1996 Restaurant Poll Winners
Once again, the readers have spoken (1,000 readers to be
exact), the bean counters have tabulated, and the critics have conferred: The
1996 Chronicle Restaurant Poll is at last complete. We offer our hearty
congratulations to all the winners. Poll results don't differ drastically from
last year, although Threadgill's did bounce back near the top of the Favorite
Restaurant category after a precipitous drop in 1995 and a pizza joint -- Frank
& Angie's -- placed second in the dessert classification, completely
displacing Chez Fred for the first time in recent memory. Again this year it's
interesting to note that a restaurant that's only been open a matter of months
made an extremely strong showing in so many categories. We're assuming only
that this speaks well for their initiative in getting out the vote. It bears
repeating that the critic's picks are based solely on the personal experience
of Chronicle food writers (Myself, Patrick Earvolino and Rebecca
Chastenet de Géry), and may be remarkably different from the readers.
Some restaurants who are consistent winners have been known to receive votes as
"most overrated" in the worth noting category. Opinions do vary. Votes for best
waitperson were the most difficult to decipher. Descriptions such as the "geeky
guy at...", the "hot babe at...", or the "old, bald guy at... " were impossible
for even our expert staff to tabulate what with geekiness and heat being in the
eye of the beholder. Our personal favorite was the vote for "anyone who gets my
kids food immediately." Next year, please name names. -- Virginia B.
Wood
Readers Poll Winners
Critics Poll Winners
