By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy
Off the Menu-Side Dish
Awards in two dozen food categories were presented by the OC Restaurant Association to noted Orange County-based chefs, mixologists and restaurateurs at the fifth annual Golden Foodie Awards, held on Sunday, Sept. 25 at the Fairmont Newport Beach.
The evening began with a red carpet greeting followed by food samplings and cocktails. Then it was time for the awards ceremony, featuring such notable presenters as Wing Lam (founder of Wahoo’s), Stan Frazier (drummer for Sugar Ray and a celebrated chef), Chef Andrew Sutton (Disney Resort executive chef), Chef Pascal Olhats, Cathy Thomas, and many others.
After the ceremony came – what else – an after-party with casino games, cocktails and desserts.
Here’s the list of nominees, with the winner of each category in bold. Congratulations to Newport Beach winners Moulin, Provenance, The Winery and Bluefin, and Laguna Beach winners Starfish and Selanne’s Steak Tavern. Kudos also go out to Chef of the Year Zov Karamardian of Zov’s, which has a location in Newport Coast.
BEST AMERICAN CUISINE
- THE RANCH
- 370 COMMON
- SOCIAL COSTA MESA
BEST MEXICAN CUISINE
- COYOTE GRILL
- URBANA
- SOLITA
BEST VEGETARIAN CUISINE
- FALASOPHY
- MEAD’S GREEN DOOR CAFE
- PROVENANCE
BARTENDER OF THE YEAR
- GABE WHORLEY – IRONWOOD
- DAVID VALIANTE – SOCIAL COSTA MESA
- JOSE ZEPEDA – HOPSCOTCH TAVERN
BEST PIZZA
- ANGELINA’S PIZZERIA
- TJ’S WOODFIRE PIZZA
- RANCES CHICAGO PIZZA
BEST ITALIAN FOOD
- ANTONELLO RISTORANTE
- PREGO RISTORANTE
- PIZZERIA ORTICA
BEST FRENCH CUISINE
- MOULIN BISTRO
- PASCAL’S
- BISTRO BLEU
BEST INDIAN CUISINE
- ROYAL KHYBER
- CLAY OVEN
- NATRAJ CUISINE OF INDIA
2016 CHEF OF THE YEAR
- CHEF MARK MCDONALD – OLD VINE CAFE
- CHEF ZOV KARAMARDIAN – ZOV’S
- CHEF CARLOS SALGADO – TACO MARIA
2016 PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR
- CHEF JORGE SOTELO – NAPA ROSE
- CHEF ASHLEY GUZMAN – IRENIA
- CHEF AMELIA MARNEAU – MARCHE MODERNE
BEST FOOD INFLUENCER
- OC COMESTIBLES
- GRUB TRIBE
- THE FORK REPORT
BEST BURGER
- BURGER PARLOR
- MICK’S KARMA BAR
- 25 DEGREES
BEST BEER SELECTION
- HOPSCOTCH TAVERN
- PROVISIONS MARKET
- GRITS FULLERTON
BEST MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE
- ROSINE’S
- D’VINE
- KENTRO GREEK KITCHEN
BEST CALIFORNIAN CUISINE
- NAPA ROSE
- SEALEGS
- DRIFTWOOD KITCHEN
BEST SEAFOOD
- BLUEWATER GRILL
- WATERMAN’S HARBOR
- THE RANCH RESTAURANT
BEST SERVICE AWARD
- VILLA ROMA
- THE WINERY RESTAURANT & WINE BAR
- THE HOBBIT
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
- SEA SALT
- IRON WOOD
- VACA
BEST DESSERT
- MIXED BAKERY
- CUCINA ENOTECA
- ANQI
BEST STEAK
- SELANNE STEAK TAVERN
- THE RANCH
- HANNA’S
BEST WINE LIST
- THE RANCH
- THE WINERY RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR
- CUCINA ENOTEC
BEST COCKTAILS
- ARC
- HOPSCOTCH
- MACALLANS
BEST ASIAN CUSINE
- STARFISH
- ANQI
- KRAVE CONTEMPORARY ASIAN FUSION
BEST SUSHI
- BLUEFIN
- HAMAMORI
- TEN ASIAN BISTRO
