FOOD NOTES/DC Eateries Make the Grade with James Beard

Photo by Jordan Wright/Local Kicks Cathal Armstrong with his crew from Restaurant Eve show off hamachi hors d'oeuvres last week. Armstrong is up for Best Chef-Mid Atlantic at the James Beard Awards.

ALEXANDRIA, VA. -  Local restaurateurs really made the grade this year at the James Beard Award nominations with a plethora of DC-area restaurants recognized.
 
Winners will be announced at the highly-anticipated James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception,  on Monday, May 3, 2010 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.
 
Here are the restaurants nominated:

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR:
Ashok Bajaj, 701, Ardeo, Bardeo, Bibiana Osteria-Entoteca, The Bombay Club, The Oval Room, and Rasika, Washington, D.C.

OUTSTANDING CHEF:
Jose Andres (Minibar, Washington, D.C.)

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT:
Vidalia, Washington, D.C.

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR:
Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT:
Trummer’s on Main, Clifton, VA
Eventide, Arlington, VA
J & G Steakhouse, Washington, D.C.

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF:
Amanda Cook, CityZen at Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C.

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL:
Derek Brown, The Passenger, Washington, D.C.

OUTSTANDING SERVICE:
Marcel’s, Washington, D.C.

BEST CHEF MID-ATLANTIC:
Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA
Tony Conte, The Oval Room, Washington, D.C.
Peter Pastan, Obelisk, Washington, D.C.
Vikram Sunderam, Rasika, Washington, D.C.