Behind the scenes: Callan Boys on life as a Herald Good Food Guide reviewer

In the past nine years of reviewing restaurants in every corner of Australia, the question I’m asked the most often by friends and family is: “Do they know when you’re coming in?” Nope. Never. Absolutely not.

Well, at least not if I can bloody well help it, anyway. Those online booking systems that want to know your mobile number, postcode, blood type and pants size have made things a lot harder than they used to be. That reminds me, I need to buy more burner phones.

“I don’t want the best table. I want a spot where I can spy on the whole room,” says restaurant reviewer and The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2023 editor Callan Boys.Credit: Louie Douvis

Since the first edition of The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 1984 – back when we had whole sections dedicated to theatre restaurants and the city’s best buffets – critic anonymity has been vital to provide honest, fair and accurate reviews for our readers.

Certainly some staff will pick you the moment you walk through the door, but at least the chef hasn’t spent the past week loading the menu with highfalutin dishes other diners may never encounter. I don’t want the best table, either. I want a spot where I can spy on the whole room.

Another common question is: “Don’t you ever get sick of eating out?” Gosh, no. It’s the world’s best job, in Australia’s best food city. (Sorry, Melbourne readers, you know it’s true). Sure, there are times when I’ve had to slog through sushi a starving penguin would decline, but it’s the critic’s duty to endure the rubbish so you don’t have to – and the excellent venues visited for the Guide far outweigh the bad.

With more than 400 restaurant, bar and cafe reviews, the Good Food Guide 2023 will be published on Tuesday and it’s the first time in three years that we’ve included scores and awards. (Tune in to Good Food across social media on Monday for announcements on all the winners.)

Although COVID-19 doesn’t seem quite done with us just yet, I’ve never seen Sydneysiders more excited to get out of the house, order big and let someone else worry about the washing up. With the cost of living and dining rising considerably, we feel it’s important to direct readers to where they can receive the best value for their money, whether it’s a quick bowl of pasta on a Monday night or a tasting menu that costs more than some used cars.

Boys, pictured with Bennelong and Quay executive chef Peter Gilmore at a Good Food reader event in 2018, says his own list of must-visit places has doubled since editing the guide’s reviews.Credit: Nick Moir

For the 2023 edition we’ve also asked our reviewing team to nominate their favourite restaurants to be awarded a critic’s choice “heart”. It’s a new symbol for restaurants that don’t score the minimum 15 (out of 20) to receive a Good Food Guide hat, but are places we love regardless. They’re included for their meaningful and positive contribution to NSW’s food culture, as well as for food that’s pretty damn delicious.

Indeed, my own list of must-visit places has already doubled since editing the reviews of our critics’ semi-secret favourite venues – some in food courts; many in the suburbs – and I can’t wait to experience more of Sydney’s Nigerian, Afghan, Italian, Mexican, Uighur, Hong Kong, Malaysian, Latin American, Sri Lankan and Vietnamese eateries this summer.

That’s another reason you can never “get sick” of dining out in NSW: there’s always something new to find, from a dumpling store with the best xiao long bao you’ve ever tasted, to a cracking fish-and-chip shop feeding locals for three generations.

Because the Guide is edited by humans, not robots, we also love it when readers recommend under-the-radar gems that deserve more recognition, so please get in touch if you have any suggestions, too. I have a collection of fake names and numbers ready to go.

The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2023 magazine is on sale from November 22 for $9.95 at newsagents and supermarkets and thestore.com.au.