Local businesses that have won their category five times are elevated to the Best of Marin Hall of Fame. This year three new members join the 11 already on the roster. Congrats to all of these winners who have been consistently voted tops for their terrific service.

1st Year
Hall of Fame

Best Late Night Dining
Let’s face it. Marin County isn’t a late night kinda place. Even though late evening options are fairly limited, we are fortunate to have MARIN JOE’S (1585 Casa Buena Dr., Corte Madera, 415/924-2081) among the eateries open “after hours.” Hearty and authentic Italian dishes (the kind that Nonna makes) can be enjoyed even after the clock strikes midnight. Whether you’re hankering for a big ol’ Caesar salad, a giant plate of spaghetti or a honkin’ hunk of grilled meat, you’ll find it here—and you can be sure that it will be phenomenally flavored. You can’t go wrong with a chunk of the sourdough or a side of the special spinach either. Not that hungry? You can always do just desserts (cheesecake anyone?) or kick back with a drink at the bar. Being a night owl has never been so nice.

Best Foreign Car Repair
If there’s ever been a place that’s aptly named, it’s EASY AUTOMOTIVE (145 Jordan, San Rafael, 415/457-1688). For more than 25 years, locals have continued to flock to the shop because the owners and their employees make everything so, well, easy. Longtime customers appreciate that the staff members are consistently honest, pleasant and reliable. And these car whizzes (led by owners Mark and Debbie Linder) look beyond merely completing the task at hand—they’ll give you an early heads up about any work you might need done in the future as well. Beyond the solid workmanship, Easy Automotive also boasts a comfy waiting room and a convenient courtesy shuttle. Both you and your car will be purring like contented kittens.

Best French Restaurant
Need to close an important deal? Want that special lady to say “yes” to a certain question? When you are looking to impress, EL PASEO (17 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, 415/388-0741) is the perfect choice. With its delectable takes on classic French food, incredible attention to detail and elegant atmosphere, all dining parties are sure to be pleased with the experience. Onion soup gratinée, escargots with herbs and garlic, sweetbreads with lemon and capers and fondant au chocolat—oh la la! And, as if the mouth-watering menu items weren’t enough, El Paseo also boasts a massive wine list that is a perennial favorite of Wine Spectator. Gastronomic bliss is just a reservation away.

2nd Year
Hall of Fame

Best Cards/Stationery Store
Whether you want to send a brassy belated birthday card, whip up whimsical wedding invites or obtain exceptionally elegant stationery, you can’t miss at PAPYRUS (The Village, Corte Madera, 415/924-2355; 1260 Northgate Mall, San Rafael, 415/491-4708; 1320 Fourth St., San Rafael, 415/459-3250; 36 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma, 707/765-2514). This oasis of a store offers an amazing range of quality greeting cards and paper goods. You can even get custom printing and engraving done there too. And you’ll never feel overwhelmed, because pleasant and professional staff members are always available to address your needs. In addition, Papyrus also boasts a broad array of other items, such as wonderful wrapping paper, pretty picture frames, terrific trinkets and the best in gift books. Be warned—you might go in for a simple card, but you’re likely to leave with an armful of goodies.

Best Mexican Restaurant
There are so many places to score Mexican food in this area of the country that it’s pretty difficult for restaurant owners to set their eateries apart from the bunch. Yet Gabriel Fregoso and wife Carol consistently manage to make their award-winning Mexican restaurant LAS CAMELIAS (912 Lincoln Ave., San Rafael, 415/453-5850) stand out. How do they do it? A menu chock-full of distinctive dishes. Rather than simply serving up quick-wrap basic burritos and chips, Gabriel brings things to a gourmet level. Ingredients like white beans, tomatilloes and special chile peppers all add up to some pretty inventive combinations. Even after more than 25 years of cooking, Gabe is always creating new spins on Mexican sauces and recipes. These are delectables you’ll want to savor at a leisurely pace—and you can! The mellow, yet friendly, atmo makes Las Camelias a great place to share a meal with your sweetie, your family or friends.

Best Chinese Restaurant
The Pacific Sun’s Mill Valley location makes it really difficult to try new places for lunch every day. That’s because once you experience the food at JENNIE LOW’S (38 Miller Ave., Mill Valley, 415/388-8868; 120 Vintage Way-Vintage Oaks, Novato, 415/892-8838), you can’t help but keep going back. Owner Jennie Low (a longtime local cooking maven) and her staff put together a delicious mix of traditional Cantonese, Mandarin, Szechuan and Hunan dishes, as well as recipes inspired by California’s vast array of incredible fresh ingredients. What results are meals that taste absolutely yummy, but don’t leave you with that overly heavy feeling in your tummy. Some Sun favorites include Hot Spicy String Beans, Jennie’s Lemon Chicken and the crispy, creamy Crab Puffs. Even the items on Jennie’s “Light Creations” menu will keep you coming back for more (Bean Curd with Vegetables—yeah, baby!). And the menu is so extensive, you can go there every day and still get plenty of variety in your dining life.

Best Italian Restaurant
What’s so cool about IL DAVIDE (901 A St., San Rafael, 415/454-8080) is that it can please a variety of meal-seekers. Foodies seeking creative Cal-Ital will be duly impressed by the restaurant’s innovative eats. Cutesy couples longing for a romantic dinner will be delighted by the chic atmo. And friends looking for a fun place with phenomenal food, will find everything they desire. The menu features a superb selection of appetizers (including several carpaccios), salads (like Tuscan bread salad), pastas (from sweet potato ravioli to trenne with truffle cream sauce), seafood (calamari steak, anyone?), meats (plenty of veal diversions) and, of course, divine Italian desserts (mamma mia!). To top off the magnificent menu, you can also choose from over 300 wines from the restaurant’s award-winning wine list. So if you’re seeking a sleek spot with the energy and offerings of a city eatery, owner David Haydon would confirm that Il Davide is just the place for you.

Best Furniture Store
Home is where the heart is. But SUNRISE HOME (831 B St., San Rafael, 415/456-3939) is where fabulous furnishings for your house are. And with 30,000 square feet of said furnishings, you’ll definitely fall in love with at least a thing or two. The store’s incredible collection of pieces includes couches, beds, area rugs, lamps, art and accessories. These products come from both sought-after designer lines and unique boutique manufacturers. Sunrise Home staff members travel to places like France, Italy, England and Spain in an effort to seek out Old-World quality and craftsmanship. Owner Annie Bowman and her talented team of designers have been guiding locals through their home decorating experiences for more than 25 years. They have also worked on yachts, offices and even the Sonoma Mission Inn. No matter the locale, Sunrise Home delivers divine designs for the times.

3rd Year
Hall of Fame

Best Thai Restaurant
ORCHID THAI RESTAURANT (726 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo, 415/457-9470) is a family friendly establishment. Owners Tommy and Peggy Thongnopneua have always relied on the involvement of their relations in the running of their restaurant and, perhaps as a consequence, many area families have become faithful longtime customers. Kindred spirits come for more than the homey ambiance, though. They also flock to the immensely popular restaurant for the fine, authentic food and the stellar service. There’s something comforting in knowing there’s a place where you can consistently get topnotch Thai food—and relax while you enjoy it. I can almost taste the pad thai right now…

Best Manicure
You don’t have to be a gazillionaire diva like Barbra Streisand to have nails that are “like buttah” (as the classic Saturday Night Live skit described them). You can simply go to JOANNE’S NAILS (1322 Fourth St., San Rafael, 415/456-4515). The staff of manicurists at Joanne’s has no fear when it comes to unwieldy cuticles, horrific hangnails or other fingernail faux pas. They’ll fix you right up. From basic and French manicures to acrylics, silk wraps and pedicures, Joanne’s specialists can address your every nail need. These services also come at sweet prices. You’ll leave the place flying high—maybe even with aspirations of becoming a hand model.

Best Bookstore
There’s a simple explanation for BOOK PASSAGE’s (51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, 415/927-0960) overwhelming popularity. It is not merely a bookstore, it’s a mecca for bibliophiles. In addition to two buildings full of everything from the classics and cookbooks to self-help books and traveler’s tales, the store also offers writing classes with renowned scribes and holds readings by the hottest authors around. Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Ralph Nader, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Candace Bushnell are just a few of the authors who have appeared at Book Passage recently. Since the store’s opening in 1976, owners Bill and Elaine Petrocelli have been overwhelmingly supportive of the local literary community, which has made their “baby” a literary cornerstone in Marin County. They’re not exaggerating in their slogan, where they boast it’s “The Bay Area’s Liveliest Bookstore.”

Best Home Audio Store
Wouldn’t the Friends finale be so much better on a 42-inch wide-screen plasma TV? Hook up the TV to a slammin’ stereo system and you’ll have your home audience weeping at the sound quality. And when the waterworks start, you’ll probably want to capture the occasion on one of those new digital camera/camcorder/voice recorders. You can turn this delightful daydream into a reality with a trip to THE GOOD GUYS (301 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera, 415/924-7007). Just because this specialty retailer has been around since 1973 doesn’t mean they’re still hawking eight-track players—far from it. The Good Guys purvey all of the latest high-tech goods you’ll need to transform your pad into a hot home entertainment destination.

Best Live Theater
MARIN THEATRE COMPANY (397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley, 415/388-5208) may be miles from the big city theater district, but you’d never know once you get inside. The award-winning company is well-known for utilizing excellent professional actors and dynamo directors. In addition, MTC’s five-play mainstage season features a thoughtfully considered combination of both classic theatrical works and contemporary creations. Marin Theatre Company is so highly regarded that it has even attracted Hollywood players. This season, former L.A. Law actors Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker starred in the play The Last Schwartz. And if the prime performances inspire you to try out acting yourself, it’s a cinch. Marin Theatre Company’s Performing Arts Conservatory offers acting classes for youth and adults.

Best Place to Hear Live Music
Stadium? You don’t need to trek to some stinkin’ stadium to hear high-quality music. Some of the most talented musicians on the planet can be heard much closer to home, in a much more intimate venue—SWEETWATER (153 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, 415/388-2820). This Mill Valley mainstay has been a haven for sonically sophisticated musicians and the listeners who love them for more than 30 years. It looks like a laid-back little local bar, but don’t be fooled. When the performers hit the stage with their instruments and amps, it becomes a world-class concert hall. Major players who have graced the Sweetwater stage over the years include Etta James, Elvis Costello, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Loudon Wainwright III, Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt. Talk about star power…

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