And SA's quirkiest restaurant winners are...

“Forget Michelin stars! Quirkies are all about reader recommendations that go beyond a restaurant's menu, service and ambience - think the je ne sais quoi!” says Sam Wilson, Food24 Editor-in-Chief. “Among our virtual cadre of everyday cooks, restaurant enthusiasts and hardcore foodies, we have thousands of experts to thank for Food24's first annual Quirky Restaurant Awards.”

Restaurants were nominated for four tongue-in-cheek categories. Voted for by 8500 Food24 readers, judging criteria were as strict as a head chef. The categories and corresponding winners were:
-The Dish Award: With their bevy of they-must-be-models staff, stylish-as-a-movie-set Rhapsody's in Menlyn, Pretoria was the runaway winner.

• The Whoo-hoo-loo Award: Thomas Maxwell's offbeat outhouse stole the crown for the best royal throne. Fit for a king or queen, this Parkmore eatery took home the Who-hoo-loo award for its out there lavatory.
  
• The Chja Chja Chja Award: Inducing the most feverish of sweats, The Curry Palace in Ferndale was the undisputed Chja Chja Chja winner.
  
• The Paparazzi Award: The Mother City's sunshine strip hang-out Caprice is where all the A-listers (and others who go to mingle) party. Sharing its name with the luscious supermodel, this hottie scooped the Paparazzi prize.

“Given the vastness of Food24's online community - more than 98 000 South Africans monthly as measured by Nielsen NetRatings Market Intelligence for March 2009 - our readers' opinions are invaluable in providing honest assessments of funky eateries across the country,” wraps up Wilson.

Want to know more about the Food24 Quirky Food Awards? Visit www.food24.com.