tue-Sat 6pm-late; lunch Thu, Fri noon-3pm.