It is time for my annual votes for the best of local cuisine. So many of you whiners last year complained about me putting my choices in here – I do get to vote and also have a column, so there. And while part of me wants to share some of your crazy runner-up choices, once I saw that the Olive Garden almost won for best Italian, I gave up.

Just for the record, folks. These are MY choices and do not reflect upon the Nappie Awards in any way. If you won a Nappie, hold your head high. Likewise if you make my list.

Best Locally Owned Restaurant – All around, everything, food, atmosphere and service, this would have to be NoJa. Chakli Diggs has his digs put together well and, of all the locals, manages the most complete package. A close second for me goes to Felix’s. I like the food, the atmosphere is right and of all the Cooper restaurants, they seem to get the whole service thing right – not too much, not too little. Good service should be so damn good, and so quiet, that I never even notice my water glass was empty, nor that it was just filled.

Best Chain Restaurant – I would say Bonefish if I could ever get up the nerve to go, but I do not wait for an hour to eat anywhere. Zea is still king here in my opinion, although the last meal I ate there was not as good as I had remembered it. And laugh all you want, but Macaroni Grill has almost become to me what Ruby Tuesday’s was 20 years ago before they downgraded themselves to Bonanza level.

Best chef – Osman Andomovic. I have just never had anything bad at Osman’s, ever.

Most Underrated Restaurant – Osman’s. Osman’s also gets best food if there was a category. I think due to an atmosphere some pooh-pooh, this place gets overlooked for having consistently excellent meals.

Most Overrated Restaurant – What is the fixation with people and Spot of Tea? I mean, it’s alright, but there are other places to eat on that one time a year some people decide to come downtown.

Best Sweet Tea – Do not drink it.

Best Service – 219. Prompt. Sassy. Remembers. Quick. And if you are nice you get a cookie.

Worst Service – The last two times at Butch Cassidy’s I have actually had good service, so they are out of the running for me. The people at the downtown Picklefish still seem to not give a crap if you are there or not.

Best Lunch Spot – 219 and the Water Table. The Water Table makes up for so-so atmosphere with their incredible lunches. 219; just keep on truckin’. Honorable mention to the Little Lunchbox at the Exploreum, they tend to get lost in the mix.

Best Deli – When we actually get a real deli in this town, someone call me.

Best Gumbo – Big Time Diner or the Dew Drop.

Best Po-boy – No, I have not yet eaten at the Boiling Pot yet. But the kid in me still heads toward Pollman’s for crusty French bread, ham and mayo with pickle slices. Cannot beat this in my opinion.

Best Sushi – I worship at Liquid. Would live there if I could. The only place I go now for sushi.

Best Bakery – Bayou Bakery in Saraland makes the best cookies, brownies and cakes in addition to the best King Cake around during Mardi Gras.

Best Hamburger – Callaghan’s has won me over, way over Butch’s.

Best Steak – Ruth’s Chris, but Osman’s is just as good – just different.

Best Seafood – Felix’s just does it for me. I like the batter for the fried, the Greek style is good and you just cannot get meuniere or almandine this good outside of Louisiana.

Best Brunch – If you do not know by now that if my waistline could handle it, I would eat my weight in bacon and eggs at Callaghan’s, you must not know me. But get there before the damn crowd. I could barely get served the last time I went.

Best Ethnic Food – Pho 88, thanks to Lisa Young who introduced me to the filling-yet-delicate slurping at is airy, relaxing, modern, clean and stylish.

Best Mexican Restaurant – I have moved my allegiance to Los Arcos, while still leaning a bit toward La Cocina.

Best Italian Restaurant – call it a cop out, but I like the spaghetti and meatballs at Cooper T’s. Pure comfort food, and it reminds me of when I was a kid at Constantine’s.

Best Pizza – three-way tie. Doughboy for traditional, pepperoni, sausage and the like, with a crispy crust. Mellow mushroom for the wheat crust, crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside and the pesto pizza is a hit. For inventiveness, La Pizzeria is a winner also. The Tiger 2, a Thai chicken pizza is awesome and the crust here is cracker-like.

Best Coffeehouse – Carpe Diem is easy, I drive by there every day, the dark coffee is always strong as hell, which is the way I like it.

Best Barbeque – The Saucy-Q in Crichton is my favorite.

Restaurant You Can’t Believe is Still Open – I cannot believe that Loretta’s is still open.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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