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Now that turkeys by the million have given their all for the holiday season, it's once again time for critics of all stripes to stick our necks out on the chopping block of public opinion. That's right, it's the season of annual "best of" surveys.Last year was the first time I offered my picks for Best Restaurants in the Triangle. This year, based in part on response to that inaugural list, I've refined the selection process. The Top 20 list represents my choices for the very best restaurants in the Triangle, regardless of price, cuisine or location. These are the restaurants that, in my experience, most consistently deliver the "full package" dining experience of excellent food, attentive service and pleasant atmosphere.As I did last year, I've singled out a Restaurant of the Year -- a best in show, if you will. This year, I've selected Fins, already among the crème de la crème of area restaurants when it was in North Raleigh. Now that the restaurant has relocated to chic new digs downtown, Fins is better than ever. In an effort to give fair representation to establishments whose settings are modest but whose food represents excellent value, I'm offering a separate Best Bargains list. I'm also adding a Top Newcomer category to honor the best of the new restaurants I've reviewed in the past year.There's no shortage of candidates for any of these categories; I wrestled with narrowing each list. I wouldn't be surprised if you can name a worthy restaurant or two that I haven't included. I invite you to tell me what you think of my selections on my blog (http://blogs.newsobserver.com/epicurean/). Feel free to add your own nominations. And while you're at it, what do you think of the new Top 20, Best Bargain and Top Newcomer categories? Note: You can find my full review of these (and hundreds more) restaurants at http://events.triangle.com/restaurants. Top 20Fins - Restaurant of the Year110 E. Davie St., Raleigh, 834-6963, www.myspace.com/finsrestaurant Cuisine: Pacific Rim fusion, seafoodFor nearly a decade, Fins was North Raleigh's best-kept secret. Then, last year, owner/chef William D'Auvray and his wife, Lisa, pulled up stakes and set out for snazzier, higher profile digs downtown. The new dining room was much larger than the old one, however, and even loyal fans wondered whether the couple had bitten off more than they could chew.They needn't have worried. The new space is chic and dramatic but warmly inviting, and spacious without feeling cavernous. Service, under Lisa D'Auvray's watchful eye, is attentive but not intrusive. And the food is, if anything, even better now than it was before. Fins' Pacific Rim fusion menu still leans heavily to seafood and evolves with the daily catch. D'Auvray has wisely kept some of the old favorite presentations in his rotation, too. Regardless of what you order - butter-poached diver scallops, or Thai snapper "Indonesian style," or Marcona almond-crusted turbot draped over a mound of emerald green fava beans - you can count on impeccable freshness and near flawless execution. You won't go wrong, either, with landlubber fare such as red curry baby lamb and Vietnamese style foie gras sandwich. The sashimi selection would put most sushi bars to shame. Fins is the first restaurant in the area to feature a robatayaki bar, where the chef char-grills small cuts of sashimi-grade fish and other delicacies to order and serves them, sushi bar-style. With advance reservations, D'Auvray will serve a multicourse chef's table-style tasting menu at the robatayaki bar - an experience sure to be memorable. The wine selection is extensive and thoughtfully chosen to match the menu's varied flavors. Desserts, from baba au rhum to exotic fruit sorbet sampler, are as distinctive and expertly prepared as the rest of the meal. In short, the new Fins is a keeper.Bin 541201-M Raleigh Road, in Glen Lennox Shopping Center, Chapel Hill, 969-1155, www.bin54restaurant.com Cuisine: SteakhouseBloomsbury Bistro509-101 W. Whitaker Mill Road, at Five Points, Raleigh, 834-9011, www.bloomsburybistro.comCuisine: ContemporaryBonne Soirée431-10 W. Franklin St., in The Courtyard, Chapel Hill, 928-8388Cuisine: FrenchElaine's on Franklin454 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 960-2770, www.elainesonfranklin.comCuisine: ContemporaryEnoteca Vin410 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh834-3070Cuisine: Contemporary with a European accent, wine barFairview Dining Room3001 Cameron Blvd., in the Washington Duke Inn, Durham, 490-0999, www.washingtondukeinn.comCuisine: ContemporaryFour Square2701 Chapel Hill Road, Durham, 401-9877, www.foursquarerestaurant.com Cuisine: ContemporaryFrazier's2418 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, 828-6699, www.fraziersbistro.com Cuisine: ContemporaryJibarra7420 Six Forks Road, in Peachtree Market, Raleigh, 844-6330, www.jibarra.net Cuisine: Mexican fine diningLantern423 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 969-8846, www.lanternrestaurant.com Cuisine: Pan-AsianMagnolia Grill1002 Ninth St., Durham, 286-3609, www.magnoliagrill.net Cuisine: Contemporary with a Southern accentMaximillians8314 Chapel Hill Road, Cary, 465-2455, ww.maximilliansgrill.com Cuisine: Contemporary, fusionNana's2514 University Drive, Durham, 493-8545, www.nanasdurham.com Cuisine: contemporary MediterraneanRed PalaceBeacon Plaza, 3945 New Bern Ave., Raleigh, 231-3788, http://redpalacenc.com/ Cuisine: ChineseSaffron4121 Davis Drive, in McCrimmon Corners shopping center, Morrisville, 469-5774, www.saffronnc.com Cuisine: IndianSecond Empire330 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, 829-3663, www.second-empire.com/secondempire Cuisine: ContemporaryVin Rouge2010 Hillsborough Road, Durham, 416-0406, www.vinrougerestaurant.com Cuisine: FrenchVivace4209 Lassiter Mill Road, in The Alexan, Raleigh, 787-7747, www.vivaceraleigh.com Cuisine: ItalianJujube1201-L Raleigh Road, in Glen Lennox Shopping Center, Chapel Hill, 960-0555, www.jujuberestaurant.com Cuisine: AsianBEST BARGAINSAllen & Son6203 Millhouse Road, Chapel Hill, 942-7576Cuisine: BarbecueDain's Place754 Ninth St., Durham, 416-8800, www.dainsplace.netCuisine: Burgers, sandwiches, pub fareLondon Fish & Chips6446 Tryon Road, in Wellington Park, Cary, 859-8888, www.londonfishandchips-nc.com Cuisine: English fish and chipsLos Comales2103 N. Roxboro Road, Durham, 220-1614Cuisine: taqueriaNeomonde3817 Beryl Road, Raleigh; 10235 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville, 828-1628 (Raleigh); 466-8100 (Morrisville), www.neomonde.com Cuisine: Middle EasternTOP NEWCOMERSHerons100 Woodland Pond, in The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary, 447-4200, www.heronsrestaurant.com Cuisine: contemporaryJ. Betski's10-120 W. Franklin St., Raleigh, 833-7999, www.jbetskis.com Cuisine: German, PolishPanciuto110 S. Churton St., Hillsborough, 732-6261, www.panciuto.com Cuisine: ItalianPiedmont401 Foster St., Durham, 683-1213, www.piedmontrestaurant.com Cuisine: French, ItalianRue Cler401 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham, 682-8844, www.ruecler-durham.com Cuisine: French
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