BEST VALUE
It makes some sense that a great family restaurant and the best place to take a group should also be the best value. Yep, winning the Gold again in this category is the famous chicken place, Stroud's, where the portions are large, the check is small, and the food delicious. The Silver winner is a new one, Chipotle Mexican Grill with five metropolitan locations. This is a stand-in-line place, but the Tex-Mex food is fresh and filling. Capturing the Bronze this year is Cascone's, whose name graces one grill (in the River Market) and two restaurants, with pleasing and plentiful Italian food, served the old fashioned way.

BEST SERVICE
Waiters who anticipate your needs, accommodate your whims, time their attentions. A concentration to detail that tells you they care. Deserving of this prized Gold award is the Plaza III, premier steak house. Grand Street Café takes the Silver, demonstrating the value of solid training and good people. Tying for the Bronze are The American Restaurant and Morton's, close neighbors in Crown Center and both committed to excellence in so many parameters, including this one. No, people won't come back again to bad service, no matter how good the food — but these four restaurants have great food and great service.

HIDDEN JEWEL
The restaurant you don't hear all that much about, yet when you happen upon it, you're so delighted, you come back. Winning the Gold in this category for the first time but rated by Zagat's as "Extraordinary" is Tatsu's French Restaurant, tucked into a strip mall on 90th and Roe. Its creative blend of French, Oriental, and American flavors are original and distinctive. The Silver goes to the Stolen Grill in Westport, an intimate and elegant experience amidst friendly surroundings. The recipients of the Bronze award must split the honors — both the Grille on Broadway and Le Fou Frog, east of the City Market, were acclaimed here.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
If you've not tried it yet, Ingram's diners say your best bet is The Capital Grille, located in the Bristol's old Plaza haunts, but you won't even recognize it. This stylish import wins the Gold, and we know it will be around for a long, long time due to its great bar, excellent steaks and a varied menu. Next on the list for a Silver is Piropos, located on the hill in downtown Parkville, whose Argentinean specialties include steaks and chops, other Spanish flavors and pasta.

BEST OVERALL
Our readers know what it takes to make a restaurant the best The restaurant which has already won awards in five different categories, the Plaza III is again distinguished by the Gold. The Grand Street Café savors its Silver tribute for the second year in a row as Best Overall, but its sixth different award for this year. The Bronze tribute is reserved for The American Restaurant, making it also a recipient of its fifth award this year from Ingram's readers.

BEST ART GALLERY
This is perhaps a simple choice, but nonetheless, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is the clear winner for the Gold prize. Opened in 1933, it is usually ranked in the top 15 general art museums in America. With the huge expansion now underway, expect to see it achieve even greater acclaim. The Silver goes to its nearby neighbor, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art whose rotating and often cutting-edge collections occasionally jar the senses. The Jayne Gallery was voted the Bronze award this year, no doubt because of its introduction of so many not-so and soon-to-be- famous artists.

BEST CHARITABLE EVENT
Even when it rains, Jazzoo is still selected as the single best event held for charity. Always sold out, this year about 5,500 people attended the black-tie fundraiser for the Zoo's Learning Fund. The 12th annual event won the Gold again this year. The Night of 100 Stars captures the Silver, with over 1,000 turning out for the Good Samaritan Project doing its good works for HIV/AIDS assistance. And the one-time CowParade moooved readers to vote it for the Bronze trophy as proceeds from the fall auction will benefit youth education programs.

BEST COUNTRY CLUB
Although the best country club may be just the one you belong to, nonetheless, there are standards to be met, reputations to be kept. Discriminating readers have selected Mission Hills Country Club for the Gold. This establishment has been considered one of KC's finest since its upstart birth in 1914. The Silver selection is newer, Hallbrook Country Club, founded in 1988 and serving approximately 600 members. Even still younger, Loch Lloyd Country Club was created in 1991 and wins the Bronze for its beautiful grounds and full amenity package.

BEST ENTERTAINMENT/ VENUE DESTINATION
Where do Kansas Citians want to go? First choice for the Gold this year is the Starlight Theatre, where an improved sound system, new eating areas, lavish flowers and improved shows have truly upgraded this venerable venue. Sit in the first ten rows and benefit from the stage's air conditioning. The Kansas City Chiefs tackle the Silver this year and fans know there is no other experience as glorious as beginning in the parking lot and ending in a parking jam when the game is in the middle. The Bronze goes to Sandstone where casual surroundings enhance great performances.

BEST EVENT PLANNER
Details can be the curse of any large, or even small, event and the firms that take care of both details and people with grace and calm are cherished. The Gold for these attributes goes to the Wellington Group, which utilizes full brain power with creativity and shrewd business management skills ,enabling it to provide flawless execution. Three Wide Marketing secures the Silver for its attention to details, the budget, and its ability to create affairs from trade shows to VIP events. ASE Group is known for delivering events just as you envisioned them, or even better, and it procures the Bronze.

BEST MUSEUM
Is it art or is it a museum? Ingram's readers don't distinguish and so vote again for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in this category for the Gold. Resign yourself to temporarily boarding a bus to get there and treat yourself to the rare treasures that lie within. The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art repeats its prize, too, winning the Silver for its contemporary art forms of all kinds including, recently, "anti-art"-the unique kind of display for which it has become known. The Bronze floats to the Steamboat Arabia, a fascinating collection and display of what a lot of mud can do.

BEST FESTIVAL
When Kansas Citians want festivities, the Kansas City Spirit Festival fills the bill as thousands come to Penn Valley Park to enjoy the sights, the food, and the music ranging from reggae to rock to jazz to country. Because in its 18 years it has provided the community a way to come together and celebrate, it earns the Gold. Penn Valley was also recently the venue for the Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival, with votes galore for the Silver with its line-up of famous musicians of every style. Nabbing the Bronze is the primo Plaza Art Fair which now attracts 100,000s of viewers, feasters, buyers, and alas, even dogwalkers each September.

BEST PRIVATE AND PUBLIC GOLF COURSES
The Shadow Glen Golf Course swings for the Gold in the highly competitive private golf grouping. Designed by Tom Watson, this manicured course, set amidst the rolling hills of Olathe , was even in contention for the Ryder Cup Tourney for 2002. The National Golf Club of Kansas City enters the fray for the first time, earning a Silver due to its its difficulty and creativity as the front nine winds its way through the development and the links-style back nine undulates with dramatic elevation changes. Loch Lloyd, once home to the PGA Senior Tour and known for its discerning membership, captures the Bronze. Located at south Overland Park, Deercreek Golf Club conquers for the Gold among public courses. This course is tight and well treed with water hazards and creeks meandering throughout it, just waiting to gulp your ball. The Silver goes to Sycamore Ridge Golf Course in Spring Hill. Golfers enjoy this course due to its links-style front nine and the back being tight target golf with varying elevations, scenic views, and heavy tree line.

BEST JAZZ OR BLUES CLUB Readers' choice this year includes midtown's Grand Emporium for the Gold, a likely selection as it's been twice named America's best blues bar by the Blues Foundation. Downtown's Phoenix Piano Bar and Grill serves up good food and great music, collecting a Silver for its strong showing. And a place you might not automatically think of, but should, has been selected for the Bronze: B B's Lawnside Barbeque, draws an eclectic crowd to their small and informal joint. Thursdays through Sundays, they offer up the jazz of Lee McBee and the Confessors, John Paul, the River City Jazz Orchestra and all kinds of regional acts.

BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN OR JAZZ GROUP
From 18th and Vine to Corporate Woods, no jazz event of any kind is complete without Kansas City's own Ida McBeth. It's no wonder voters selected her, once again, for the Gold due to her warm and energetic virtuosity in everything from R&B to funk. And jazz pianist Joe Cartwright, performing with perfection around Kansas City since the 1970s, succeeds for the Silver this year. Jazz singer David Basse is recognized for the first time, too, on our pages as the worthy recipient of the Bronze.

BEST CASINO/ DESTINATION
It's time to face up to it: KC is again a gamblin' kind of town. No matter what it's named, the former Station Casino, now Ameristar, has won the Gold for the best casino. It may well be the Midwest's largest entertainment destination and have the most slot machines, the most live entertainment, the most restaurants, the most everything within one sprawling complex. Harrah's wins the Silver in this new category, for a more intimate but still satisfying experience say its fans. The Argosy takes the Bronze, often flaunting its "loosest slots" status, which draws in many devoted followers.

BEST PERFORMING ARTS VENUE
When you're out seeing a play or show or listening to music or hearing a lecture, where it is sometimes matters as much as what it is. Given their druthers, Ingram's readers pick Starlight Theatre for the Gold in this category. A coolish night lit by stars is all it takes to create lifelong patrons there. The Silver finds the Folly Theatre, rehabbed beautifully and elegant always. The Bronze award results in a tie between the Missouri Repertory Theatre at UMKC and Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College, both places illustrating that a good seat can't be beat.