Okay, for those who don't want to wade through the whole long list,
here are the restaurant-bar-and-food related category winners (winners only, click through to
the article to see who came in second and third (although I will mention regular forum participants and their businesses who came in 2nd and 3rd. Apologies in advance if I miss anyone, please feel free to correct the record!
):
BEST CHURCH PICNIC = St. Joseph's
BEST HEALTH FOOD STORE = Whole Foods
BEST LIQUOR STORE = Old Town (Party Mart came in third)
BEST CATERING = Masterson's
BEST PLASTIC SURGEON (BREASTS) = Dr. Bradley Calobrace.
You're right, this doesn't have anything to do with food or restaurants (although it might arguably have something to do with alcohol), but - Dr. Calobrace, if you're reading this: You don't know me, but I am 45 and could probably use your expertise. So if you're giving away holiday gift baskets or something, please feel free to contact me. Thanks, Marsha.
BEST NEW RESTAURANT = Mojito. Amerigo (!) came in 2nd and Corbett's came in 3rd (Way to go, LOs!)
BEST RESTAURANT OVERALL (LOUISVILLE) = Ramsi's. Jack Fry's came in 2nd and there was a giant 5-way tie for third: Bristol, Proof, Mojito, Amerigo, Corbett's
BEST RESTAURANT OVERALL (S. INDIANA) = Rocky's. Rich O's came in 2nd and La Rosita came in 3rd.
BEST OUTDOOR DINING = Avalon. Good Lord, I've still never been there. Why haven't I been there? I'm going this fall, damnit.
BEST FINE DINING = Jack Fry's. Proof came in 3rd.
BEST PLACE FOR A ROMANTIC DINNER = Jack Fry's. Le Relais came in 2nd and Buck's came in 3rd.
BEST RESTAURANT ON THE RIVER = Captain's Quarters
BEST LATE-NIGHT BITE = White Castle. Ramsi's came in 2nd.
BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT = August Moon (Go, Looi!)
BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT = Kashmir. Shalimar came in 2nd and India Palace came in 3rd.
BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT = Sapporo. Maido came in 2nd.
BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT = Come Back Inn (Congrats, Gena and Mark). Porcini came in 3rd.
BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT = El Mundo (!)
El Nopal came in 2nd and Los Aztecas came in 3rd. I don't know if they qualify as forum regulars, but including them seemed pertinent anyhow for some reasonBEST SALSA = El Mundo (!) Forum offline?
BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT = The Grape Leaf. Shiraz came in 2nd and Safier came in 3rd!!
BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT = Vietnam Kitchen!! Basa came in 2nd and Cafe Mimosa came in 3rd. Frickin' sweet.
BEST THAI RESTAURANT = Thai Siam. Simply Thai came in 2nd and Thai Taste came in 3rd.
BEST CAJUN/CREOLE RESTAURANT = J Gumbo's. Joe's OK Bayou came in 2nd.
There was no third place winner posted.BEST CHEF = Dean Corbett!! Anthony Lamas (Felicitaciones, Chef!) came in 2nd, and Anoosh Shariat came in 3rd.
BEST BUFFET = Golden Corral (hoo, boy). Sitar tied for third with Hometown Buffet.
BEST TAKEOUT = Great Wall. August Moon
tied for 2nd with Cafe Mimosa and Double Dragon. Simply Thai came in 3rd.
BEST DELIVERY = Papa John's. Wick's came in 2nd and Tony Boombozz came in 3rd (hooray!)
BEST RIBS = Mark's Feed Store
BEST FISH SANDWICH = Stan's Fish Sandwich. The Fishery came in 2nd. Robin's guilty pleasure, Moby Dick, came in 3rd (now I want deep-fried mushrooms.)
BEST PRODUCE = Paul's Fruit Market. "Farmer's Markets" came in 2nd.
BEST BUTCHER = Kingsley Meats. Mike's Best came in 2nd and Fresh Market came in 3rd.
BEST BAKERY = Plehn's. Blue Dog came in 2nd and Heitzman's came in 3rd.
BEST BREAKFAST/BRUCH = Lynn's Paradise Cafe. Toast on Market Louisville came in 2nd and Wild Eggs came in 3rd.
BEST COFFEE SHOP = Heine Brothers. Highland Coffee came in 2nd.
BEST DELI = Stevens & Stevens. Jason's Deli came in 2nd and "Mom's Liquor and Deli" came in 3rd (Where's this?)
BEST DESSERT = Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen. Sweet Surrender (Yay, Jessica!) came in 2nd, and Desserts by Helen came in 3rd.
BEST ICE CREAM = Graeter's. Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen came in 2nd.
BEST SUSHI = Sapporo. Maido came in 2nd, and Fuji came in 3rd.
BEST BBQ = Mark's Feed Store. Frankfort Avenue Beer Deport came in 3rd.
BEST BURGER = W.W. Cousin's. Red Robin came in 2nd and The Bristol came in 3rd (really? That English-Muffin Burger? I mean, it's good and all. Maybe I'm too much of a purist...)
BEST PUB GRUB = Irish Rover! Flanagan's came in 2nd and O'Shea's came in 3rd.
BEST FALAFEL = Safier! Falafel House came in 2nd, and The Grape Leaf came in 3rd.
BEST PIZZA = Wick's. Tony Boombozz (Hooray, Tony!) came in 2nd, and Bearno's came in 3rd!
BEST VEGETARIAN OFFERING = Zen Garden. Ramsi's came in 2nd and 3rd Avenue Cafe came in, well, 3rd.
BEST WINGS = Buffalo Wild Wings. Orange shorts came in a close 2nd.
BEST BEER LIST = Rich O's! Congrats to Roger and the Staff at Rich O's. Flanagan's came in 2nd!
BEST WINE LIST = L&N Wine Bar (go, Len and Nancy!). Napa River Grill came in 2nd, and The Bristol came in 3rd.
BEST HAPPY HOUR = Cumberland Brews. Napa River Grill and BBC tied for 2nd. Amerigo came in 3rd.
BEST WAIT STAFF = Hooters
. Amerigo and Cumberland Brews tied for 2nd. El Mundo came in 3rd.
BEST UNIFORMS FOR WAIT STAFF = Hooters. Yup. The Bristol came in 2nd. There was a stunner of a 4-way tie for 3rd between Corbett's, Jeff Ruby's, Proof and Ramsi's (Have they changed what they're wearing at Ramsi's, or am I remembering it wrong?)
BEST DINNER ROLL = O'Charley's.
BEST DECOR = Lynn's Paradise Cafe. Proof came in 2nd.
BEST MENU DESIGN = a 2-way tie between Jeff Ruby's and Proof. Back Door came in 2nd (I need to see this), and El Mundo came in 3rd.
BEST FRENCH FRIES = McDonald's.
FASTEST LUNCH = Jimmy John's. (I have never eaten there, but it's close to work - I resolve to try it. I think their "FREE SMELLS" neon sign puts me off, for some reason. Qdoba and McDonald's tied for 2nd. City Cafe came in 3rd.
BEST SPORTS BAR = Buffalo Wild Wings. Hooters came in 2nd, and Champions and Dundee Tavern tied for 3rd.
...there are a few other bar categories, but I think they're more in the entertainment category than the food-and-drink category.
All in all, independents did fairly well even if it was just a "popularity contest". After all... "popularity contest" is the definition of "Reader's Choice" poll!