Masu is supreme Auckland restaurant

The dining appetite is changing and Auckland’s top restaurant has met the challenge head on taking out the coveted prize for the city’s best. 

Masu, the Japanese robata restaurant operated by Nic Watt has been named supreme winner in the 2014 Metro Restaurant of the Year Awards.

Opening only in October 2013, Masu has embraced the combination of a casual environment paired with exemplary food, according to Metro editor Simon Wilson.

He describes Masu as a “most impressive” addition to Auckland’s restaurant scene. “It’s sophisticated and yet informal. The food is magnificent but the atmosphere is lively. And we really love the Japanese menu.

“These are the things Aucklanders are embracing when we go out to eat. We want to have a really good time and we want to do that without sacrificing anything in standards of food and service,” says Wilson.

Nic Watt spent eight years with the Roka group, a family of robatayaki-style restaurants in London, Hong Kong, Macau and Arizona, bringing to Masu the worldly experience gained from those businesses.

Wilson says New Zealanders have become increasingly adventurous with cuisine.

“The fact this is a Japanese restaurant run by a New Zealander is symbolic of something much larger in this city: we’re comfortable in a cosmopolitan urban world.

“Nic Watt has created a restaurant that takes a real step forward for the city.”

However, the long stayers of the Auckland dining world have also continued to impress with the judges awarding two runners up: neighbourhood bistro The Engine Room in Northcote Point and Ponsonby fine-dining restaurant Sidart.

The Engine Room also takes out the Upmarket Bistro category. This restaurant has won its category every year since it opened nine years ago

Masu’s category awards are for Smart Dining – the winner of the category has never before taken out the supreme award - and Best New Restaurant. Sidart wins Fine Dining category, which it has never won. Owner Sid Sahrawat is also named Chef of the Year.

In 2014 there are four new awards.

Restaurateur of the Year is Michael Dearth for his efforts in establishing two five-spoon restaurants in the city, The Grove and Baduzzi.  The five-spoon system is Metro’s unique method of rating restaurants.

Best New Talent goes to Chef Tom Hishon and front-of-house Josh Helm, owners of Ponsonby’s Orphans Kitchen.

Best Renewal goes to Mediterranean game-focused bistro Cazador on Dominion Rd and the restaurant with the best degustation menu is Clooney. The French Café again takes the accolade for best service, the fourth year in a row it has done so.

Best Value for Money Restaurant goes to Ima and Titirangi’s The Refreshment Room while Best Drinks List is won by Cocoro. Ponsonby Road Bistro is awarded Best Mid-Size Drinks List and Best Short Drinks List goes to Eight.Two.

Waiheke’s The Shed at Te Motu Vineyard takes home Best Rural Restaurant.

The 2014 winners have been chosen from 50 finalists and the awards have been announced at a special awards dinner at Shed 10 on Queens Wharf. All the winners feature in the May issue of Metro, on sale 29 April. 

The category winners and finalists are:

SUPREME WINNER   Masu
Co-runner up    The Engine Room
Co-runner up    Sidart

BEST FINE DINING   Sidart
Runner up    The Grove

BEST UPMARKET BISTRO  The Engine Room
Runner up    Baduzzi

BEST SMART DINING   Masu
Runner up    Clooney

BEST CASUAL BISTRO  Orphans Kitchen
Runner up    Coco’s Cantina

RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR Michael Dearth, The Grove/Baduzzi

BEST DEGUSTATION   Clooney
Runner up    Kazuya

BEST NEW RESTAURANT  Masu

BEST CHEF    Sid Sahrawat, Sidart
Finalists    Makoto Tokuyama, Cocoro
     Nic Watt, Masu
     Ben Bayly, The Grove / Baduzzi
     Des Harris, Clooney
     Michael Meredith, Merediths
     Kazuya Yamauchi, Kazuya
    
BEST NEW TALENT   Tom Hinson and Josh Helm, Orphans Kitchen

BEST SERVICE   The French Café
Finalist     The Engine Room
     Sidart
     Clooney
     Kazuya
     Coco’s Cantina

BEST RENEWAL   Cazador
Runner up
     The Engine Room

BEST RURAL    The Shed, Te Motu
Runner up    Bracu

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY  Ima and The Refreshment Room (joint winnners)

BEST DRINKS LIST    Cocoro
Finalists    Andiamo
     Clooney
Masu
     O’Connell St Bistro

BEST MID-SIZE DRINKS LIST  Ponsonby Road Bistro
Finalist   Baduzzi
     Moochowchow

BEST SHORT DRINKS LIST  Eight.Two
Finalist     Merediths
     Stafford Rd Wine Bar 

PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR  Gatlin Avery (Depot)

A team of nine judges including restaurateurs and food writers has decided this year’s awards. One of the awards, however, is open to public vote. The Metro Restaurant Personality of the Year honours front-of-house restaurant staff and votes were cast at metromag.co.nz and on Facebook.
   
Ends

Issued for Metro magazine by Pead PR

Contact
Simon Wilson, editor, Metro, P: 09-308 2736, M: 0273-780 518
Kim Doran, Pead PR, P: 09-918 5587, M: 0211-605 194, E : kim@peadpr.co.nz