For the past 11 years, enRoute magazine has been sending top secret food “spies” – aka writers and critics – across Canada to eat their way through the country’s best new establishments. The result of these missions is the compilation of the best new restaurants in Canada list, which has acted as a cross-country barometer of culinary creativity and trends. Restaurants like Au Pied de cochon, Joe Beef, The Black Hoof, Atelier, L’Abattoir, and Hawksworth have all been on the list at some point and most of them have been packed since.

This year, the Montreal Gazette’s casual dining critic Sarah Musgrave was the designated undercover spy. Armed with recommendations from industry insiders, she has crisscrossed the country looking for the best food it has to offer. The 2012 hotly anticipated list will be revealed on Canada AM this coming Wednesday October 25th and the magazine will be available on board Air Canada’s planes as of November 1st.

I used to be a graphic designer in a past life and enRoute was one of my clients. I believe enRoute is one of the best inflight magazines out there and I look forward to reading it every time I board an Air Canada plane. I remember working on the very first restaurant issue and drooling over every mention and every food photo. I wanted to visit them all and eat everywhere (and I still do, so wink, wink eR team, if you’re looking for a spy for next year’s issue)! When I travel through Canada, I do so armed with the enRoute Eats application, which is not only beautifully designed but a great help in discovering some of the country’s best dining spots. It includes the top 10 winners of the past 11 years plus enRoute-recommended restaurants across the country. You can also compiled a list of your own favourites.

enRoute magazine’s restaurant issue has become a most coveted one to have and to hold, a sort of collectors item that you can only get your hands on if you happen to be flying somewhere with Air Canada in November. However, enRoute has been kind enough to part with 20 copies of the magazine for you my readers. All you have to do is leave a comment here below naming a restaurant that you think will be on this year’s list. Remember, it has to be a new restaurant, so one that opened its doors in 2012 anywhere in Canada. The first 20 people to comment will receive a copy of the November 2012 issue of enRoute magazine by mail (please note that this is limited to people living in Canada). It doesn’t matter whether you guess right or not, all that matters is that you participate. Please email me at [email protected] so I can contact you and send you the magazine.

I will start the ball rolling by saying that I believe Hotel Herman in Montreal will make the list this year, or at least I hope so. It’s your turn now…