Fresno Famous

Welcome to Famous' Fresno, a town where Taco Bell doesn't serve the best meal under $10 (hell, it's not even the best under $2), eating out after midnight doesn't involve anything "over my hammy" and there's a dive bar for everyone, if you just look hard enough.

That's the story and we're sticking to it.

And so are the readers, who voted for their favorites in the 2007 Famous Choice Awards, the results of which were scientifically counted (meaning, I read the posts) before winners were chosen.

Below are the results:

Hottest TV newsperson (man or women, but not Kopi, even with new hair)

Graciela Moreno
Anyone who saw Graciela at the Big Fresno Fair (like we did) knows she looks good, even close up. What's her secret? Maybe it's all the biking and running.
Famous hit her up with an e-mail about the award.
Her reply: "Seriously? What a compliment! Well then … I must thank the Academy and all the wonderful people who looked past the bad hair days and voted for me." She's funny, too.
Admirers can contact Graciela at graciela.l.moreno@abc.com. Note: Famous understands, but does not condone stalking.

Best meal under $2

Chris Meat Market
1323 Kern St. (on the edge of Chinatown)
(559) 233-8134
Mike (not mike oz) Osegueda, has been raving about Chris Meat Market for years, even used it as a metaphore for his relationship with Fresno. That's deep.

Most misplaced business (is it the right shop on the wrong side of town?)

Hunan Restaurant
6716 N Cedar Ave No. 104
(559) 297-0336
Leave it to Fresno to have the best Schezwan and Hunanese food in North America ( "...and that counts L.A., S.F., N.Y., Chicago and the like" ) tucked away in a shopping center, between a SaveMart and a Long's.
Ask for the pink menu if you like spicy.

Best Starbucks (you know there's a difference)

One word: Irony. Look it up!

Fresno's most wanted (businesses that aren't in Fresno, but should be)

House of Blues
Fresno's got the Save Mart Center. So we're covered if Madonna or Prince come to town. And we've got plenty of places for our friend's crappy garage bands to play (Tokyo, Starline, the Belmont). But that leaves out a wide swath of really great bands that could be pouring through Fresno, if only there were a venue.
And yes, we're aware the Rainbow Ballroom is hopping.

Best 3rd space (think Rebecca Ryan)

Kern Street Coffee Company
2134 Kern St.
(559) 268-3636
First off, Kern St. is not Starbucks.
Also: Owner John Baker loves his coffee, so it's good, there's free Wi-Fi and jazz records — the good stuff, nothing smooth about it — playing on the stereo. Add in some hispters, intellectuals and city officals and Kern St. is the prefect place to get all of Fresno's juicy gossip.

Best dining after midnight (we dare you to say Denny's)

The Millon Elephant Cafe and Bar
1153 N. Fulton
(559) 237-3832
The thing about Million Elephant is (aside from the food, location, atmopshere and a pretty damn fine Thai iced tea) — it's not a Denny's, a drive-thru or a Mexican joint. And after midnight in Fresno, that's saying a lot.

Best local band

Rademacher
A review from ">Rockgirl21:
"The first band i saw was Rademacher, they weren't anything out of the ordinary, every now and then they would go off key. They where not great just ok."
Famous readers and the crowds at Tokyo Garden (where the band hosts monthly after ArtHop parties) would argue the point.

Best dive bar (if you feel safe inside, it's not a dive bar)

The Other Bar
6493 N Blackstone Ave.
(559) 447-1513
Fresno loves a good dive bar. And there's some goodies. But for the sake of the contest, we needed a winner.
Runners up: DJs in Clovis and Crossroads (where I long ago saw a man pee himself).

Best local blog

Sour Grapes
Who doesn't love Jarah?