More than 1,000 people in the restaurant, hotel, and hospitality service industry turned out for the 16th annual "Gold Medallions" awards banquet at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina. Along with the live big-band music of Big time Operator, guests enjoyed the delicious appetizer buffet, the silent and live auctions, and of course, all the free drinks they could swallow. My personal favorite on the appetizer table was the "Mini Corn Dogs Served with Two Sauces, Mustard and Catsup." Although I had made a date to meet Matthew Rattner, a founding partner of Karl strauss Breweries, at the "shrimp display," I couldn’t tear myself away from the weenie table. Later, a sit-down dinner was served during the program hosted by David Cohn, president of the local chapter of the California Restaurant Association. Thee Bungalow owner and chapter past president Ed Moore was honored with a special achievement award to start the evening.

The microphone then was turned over to the master of ceremonies who provided the most entertaining moment of the evening by proclaiming the wrong winner in the "Best Bar" category. After he announced that Croce's had won, all the people at the Croce's table were standing up, screaming and hugging. The MC then had to yell into the mike that he had "made a terrible mistake." The winner was actually The Bitter End. Everyone paid a lot more attention after that, lemme tell ya. Others honored were: Best American Cuisine, George's at the Cove; Best Asian Cuisine, P.F. Chang China Bistro; Best Brunch, Loews Coronado Bay Resort; Best Casual Dining, Sammy's Woodfired Pizza; Best Ethnic Cuisine, Kemo Sabe; Best Fast Food, In-N-Out Burger; Best French Continental, Mille Fleurs; Best Hotel Dining, Four Seasons Aviara; Best Italian, Trattoria Acqua; Best Mexican Cuisine, Fidel's; Best Microbrewery, Karl Strauss Breweries; Best New Restaurant, The Prado at Balboa Park; Best Seafood, The Fish Market; Best Sports Bar, Trophy's Sports Grill; Best Steakhouse, Ruth's Chris; Chef of the Year, Deborah Scott; a member excellence award was given to Kathleen Cochran of Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Best Breakfast went to a well-deserving D.Z. Akins. (I will save until next year my two-page acceptance speech in which I gave recognition to Miss Warren, my high school home economics teacher).

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Buca di Beppo opens May 24 in the Gaslamp Quarter. Located at 705 Sixth Ave.,this will be No. 35 for the Minneapolis-based company which features "immigrant style Italian food." The food is served "family style" so you order entrées and sides for the whole table and the portions are huge. So go hungry and be ready for a loud evening as well since the waiters like to sing and yell and clap.

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The site at the corner of Fifth Avenue and F Street finally has been occupied. Maloney's Irish Bar opened on St. Patrick's Day. Maloney's, which, of course, features Irish ale and fare, is based out of Scottsdale, Ariz. The company, owned by Mike Mastro, Rob McDonald and Scotty Trotilo, also operates five other Maloney's as well as a Mastro Steakhouse and two Marco Polo Supper Clubs.

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The old Reidy O'Neil's space on Fourth Avenue across from Horton Plaza park has re-opened. It is now home to Churrascaria Rei do Gado, a Brazilian steak house. The names translates to "King of the Cow." I’ll "moove" on over for a taste soon.

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Looking for that perfect Mother’s Days gift? I found a great on-line gourmet food site, www.urbani.com. It offers more than 950 products including: fresh black and white truffles; fresh and dried mushrooms; cured meats, specialty meats (i.e., furred game, suckling pigs); smoked fish; caviar and infused oils. The site has a weekly special and recipes from star chefs like Alex Lee from restaurant Daniel in New York.

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May is "A Salute to San Diego’s Culinary Women Month" at Macy's Mission Valley store and cooking kitchen. On May 6 you can attend a free demonstration with Barbara Squier, co-owner of Julien Bakery in Bird Rock. The course will feature a bread tasting of the bakery's delicious, natural and fat-free breads and offer information about wheat-free and gluten-free alternatives. On May 20, a trio of San Diego’s top women chefs will show how to create a delicious meal from appetizer to dessert. Celeste Dunne, executive chef at La Jolla Country Club will demonstrate "Woodland Mushroom Flan" for the starter. Susan Sbicca, executive chef and co-owner of Sbicca will prepare "Sage Walnut Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Apple Garlic Chutney and Zinfandel Sauce" as the main course, and Leanne Backer, executive chef at the Chopra Center for Well Being will show how to make "Chocolate Tofu Mousse with Vanilla and Almond Praline Topping." Both demonstrations are at 1 p.m. and are free. No reservations required, but the seating does go quickly.

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Kip Downing, owner of Pacifica Del Mar and the Pacifica Breeze Café in Del Mar, is adding a third restaurant to his empire, this one in Palm Desert. Pacifica in the Desert, a 6,000-square-foot restaurant, will open in November and feature primarily seafood similar to his "Pacifica" concept that has been so successful in Del Mar and San Diego for more than a decade. Downing has spent the last year laughing while enjoying my struggle of trying to run two restaurants 20 miles apart; I now hand him the baton. I will be very interested in how he pulls it off himself. (And actually I will miss seeing him working across the street from my Del Mar restaurant).
Downing also has named Chris Idso as executive chef at Pacifica Del Mar. Idso, formerly of San Francisco and the Kimpton Group, takes over this month. Look for a menu change (nothing drastic) next month.

Terryl Gavre spends her entire day thinking about what she is going to eat for dinner. She believes the world would be a better place if everyone worked once as a foodserver. She is owner of Café 222, Downtown and Del Mar.