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1995 has been an incredible year for Austin restaurant-goers; new places to eat have been sprouting up all over town, including great fine-dining spots, an abundance of cafes and bagel bakeries, specialty bars, noodle shops, and some new ethnic restaurants as well. Chronicle readers have shared their considered yearly evaluations of local eateries and the complexion of the poll results has changed this year. Some longtime multiple-category winners have been overtaken by their former runners-up, and there are a few new faces among the many repeat winners. New restaurants should be especially inspired by the fact that a restaurant opening with little fanfare about the same time the ballots first appeared scored well in several categories.We salute the restaurants whose staffs, friends, and clientele voted them the winners.Kudos and thanks are due to Chronicle Production Manager Nisa Sharma who tirelessly tabulated the poll results, keeping a watchful eye for the most egregious ballot-stuffers. Hats off to Marketing Director Laura Pruter for promoting the poll so well we received over 1,000 ballots -- an all-time record!
Once the Readers' Poll results were in, the food critics (Robb Walsh, Patrick Earvolino, Tom Philpott, Paul Johnson, and myself) met to consider our favorites, based on a year of dining out all over the Austin area. Rather than contradict the readers, we chose to recognize specific venues and dishes that are exemplary in our personal experience. Between the two lists, you should be able to find plenty of dining suggestions to last you until this time next year. -- Virginia B. Wood