Roughly the dining out equivalent of The Academy Awards, The James Beard Foundation annual awards ceremony takes place Monday, May 7, at the Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. Go to www.jamesbeard.org for the complete list, but here’s a partial list of national nominees:

– Outstanding Restaurant: Boulevard, San Francisco; Frontera Grill, Chicago; Magnolia Grill, Durham, N.C., Picholine, New York; Spiaggia, Chicago.
– Best New Restaurant: A Voce, New York City; Chochon, New Orleans; Cut, Beverly Hill, Calif; L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, New York City; Momofuku Ssam Bar, New York City; Restaurant Guy Savoy, Las Vegas.
– Outstanding Restaurateur: Thomas Keller, The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif; Keith McNally, Balthazar, New York City; Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (R.J. Grunts, Wildfire, Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!), Chicago; Drew Nieporent, Myriad Restaurant Group (Tribeca Grill, Nobu, Rubicon), New York City; Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Jean Georges restaurant, New York City.
– Outstanding Chef: Tom Colicchio, Craft, New York City; Lee Hefter, Spago, Beverly Hills, Calif.; Jean Joho, Everest, Chicago; Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago; Michel Richard, Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington, D.C.
– Rising Star Chef: Nate Appleman, A16, San Francisco; Graham Elliot Bowles, Avenues at The Peninsula Hotel, Philadelphia; David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York; Patrick Connelly, Radius, Boston; Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park, New York City.

Restaurant magazine just released its list of the world’s top 100 restaurants. (http://www.theworlds50best.com/2007_list.html) Here are the U.S. entries:

The French Laundry, Yountville, Ca. (No. 4)
Per Se, New York City (No. 9)
Jean Georges, New York City (No. 18)
Le Bernardin, New York City (No. 26)
Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago (No. 30)
Daniel, New York City (No. 32)
Alinea, Chicago (No. 36)
Chez Panisse, Berkeley, Ca. (No. 40)
Masa, New York City (No. 56)
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon at the Four Seasons, New York City (No. 64)
Peter Lugar, Brooklyn, NY (No. 69)
Nobu New York, New York City (No. 89)
Gramercy Tavern, New York City (No. 90)
WD-50, New York City (No. 91)
Zuni Café, San Francisco (No. 98)
Alex at Wynn, Las Vegas (No. 100)

IN THE NEWS: The Observer’s annual Big O Awards have been announced, and here are the dining winners from the editors: The Penguin, burger; Le Banh Mi, cheap eats; Bill Spoon’s Barbecue, barbecue; Price’s Chicken Coop, deep-fried chicken; Coffee Cup Grill, pan-fried chicken; Upstream, seafood; Meskerem Ethiopian Cuisine, African; Woodlands, Asian; Fiamma, Italian; Taqueria Mexico, Latino; Rooster’s, new restaurant; Nolen Kitchen and Five Guys Famous Burgers & Fries, fries; Blue Restaurant & Bar, meal/show combo for grownups. Readers picks: Mac’s, barbecue; Kabob House, ethnic; East Boulevard Bar & Grill, fries; Tony’s Pizza, pizza. Mediterranean-inspired Tria Terra is open at 7707 Pineville-Matthews Road at Carmel Commons, the Observer reports, as well as CityRange Steakhouse Grill opening its third area location at Ballantyne Corporate Park, formerly Adam’s. (www.charlotte.com) … Dolcetto Wine Room is set for Piedmont Town Center in SouthPark this summer, the Charlotte Business Journal reports. The paper also reports that Yama Asian Fusion restaurant is set to open this fall in SouthPark, with American contemporary Gallery Restaurant (www.gallery-restaurant.com) recently opening at Ballantyne Resort. charlotte.bizjournals.com

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