Your 2010 Time Out Chicago "Eat Out" Awards Mock Ballot
Time Out Chicago announced the finalists for its annual "Eat Out" Awards last week and (if you're a casual gourmand or non-foodie) you might find the ballot as "WTF?" confusing as the list of judicial retentions on your primary ballot. Assuming, that is, you were part of the 27.2 percent who actually voted in the recent primary.
When it comes to voting — be it for President, Governor, Mayor or favorite bartender — our motto is, "It you don't vote, don't bitch." However, in the wake of Scott Lee Cohen, those who don't vote have major ammunition to use to argue against that. An informed electorate makes for a better electorate. In the spirit of newspapers and organizations like IVI-IPO, we've put together a mock ballot using screenshots to help you make informed choices for the "Eat Out" awards. The choices for this ballot were made using previous Chicagoist reviews, the opinions of trusted confidantes and, in select cases, impassioned pleas from the nominees. Biased? Sure. But do you really care? Now you have a guide to the "Eat Out" awards ballot that is much better than voting on a rotating "1,3,3,4" rotation.
Voting for the "Eat Out" Awards closes on March 15. TOC's rules say only one vote per reader, but this is Chicago. Clear the cookies and your browser history, use a different name, and vote again. It's the Chicago Way.
All the "Best New Restaurant" nominees are worthy candidates, but the Purple Pig has exceeded the hype in a part of town noted as a dead zone for fine dining. Reader "salaboutme" says of Rootstock, "the causal and artsy atmosphere combined with the richness of the cheese plates and sumptuous charcuterie, made for a gloriously relaxing yet indulgent evening." Anthony's visits to C-House after Nicole Pederson took over the kitchen made him a convert.
