Best of...

LA/Orange County Area

Paella: La Paella [Mid-City West]
Blue crab handroll: Sushi Wasabi [Tustin]
Sushi: Katsu-ya [Studio City]
Japanese izakaya: Ikko [Costa Mesa]
Bakery: Cream Pan [Tustin], strawberry croissants
Afternoon tea: Tea Upon Chatsworth [San Diego]
Mochi: Sakura-ya [Gardena]
Margherita pizza: Pizzeria Mozza [Hollywood]
Fine dining: Saddle Peak Lodge [Malibu], Providence [Hollywood]
Indian [casual]: Bukhara [Huntington Beach]
Tasting Menu/Prix Fixe: Opus [Koreatown LA]
Desserts: Beach Cities Frozen Yogurt & Gelato [Huntington Beach], Patisserie Chantilly [Lomita]
High-end egg dish: Opus' [Koreatown LA] "breakfast in an egg"

Bay Area

Sushi: Sushi Ran [Sausalito]
Vietnamese: Slanted Door [SF Embarcadero]
Japanese izakaya: Gochi's Japanese Fusion Tapas [Cupertino]
Desserts: Ici [Berkeley]
Pizza: Lanesplitter's [Berkeley], Dopo [Piedmont], Pizzeria Picco [Larkspur]
Pasta/Italian: Delfina [SF Mission], Oliveto [Berkeley]
Fine Dining: Cyrus [Healdsburg]
Takeout: Taxi Brousse [Berkeley]
Indian [upscale]: Junnoon [Palo Alto]
Afternoon tea: Rose Mountain Manor [Colfax]
Tapas: Cesar [Berkeley]
Tasting Menu/Prix Fixe: Cyrus [Healdsburg], La Folie [Russian Hill SF], Ad Hoc [Yountville]
High-end egg dish: Manresa's [Los Gatos] soft-boiled egg layered from sweet to salty

Best of the Rest

Brunch: Hell's Kitchen [Minneapolis]