It has been a long year, but the weeks on the road have paid gastronomic dividends. Gems uncovered, old standards revisited, experiments gone bad. Congratulations to this year’s winners.

Best Dish

Fresh Trout Luncheon Special, Mac’s Old House, Antioch CA – Nothing beats fresh delta fish for under $10. Cash only.

Finalists

Falafel, Azuri Cafe, NYC

Cereal Milk, Momofuku’s Milk Bar, NYC

Cinnamon Roll, Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery, Billings MT

Potato Taco, Reyes Market, Carpinteria CA

Best Restaurant

Portos, Glendale/Burbank CA – Holds the record for most visits on a single day: 3.

Finalists

Dotties True Blue Cafe, San Francisco CA

Cafe DeCamp, Billings MT

118 Degrees, Costa Mesa CA

Normas, NYC and Palm Springs CA

Most Disappointing

Skillet, Seattle WA – For not being where it said it would be (For all that is great about the food cart, one must always be prepared for this inevitability: the missing cart.) I want my bacon jam!

Finalists

Flavor of India, Santa Barbara CA

Loco Caliente Mexican Cantina, Brooks CA

Thai Elephant, Phoenix AZ

Chicken-N-Spice, Joliet IL

Best Food City

Philadelphia, PA – Perhaps the culinary tradition of their friendly neighbors to the north are rubbing off on the city of brotherly love. From continental fusion to Peruvian-Chinese fusion, Philly has found the perfect balance of old and new.

Finalists

Grass Valley, CA

Portland, OR

Seattle/Olympia/Lacey, WA

New York City, NY

Most Diverse Food Experience

10 nations in 5 days:  South Bay, Bay Area, CA

Afghani/Pakistani – Khyber Pass

Malaysian – Banana Leaf

Armenian – The Armenian Gourmet

Japanese (Ramen) – Kahoo Ramen

Filipino – Clarita’s Filipino Cuisine

American (Italian) – A Slice of NY

Chinese (Dim Sum) – Joy Luck Palace

Indian (South) - Madras Cafe

Palestinian – Falafel’s Drive in

Thai – Thai Bounty

Best Restaurant Bathroom

Reza, Chicago IL http://www.rezasrestaurant.com/ – Note the double doors.

Best Firewall Names

Waffle and Pancake