The Best Restaurants in the United States — OpenTable Diners Reveal Their Favorite 50 Restaurants

First-Ever Annual Diners’ Choice Awards from OpenTable; Twenty-Two States and Washington, DC Represented on List

SAN FRANCISCO, Apr 22, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — OpenTable, Inc. ( www.opentable.com), a leading provider of free online reservations for diners and guest management systems for restaurants, today announced the national winners of its inaugural annual Diners’ Choice awards. The list of top restaurants is generated directly from the two million reviews submitted by OpenTable diners for more than 9,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Based on feedback collected from OpenTable diners between April 2008 and March 2009, the following 50 restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, received the highest average “overall” rating, one of the categories on which diners can provide input about their experience at a particular restaurant. For more information about the restaurants on this list, please visit http://www.opentable.com/bestoverall.
The 2009 Winners of OpenTable’s Annual Diners’ Choice Awards
— Auberge du Soleil – Rutherford, CA
— Aujourd ‘hui – Boston, MA
— Binkely’s Restaurant – Cave Creek, AZ
— Blue Hill at Stone Barns – Pocantico Hills, NY
— Boca Cincinnati – Cincinnati, OH
— Bone’s – Atlanta, GA
— Cafe Juanita – Kirkland, WA
— Canlis – Seattle, WA
— Charleston – Baltimore, MD
— Charleston Grill – Charleston, SC
— Chez Betty – Park City, UT
— CityZen – Washington, DC
— Cyrus – Healdsburg, CA
— Daniel – New York, NY
— Eleven Madison Park – New York, NY
— Fearing’s – Dallas, TX
— Fearrington House Restaurant – Pittsboro, NC
— Flagstaff House – Boulder, CO
— Fountain Restaurant – Philadelphia, PA
— Gilmore’s – West Chester, PA
— Gramercy Tavern – New York, NY
— Highlands Bar & Grill – Birmingham, AL
— Jean Georges – New York, NY
— Kai – Chandler, AZ
— La Belle Vie – Minneapolis, MN
— La Grenouille – New York, NY
— Le Bernardin – New York, NY
— Les Nomades – Chicago, IL
— LJ’s & The Kat Lounge – Hagerstown, MD
— Mama’s Fish House – Paia, HI
— Marcel’s – Washington, DC
— Nick & Sam’s – Dallas, TX
— Palace Arms at the Brown Palace – Denver, CO
— Per Se – New York, NY
— Rick Erwin’s West End Grill – Greenville, SC
— Rosemary’s Restaurant – Las Vegas, NV
— Rover’s – Seattle, WA
— Saint Jacques French Cuisine – Raleigh, NC
— Stella! Restaurant – New Orleans, LA
— Stonehouse @ San Ysidro Ranch – Santa Barbara, CA
— Taste Restaurant – Plymouth, CA
— The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton – San Francisco, CA
— The French Laundry – Yountville, CA
— The French Room – Dallas, TX
— The North Fork Table & Inn – Southold, NY
— The Precinct – Cincinnati, OH
— The Refectory Restaurant & Bistro – Columbus, OH
— Uchi – Austin, TX
— Vintage Tavern – Suffolk, VA

— White Barn Inn – Kennebunkport, ME

“This list reflects the rich diversity of our diners’ appetites and confirms the vitality of the American dining scene,” said Caroline Potter, OpenTable’s dining expert. “The wide range of cuisines, geographies, and price points indicate that dining out remains a growing part of our culture.”

Among restaurants on the list, nearly 20 percent are based in New York City, making it the most highly-concentrated area of winning restaurants. The state of California also garnered six winning restaurants, primarily located in the Wine Country in Northern California. Representing the Southern part of the country, Texas had the third-highest concentration of restaurants on the list, including three restaurants in Dallas and one in Austin. There was also additional Southern representation from restaurants in Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

The list also reflected a prevalence of French cuisine, the primary style of cooking served at one-third of the restaurants on the list. While a large portion of the award-winning restaurants specialized in American cuisine, there was also a variety of global cuisines included on the list, including Hawaiian, Italian and Japanese.

“The list proves that this current economy has not dimmed diners’ enthusiasm,” Potter added. “Diners still have great appreciation for excellent food and superior service. And, the restaurants on this list have clearly delivered when it comes to both aspects.”

The 2009 annual Diners’ Choice awards reflect feedback from diners provided from April 2008 to March 2009. OpenTable expects to announce the winning list of restaurants for 2010 next April. OpenTable will also begin publishing and promoting its list of annual restaurant winners for a particular category, including “Best Brunch” and “Most Romantic,” next month.

About OpenTable, Inc.
OpenTable is a leading provider of free, real-time online restaurant reservations for diners and reservation and guest management solutions for restaurants. The OpenTable network delivers the convenience of online restaurant reservations to diners and the operational benefits of a computerized reservation book to restaurants. OpenTable has more than 10,000 restaurant customers, and since its inception in 1998, has seated more than 90 million diners around the world. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and the OpenTable service is available throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Japan, Mexico, and parts of Europe.
OpenTable, OpenTable.com, OpenTable logos and other service names are the trademarks of OpenTable, Inc.
SOURCE: OpenTable, Inc.
OpenTable, Inc. 
Shannon Stubo, 415-344-4275 
sstubo@opentable.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

Full story here.

Dean Fearing receives Louisville Kentucky Top Honors

Officials with Greater Louisville Inc., the metro chamber of commerce celebrated some of the community’s most noteworthy achievements at the group’s annual meeting, which was held Tuesday evening at The Kentucky Center.

GLI gave the Thomas A. Edison Award to Chef Dean Fearing of Fearing’s Restaurant in Dallas. The award is given to notable expatriates who have achieved prominence in business.

Best Restaurants 2008

Edited by Nancy Nichols, reported by Sarah Eveans, Teresa Gubbins, Kristin Hart, and Todd Johnson

Some say it’s been a turbulent year in the Dallas dining community, what with high-profile restaurant closings, lagging sales, and a seesaw economy. But we prefer to see the wine glass half full and declare 2008 one of the city’s most savory years yet. We’ve devoured memorable meals from Frisco to Oak Cliff and watched much of our homegrown talent nab national accolades. So put down the 401(k) statement for a bit and dig into …

Fearing’s
On Our Top 10 Because: There are seven different dining areas, one for each of our moods.
Ladies and gentlemen, step right up to Fearing’s, home of Dean Fearing, the quintessential Dallas chef and the greatest dining show in town. Like Big Tex at the State Fair, Fearing’s presence in the seven-area dining room is the main attraction. You can’t miss him—he’s the spiky-haired dude in chef whites struttin’ his custom-made-Lucchese-clad feet through the dining room like he owns the joint. Watch yourself, pardner, and don’t let that goofy grin fool ya. He can break your knuckles with a handshake and knock your teeth out with a swift backslap. That’s just his way of saying howdy to a uniquely Dallas breakfast, lunch, dinner, or Sunday brunch.The ever-changing menu is beefy—there’s buffalo, antelope, veal, and rib-eye steaks, plus a few fabulous fish items for wimps. All entrees come with accompaniments like the Gulf lump crab “succotash” covered with spicy Tabasco-bacon syrup and barbecued clams. Fearing’s is not your average upscale eatery. It’s truly Dallas—bold, brash, and sassy.

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International Luxury Restaurant of the Year

International Luxury Restaurant of the Year

Fearing’s – Dallas, Texas, United States

The 2008 IRHAS

International Restaurant & Hotel Awards

For Immediate Release: Beverly Hills, California – November 21st, 2008

9107 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 450

Beverly Hills, CA. 90210 USA

1-310-285-3808

Press@IRHAS.com

www.IRHAS.com

2008 IRHAS GALA CEREMONY

(Beverly Hills, CA, November 21st, 2008) – The 2008 IRHAS presented by the International Restaurant and Hotel Awards honored seven legends of the travel & dining industry on November 16th, 2008 at the home of the Golden Globes, The Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, California.  The star-studded gala ceremony was hosted by Mark DeCarlo from Taste of America on the Travel Channel and included a special Spotlight on New Orleans along with the presentation of the 2008 IRHAS Honorees, Supporting Recipients, Traveler’s Vote Award Recipients & Grand Awards for the International Restaurants and Hotels of the Year.

The 2008 IRHAS honorees were selected by the IRHA Advisory Board in the spring of 2008.  The International Restaurant & Hotel Awards paid tribute to these seven legends of travel and dining by screening a video tribute produced by The IRHAS that highlighted the lifetime achievements of each honoree.  The annual gala affair promotes the global appreciation of travel, dining and cultural exploration by celebrating legends of the travel and dining industry and the creative community that assists traveler’s and foodies in planning unforgettable experiences.

The International Restaurant & Hotel Awards are the world’s most prestigious awards recognizing the best value, moderate and luxury travel establishments in the industry.  The Best New Restaurants and Hotels of the Year and the International Value, Moderate and Luxury Restaurants and Hotels of the Year were awarded IRHA statues in front of restaurateurs, hoteliers, international star chefs, “foodies”, travelers, organization leaders, food, wine and travel writers, travel guide editors and publishers, the IRHA Jury, Advisory Board and a host of others.

The evening included a Spotlight on New Orleans that honored several humanitarians for assisting the City of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.  Cat Cora from the Food Network and “Iron Chef” accepted an award onstage on behalf of her organization Chefs for Humanity and introduced the Spotlight on New Orleans video tribute – “7.1 Million visitors came to New Orleans in 2007, which was double the amount in 2006. New Orleans is definitely back!”  Chef Paul Prudhomme, The Emeril Lagasse Foundation and Best Western for a Better World were recognized prior to the Spotlight on New Orleans video tribute for their tireless efforts to restore the Crescent City.  The 2008 Humanitarian Award was presented to recipients The Cvitanovich Family and Drago’s Seafood Restaurant, who received a standing ovation.  The Cvitanovich Family served over 77,000 meals after the hurricane hit.  Drago’s employees lived onsite and drove meals to anyone they could find in need of a meal

Recipient of the 2008 Dallas Historical Society Award for Creative Arts: Dean Fearing

Each year the Dallas Historical Society honors outstanding individuals were selected by a committee for their excellence in community service.  Dean was the first chef to ever receive this prestigious award.  All of the honorees were recognized at the luncheon held at the Fairmont yesterday.

Creative Arts: Dean Fearing.  “Long known as the ‘Father of Southwestern Cuisine,’ Chef Dean Fearing has spent his life cooking for people who love good food.  He was at the forefront of developing the new Southwest cuisine genre when he became the executive chef at The Mansion on Turtle Creek and now at the Ritz-Carlton.”

http://www.dallashistory.org/about/news.htm

Painted Pony Ball serves Southwest

By NATALIE MIKLES World Scene Writer
Top chef Dean Fearing sets the menu for fundraiser

When Dean Fearing comes to Tulsa, he ahs his pick of restaurants.

Most chefs would love the chance to feed the superstar Dallas chef who put Southwest cuisine on the culinary map.

But Fearing skips those Tulsa restaurants with maitre d’s and wine lists.  When he comes to Tulsa, he goes to Ike’s.

Fearing was in Tulsa last week for a tasting preview of the menu he will present at the Painted Pony Ball to benefit the Children’s Hospital at St. Francis on Nov. 21.

Just off the plane, his first stop was to Ike’s Chili House.

“To me, that’s true American cuisine,” he said.  “It’s classic.”

Fearing created his own brand of American cuisine as a young chef at the Mansion on Turtle Creek, where his star rose during his more than 20 years there.  Last year he opened Fearing’s at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas, where he continues to create food that is both black-tie and pure Texas.

When he came on the restaurant scene, Fearing stood out among the big-league chefs for his twang, Texas colloquialisms and signature blue jeans and custom-made Lucchese cowboy boots.

His food is a lot like those Lucchese boots – slick, but comfortable.

Take one of the most popular entrees on the dinner menu at Fearing’s – pan roasted spiced filet and chicken-fried Maine lobster.  It’s served on queso fresco and corn whipped potatoes with a soft spinach taco.

Those potatoes, a signature Dean Fearing item, will be among the foods served at the Painted Pony Ball.

The entire Painted Pony Ball menu is right off the Fearing’s menu, which was exactly the intention of Painted Pony Ball chairs Cathey and Mike Barkley.

The Barkleys have been fans and friends of Fearing’s since his Mansion on Turtle Creek days.  When they talked about whot hey wanted for the dinner portion of the ball, Fearing was their first choice.

“We wanted to draw more people in, to tell them this is an opportunity to taste something from Dean Fearing,” Cathey Barkley said.  “And Dean has two sons, 8 and 10 years old, so children are close to his heart.  When we asked, he said, ‘When’s the event? Sign me up.'”

A bowl of Ike’s chili might have had a little influence, too.

On his visit last week, Fearing had a two-way (chili with spaghetti)and a chili dog.  That was plenty of food, but he also stopped at another Tulsa favorite, Jim’s Coney Island – Never on Sunday.

“Not everyone can appreciate that kind of food.  I don’t know if my kids would ever understand what it’s all about.  It’s a different era.

“All of these chili parlors that sprung up in the early 1900s, you’ll never see them again once they’re gone.  You can’t find them anymore in Texas,” he said.

It made his trip to Tulsa all the more worthwhile.

PAINTED PONY BALL

When: 6:30p.m. Nov. 21

Where: Central Park Hall at the Tulsa Fairgrounds Dinner is followed by a live performance from Hanson

Cost: $750 per person. The even benefits the Children’s Hospital at St. Francis.

Information: Call 494-1450 for an invitation.

THE MENU

Barbecued shrimp taco with mango-pickled red onions salad and smoky cumin-lime vinaigrette

Apricot barbecue-glazed bobwhite quail on baby iceberg wedge with Pt. Reyes blue cheese dressing and crumbled bacon

Chili-braised short ribs with queso fresco and corn whipped potatoes with honey-thyme glazed carrots

State fair pecan tart with cranberry-orange compote

See complete article here.