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NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 1998 - New York's Le Bernardin,
Patina in Los Angeles and San Francisco's Masa's are among the restaurants
winning "America's Top Tables" awards in an evaluation of over 3,500 restaurants
in the U.S. and Canada by Gourmet magazine readers. The results of the
extensive survey are published in the October issue.
This year the survey added a "best for value" category, and New York's Gabriela's, Versailles in Culver City (outside Los Angeles), and San Francisco's The Slanted Door were picked as the best value in those cities by Gourmet's readers. Also, for several cities, awards were given for Tops in Country Dining. "America's Top Tables" awards were given to the restaurants with the highest overall ratings on the poll. In addition to the best overall rankings, restaurants were cited in the single categories of best food, presentation, service, ambiance, wine list. Also listed were restaurants that Gourmet readers prefer for special occasions, business, romance, drinks, fun and value. In total some 550 restaurants were recognized for the final report. According to Editor-in-Chief Gail Zweigenthal, "While going over the results of our Top Tables reader survey this year, we realized that many of the winning restaurants had things in common besides great food and fine service -- the chefs work in tune with the seasons; they "internationalize" formal food, cooking with classic French technique but skillfully incorporating ingredients from other world cuisines. Ultimately, the votes cast seem to reward those restaurants that let top-notch ingredients shine, rather than muting flavors, colors, and textures with complex techniques." The study of restaurants is the third annual such survey from Gourmet, the nation's most influential epicurean publication since 1941 and the first magazine to publish restaurant reviews. Listed below are the America's Top Tables winners for North America:
Listed below are the America's Top Tables "best for value" winners for
North America:
"More and more people today are turning to restaurants as an 'antidote to civilization', a way to unwind and to see and be seen," said Gina Sanders, publisher. "Gourmet is pleased to honor the celebrity chefs and restaurateurs who create the glamour and play the starring roles in today's vital restaurant scene." The "America's Top Tables" award, presented to the top 24 restaurants in North America, is a dramatic sculpture created by the internationally renowned restaurant designer Adam Tihany. The award is a three-dimensional representation of a simple place setting that consists of a highly polished nickel-coated metal sheet in a wave, representing a linen napkin. The center of the surface is an etched crystal plaque engraved with the award details. On the surface is a full-size three-dimensional George Jensen knife, and a full-size fork is laser-cut through the surface. Gourmet polled 26,000 randomly selected subscribers in 24 regions of the United States and Canada on restaurants in their areas. The survey was conducted by Monroe Mendelsohn Research, an independent market research firm based in New York. Gourmet is published monthly by The Conde Nast Publications, Inc. |
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