To close out 2007, Eater LA once again invited many of our favorite food correspondents to join us in assessing the year's best eats, biggest surprises, and favorite neighborhoods for dining out. We celebrated the Meals of the Year, Best Standby Restaurants, Biggest Surprises, 2007 in ONE WORD, Best Restaurant Neighborhoods, and now the Year's Top Newcomers
Not just hype: Nancy Silverton doing her thing at Osteria Mozza
Jonathan Gold, LA Weekly: Osteria Mozza, Jitlada, Comme Ca
Kris Keith, Spacecraft Design: 2007: My choices are obviously all about design: Who created a new space that is unique and exciting? Edison, Comme Ca because it looks like a marriage of Ortolan and Bowery, Tanzore
Lesley Bargar, Los Angeles magazine: Fraiche, Osteria Mozza, Bastide
Pat Saperstein, Eating L.A.: Bastide, Osteria Mozza, Comme Ca
Jerry Prendergast, resto guru: Bastide, a new restaurant not a redux. The York, and people even go to Highland park to go there. Foundry on Melrose, Eric Greenspan cooks his own brand of modern cuisine with music attached.
Lonny Pugh, UrbanDaddy LA: Despite wanting to dismiss them as overhyped, I had great dinners at Osteria Mozza and Craft that were worth the fuss. But when I don't want fuss, which is often, you can find me at Melrose Bar & Grill with the duck burger and a glass of wine.
Tara de Lis, Citysearch: Bastide, Bashan, Osteria Mozza
Katherine Spiers, Gridskipper/Metromix: Amarone (just great quality and great recipes), Lift (a cool concept: nice ingredients, smaller portions!!!), Best Fish Tacos in Enseneda
Jiyeon Yoo, Metromix: Fraiche, for me, is the restaurant that could be all things to all people. Intelligentsia lived up to the hype and already feels like a Silverlake native. [Although not new], my latest obsession is the desserts menu at Grace. Mariah Swan is the new pastry chef in charge, and I think she's one to watch.
Jeff Miller, Thrillist LA: Amarone Kitchen and Wine, Bar Pintxo, Izakaya By Katsuya (mostly because it's so close to my house)
H.C., LA & OC Foodventures: Osteria Mozza, Craft, Paperfish
Marissa Gluck, Curbed: The Mozzas, Comme Ca
Lesley, Eater LA: The simultaneous openings of Osteria Mozza and Craft. A tie between Comme Ca, because I love it, and Bastide, because it's about time. But there are so many notable spots this year!
What say you? Top newcomers for 2007 welcome in the Comments