It’s been the year of cacio e pepe, but a clever spin on the three-P classic – pecorino (or parmesan), pepper, pasta – by the clever crew at Pilot, ACT, pretty much steals the show. ‘Cabbage e pepe’, an umami-laden version by chef Malcolm Hanslow comprises toothsome house-made roasted buckwheat noodles lathered in a buttery cabbage sauce fuelled up on parmesan and black pepper. It’s one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten.

Probably the best entire-meal experience I’ve had in 2019, and it’s unfair to single out one dish. Jock Zonfrillo’s food is as much about where contemporary food is in Australia as it is a historical footnote of our native ingredients. But one stands out for its unexpected eating experience. Slivers of deep red, slightly seared kangaroo cover a smoked potato, pandanus and wattleseed miso. The aesthetic of near-raw meat is overwhelmed by the warming, delicious homely hug underneath. Outstanding.

Okay, so Ben Williamson’s albacore basturma with fava beans gives a far shout for best dish on the day but I’ve not stopped thinking about his mini ‘chicken bits’ (liver, hearts) shawarma with sumac-pickled onions and toum on saj (flatbread). I could eat 10 of them. Probably more.

What a joyful little local Arthur is. Chef Tristan Rosier is one to watch – the skin-seared bonito epitomises his finesse and bravery in partnering ingredients that are not normally bedfellows. Lined up next to sweet slices of plum and sorrel, the clean raw flesh and smoky charred skin are accented by a drizzle of wagyu fat. Stunning.

Poly, the wine-bar-cum-restaurant from the team at Ester, has matured into quite a beautiful thing. Mat Lindsay and Isabelle Caulfield are one hell of a dynamic culinary duo, and although the new-season pine mushrooms tossed in a beer-and-yeast sauce are beautiful, the gloriously gelatinous and silky seduction of whole greenback flounder lathered in burnt chermoula, taken to the point of hesitation, is jaw-droppingly good. It’s the kind of moment where you put the cutlery down and revel in its glory.

Tucked away in the corner of Brisbane’s Bakery Lane restaurant cul-de-sac, this tiny, narrow 10-seat restaurant owned and run by Tim and Sarah Scott is giving the Sunshine State a dining experience that turns the regular night out on its head. Sure I may be a sucker for chicken fat and skin, but the Scotts’ red cabbage cooked in chicken fat, crowned in crisp chicken skin and cranberry hibiscus leaf tempered by pickled cucumber is an absolute delight. It’s rich, light and deeply satisfying.

Simplicity is one of the hardest things to get right in food, as there is nowhere to hide, but when it’s done well, it’s also the most magnificent. At this no-fuss humble family bistro I had arguably the best piece of fish I’ve experienced all year. Chef Matthew Barnett’s deboned, butterflied garfish are warmed ‘til the proteins set under the salamander. The result is flesh that’s silky and opague, served simply with lemon and a saffron aioli. What more do you need?

I know Dan Hong’s burger has reached cult status for some, but forget the burger, and go straight to the starters, namely the yellowfin tuna. Generously thick slabs of tuna sashimi and wakame wade in soy and ginger beside a sweet wasabi emulsion. It’s probably the best starter I’ve had this year and a clear indication that Hong has matured beautifully as a chef – far beyond the burger obsession we can’t seem to shake.

In years to come, camera-shy chef Dan Pepperell may go down as one of the all-time greats – think the Italian swagger of his time at 10 William Street, the humming rebirth of French at Hubert’s, and the umami oomph he’s been dishing up at the number-one restaurant in this year’s delicious. 100, Alberto’s Lounge. His food is as honest as it is downright delicious, and if ever a dish was going to convert the tripe nay-sayers, his tripe alla Romana delivers just that. Tender strips of tripe lathered in a rich sauce that screams chicken tikka masala, yet feels so innately Italian.

At Arc Dining, Alana Sapwell is not only changing the dining landscape of Brisbane, but playing a key role in steering the direction of our culinary future, too. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact gastronomic epicentre of the dining experience, as the food is so damn good, but the Granny Smith, sunflower seed tart, with its cooked and ribboned raw apple is a breathtaking example of her culinary nous. Visually spectacular as it is amazing to eat.