Fine Dining Survey
March 12, 2008

Opinionated About Dining Releases Results of First Dining Survey

In its first published dining survey, “The 100 Best Restaurants of North America & Europe,” Opinionated About Dining (OAD) has bestowed its highest rating in North America (113 points) on Urasawa, Chef Hiro Urasawa’s nine-seat sushi bar in Beverly Hills, CA. In Europe the highest rating (116 points) went to Troisgros, the contemporary French restaurant located northwest of Lyon run by Michel Troisgros, a second generation of the Troisgros culinary dynasty.

The 10-month survey was conducted at www.opinionatedabout.com . The 56 -page soft cover survey will be available at independent bookstores, cookware and gourmet food stores and online at amazon.com and opinionatedabout.com for $6.95 plus tax in mid-March. OAD’s Editor and Publisher Steve Plotnicki said more than 1600 restaurants were in the online survey and more than 900 individuals in North America, Europe and Asia submitted ratings. Restaurants are organized into three categories: Worth Planning a Trip Around” (105 points or higher), “Worth Going Out of Your Way For” (100-104 points) and “Important Local Choices” (95-99 points). Each restaurant listing includes its numerical ranking, a brief description, one to three standout dishes and quotes from contributing panelists.

“These restaurants have been selected by opinionated ‘destination diners’ who plan their travel around dining out and business travelers who combine meetings with meals at interesting restaurants,” said Plotnicki. “Most travel abroad at least once a year and consistently dine at the top restaurants in the places where they live.”

Opinionated About Dining Top 50 Restaurants in North America with Rankings

Urasawa, Beverly Hills, California 113
The French Laundry, Yountville, California 111
Jean Georges, New York, New York 109
Manresa, Los Gatos, California 109
Per Se, New York, New York 107
Alinea, Chicago, Illinois 106
McCrady’s, Charleston, South Carolina 106
Minibar, Washington, DC 105
Splendido, Toronto, Ontario 105
Le Bernardin, New York, New York 104
Providence, Los Angeles, California 104
Sushi Yasuda, New York, New York 104
Bouley, New York, New York 103
Hatfield’s, Los Angeles, California 103
Kuruma Zushi, New York, New York 103
Masa, New York, New York 103
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, New York 102
Eleven Madison Park, New York, New York 102
Marinus, Carmel, California 102
Craft, New York, New York 101
Spago, Beverly Hills, California 101
Sugiyama, New York, New York 101
Chez Panisse, Berkeley, California 100
Il Grano, West Los Angeles, California 100
Uni, Boston, Massachusetts 100
Alex, Las Vegas, Nevada 99
Avenues, Chicago, Illinois 99
Blue Hill, New York, New York 99
Coi, San Francisco, California 99
Daniel, New York, New York 99
The Dining Room at the Langham, Pasadena, California 99
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, New York, New York 99
Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington, DC 99
Picasso, Las Vegas, Nevada 99
Sushi Seki, New York, New York 99
WD-50, New York, New York 99
Alan Wong’s, Honolulu, Hawaii 98
Fore Street, Portland, Maine 98
Lampreia, Seattle,Washington 98
Matsuhisa, Beverly Hills, California 98
Mistral, Seattle,Washington 98
Sona, Los Angeles, California 98
Susur, Toronto, Ontario 98
Joe’s Stone Crab, Miami Beach, Florida 97
Komi, Washington, DC 97
Masa’s, San Francisco, California 97
Morimoto, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 97
Troquet, Boston, Massachusetts 97
Boulevard, San Francisco, California 96
Cyrus, Healdsburg, California 96

Opinionated About Dining Top 50 Restaurants in Europe with Rankings

Troisgros, Roanne, France 116
Bras, Laguiole, France 115
The Fat Duck, Bray-on-Thames, UK 114
L’Arpège, Paris, France 114
Pierre Gagnaire, Paris, France 114
El Bulli, Roses, Spain 112
L’Astrance, Paris, France 112
L’Arnsbourg, Baerenthal, France 111
El Poblet, Denia, Spain 110
Le Calandre, Sarmeola di Rubano, Italy 109
Les Ambassadeurs, Paris, France 109
Oud Sluis, Sluis, The Netherlands 109
Etxebarri, Axpe-Marzana, Spain 108
La Broche, Madrid, Spain 108
Le Louis XV–Alain Ducasse Monte Carlo, Monaco 108
Mugaritz, Errenteria, Spain 108
L’Ambroisie, Paris, France 107
El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain 106
Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark 106
Arzak, Donostia–San Sebastián, Spain 105
La Pergola, Rome, Italy 105
El Racó de Can Fabes, Sant Celoni, Spain 104
Hof van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Belgium 104
L’Auberge de l’Ill, Illhaeusern, France 104
Les Maisons de Bricourt—Olivier Roellinger, Cancale, France 104
Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris, France 104
Taillevent, Paris, France 104
Comme Chez Soi, Brussels, Belgium 103
Elkano, Getaria, Spain 103
Lameloise, Chagny-en-Bourgogne, France 103
Guy Savoy, Paris, France 102
La Maison de Marc Veyrat, Veyrier du Lac, France 102
Le Bristol, Paris, France 102
Hibiscus, London, UK 100
The River Café, London, UK 100
Sant Pau, Sant Pol de Mar, Spain 100
The Square, London, UK 100
Apicius, Paris, France 99
Arnolfo, Colle di Val d’Elsa, Italy 99
Gordon Ramsay, London, UK 99
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Paris, France 99
The Capital, London, UK 98
Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence, Italy 98
Hispania, Arenys de Mar–Caldetes, Spain 98
L’Ami Louis, Paris, France 98
Le Champignon Sauvage, Cheltenham, UK 98
Tetou, Golfe-Juan, France 98
Cibrèo, Florence, Italy 97
Da Fiore, Venice, Italy 97
Tom Aikens, London, UK 97