BLT Steak, Wilshire's Andrew Kirschner, the Animal Boys, Hiro Urasawa Make Angeleno's List

Best new restaurant: BLT Steak

It has nothing to do with the fact that the a managing partner of BLT Steak is named Brad Johnson, but Brad A. Johnson, the restaurant critic for Angeleno, deems the Sunset Strip steakhouse the Best New Restaurant in the magazine's August issue. Yep, the annual dining awards are out, a list not necessarily based on the newest in town, just what strikes Johnson's and Angeleno's fancy this year. But no shockers here:

Comme Ca is Best New Restaurant runner-up; Wilshire exec chef Andrew Kirschner gets a nod for Best New Chef, with Animal's Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook as runner-ups; Hungry Cat is Restaurant of the Year with Hatfield's as the runner-up; Hiro Urasawa as Chef of the Year with Craig Strong at the Dining Room at Langham Huntington Hotel (former Ritz-Carlton) as runner-up; Craft's Christine Schimenti is Pastry Chef of the Year (honorable mentions to Water Grill's John Park and Fraiche's Miho Travi). The two-month old Anisette gets Best Restaurant Design, Il Grano's Sal Marino and Joe's Joe Miller both receive the Vanguard Award, and Palate Food + Wine is noticed for Outstanding Wine Service. No arguments, really. But the best French fries list---Lot 1, Carlitos Gardel, Fraiche, Hungry Cat, Comme Ca, Lucques---will surely stir the pot.
· To Live And Dine in LA [Modern Luxury/Angeleno]