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Australia's 'Hottest Restaurant' Momofuku Seiōbo

In spite of the recent spate of closures of big-name restaurants, including iconic Berowra Waters Inn and Justin North's Becasse, Sydney eateries dominated this year's Hot 50 Restaurant Awards, run by 'The Weekend Australian Magazine'.

New kid on the block Momofuku Seiōbo, an offshoot of New York hotspot Momofuku Ssam, bagged its first serious accolade since opening in Sydney casino The Star late in 2011.

After awarding the newcomer Australia's 'Hottest Restaurant', judge and veteran food critic John Lethlean praised Momofuku Seiōbo for its "energy, creativity and unpredictability".

Gallery: The world's 50 best restaurants

Stalwart of the Sydney dining scene Tetsuya's, which in recent has slipped from the top spot it held for years, was awarded 'Hottest Wine Experience'.

Locavore champions Sixpenny, located a short step off the beaten track in Stanmore, won the award for Hottest Service, while Maurice Terzini, the man behind tyre factory-turned-restaurant Neild Avenue, took home the award for best design.

Peter Gilmore, Executive Chef at Quay, another top Sydney restaurant, shared the title for Hottest Dish with Perth restaurant Restaurant Amusé. Gilmore's spectacular dish - smoked and confit pig cheek, shiitake, shaved scallop, Jerusalem artichoke, juniper and bay - shows that despite his growing celebrity he's still at the top of his game.

The Hot 50 winners

It wasn't a total trouncing of course, with a handful of Melbourne restaurants and chefs appearing in the list of winners.

Andrew McConnell, the culinary genius behind star Melbourne restaurants Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co, Golden Fields and now Fitzroy gastro-pub The Builders Arms, was named Hottest Chef.

Melbourne CBD eatery Hare and Grace won the People's Choice award, while St Kilda's Café Di Stasio, almost a pensioner in restaurant years as it nudges 30 years of trading, was awarded Hottest Classic.

While the passing of some of the old guard of Sydney's dining scene is making many restaurateurs understandably nervous, the marked variety of the Hot 50 winners, who offer everything from an intimate dining experience celebrating sustainability (Sixpenny) to gourmet celeb spotting (Neild Avenue) to new wave hipster cuisine (hello Momofuku), makes it an exciting time for the committed foodie to be dining in Sydney.