This was a good year for restaurants nationwide. Openings outpaced closings, and statistics show diners are eating out more than they did two years ago. According to the Zagat Survey, which is based on the experiences of 123,000 respondents, "restaurant quality, diversity and value have improved across America." The industry racked up a total of $511 billion in sales in 2006, and the total in 2007 is projected to reach $530 billion. This puts restaurants and grocery stores in a dead heat for who gets the largest share of the American food budget.

The fastest growing segment of the market is a category called "quick casual." This is fast food with better ingredients. Panera and Chipotle are examples of quick casual. The Zagat Survey reports that America's favorite cuisine is Italian (27 percent) with Asian (25 percent) just a few steps behind.

Pittsburgh welcomed a wide assortment of new restaurants in the past year. My list of favorites would have to include the following.

MA PROVENCE
Eric Chabou, a native of Provence, opened this unpretentious little French bistro with his Pittsburgh wife, Tamara Hudak. The menu is more generic French than Provencal, but there is definitely a whiff of the South of France. The ratatouille is perfumed with thyme, and the cream sauce that bathes the snail appetizer exudes the licorice-like aroma of Pernod, Provence's signature aperitif. There is cassoulet from the southwest region of France and Coq au Vin, originally from the Burgundy region but now a staple throughout France. A most welcome touch is Ma Provence's cheese tray, with an assortment of seven cheeses chosen from a wide variety of styles and textures. The wine list is limited, but Monsieur Chabou graciously will open your own bottle for $10 corkage.
2032 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill, 412-521-2925.

AZUL BAR Y CANTINA
Owners Donna and Angus Peterkin love Mexican food. Not Tex-Mex but Mex-Mex, with a pinch of California ambience. Azul Bar y Cantina serves the most delicious taquitos north of the Rio Grande. The burritos, fajitas and enchiladas rate high marks as well. What is especially appreciated is the quality and authenticity of the ingredients: queso fresco, ripe avocados, bright red tomatoes and heaps of fresh limes. The tortillas are made by hand, beans are prepared from scratch, and margaritas are made from freshly squeezed lime juice. No frozen mixes here. I am addicted to the jicama appetizer. A crunchy stack of logs carved out of the starchy root vegetable are soaked in fresh lime juice and sprinkled with cayenne pepper. Go on a Friday to sample the exemplary Chile Rellenos. In season, there are special Mexican drinks such as watermelon juice, and the bar stocks 38 different tequilas and Mexican beers on draft.
122 Broad St., Leetsdale, 724-266-6362.

SILK ELEPHANT THAI TAPAS AND WINE BAR
According to owners Norraset and Eileen Nareedokmai, small plates have been part of the Thai tradition for centuries. They don't call them tapas, but since that word has entered the American dining lexicon, it is being borrowed by cultures everywhere. The Asian take on tapas is a wonderful way to sample the wide variety of flavors and textures found in Thai cuisine. From fried cakes of sticky rice served with ground shrimp, chicken and peanuts to Thai beef salad with a tart lime dressing, the five-page menu can surely satisfy every appetite. The corn fritters are addictive. I also recommend Bangkok Tail Salad, a tangy bed of shredded green papaya and carrot served in a large martini glass topped with a skewer of four grilled shrimp. The hot and cool tastes of chilis and lemongrass, the crisp and soft textures of fried and steamed and the salty and sweet flavors of soy and coconut are the yin and yang of Thai cuisine, and there is no better way to experience it than in a number of small plates or tapas.
1712 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill, 412-421-8801.

NINE ON NINE
This sophisticated but intimate dining room in the Cultural District has a menu that is brief yet appealing. Rick DeShantz, one of Pittsburgh's most talented chefs, left town to work in some of America's most famous kitchens and returned to Pittsburgh with impressive talents. He is a professional bread baker and pastry chef in addition to his standard culinary credentials. His Duo of Veal appetizer is braised veal shank topped with a sauteed sweetbread. Grilled quail on a bed of creamy grits is another memorable appetizer. Entrees also present unusual taste combinations. This is a chef who is well grounded in classical techniques and who is passionate about food. The sorbets he makes from fresh fruits should not be missed.
900 Penn Ave., Downtown, 412-338-6463

SUN PENANG
Although Sun Penang is a Malaysian restaurant, the cuisine could easily be classified as pan-Asian. Present-day Malays are a mixture of Indian, Thai, Arab and Chinese ancestry and the culture is influenced by neighboring Indonesia so the cuisine is a delightful medley of many cultures. Rice and coconut milk are featured ingredients along with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, basil, dried fish and chilies. I especially love the clay pot soups served here. A pot will serve up to four persons. Fat pearl noodles along with minced shrimp, chicken, bean sprouts and egg make this soup a hearty stew. Sun Penang fried noodles bring back memories of delicious taste treats found in the food stalls in Singapore. Nasi Lemak, the national dish of Malaysia, is a delicious rice dish flavored with coconut milk and cloves. The menu is vast, and I have yet to be disappointed. This is a great place for vegetarians and for diners looking for an interesting yet reasonably priced meal. Wine drinkers can bring their own bottles and pay no corkage.
5829 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill, 412-421-7600.

BIGELOW GRILLE
Although Bigelow Grille is not a new restaurant, it would be impossible to look back on 2006 without commenting on Chef Kevin Sousa's Alchemy menu, which debuted last summer. This 25-course tasting menu featuring the amazing flavors and surprising textures of molecular gastronomy is served to just 12 diners each Tuesday through Saturday. The jellies, foams, powders and purees are created by transforming normal ingredients through special chemical and mechanical means. The revolutionary new techniques being practiced at the Bigelow Grille bring a cutting-edge new food trend to Pittsburgh. Only a handful of chefs in all of America are producing such menus. Kudos to Chef Sousa and the Bigelow Grille management team who encouraged his creative experiment.
1 Bigelow Square, Downtown, 412-281-5013.

Although a few restaurants closed this year, the diversity of cuisines and the range of prices available raise our city to new heights on the Gourmet scale.