SMALL BITES THE BEST IN RESTAURANTS.

Byline: Larry Lipson

Special award nominations for the 2002-03 rating period by the California Restaurant Writers Association have been announced.

The winners will be honored at the 35th annual awards banquet March 24 at the Century Plaza Hotel.

There were only three San Fernando Valley nominations from the total of 33, these being Andre Guerrero in the Restaurateur of the Year category and his restaurant Max in Sherman Oaks in the race for Most Promising of the Year, also veteran restaurateur Ray Vega of Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks, up for the Mike Roy Pioneer Award.

Other restaurateurs vying against Guerrero are Alfio Vietina of Madeo in West Hollywood, Chip Stunniolo of the Derby in Arcadia, Roberto Soofiani of Caffe Roberto in Culver City and the restaurateur duo of Harold Legaux and Al Homore of Harold & Belle's in Los Angeles.

In the Chef of the Year contest, honorees are Gabriel Gordon of Blue Palms in Los Angeles, Massimo Ormani of Pammolli in Beverly Hills, Andrew Sutton of Napa Rose in Anaheim, Josie Le Balch of Josie in Santa Monica, Peter Roelant of Four Oaks in Bel-Air and Franco DeDominicis of Cardini in Los Angeles.

Maitre d' of the Year nominations were earned by Isaac Rivera of Celestino Italian Steak House in West Hollywood and Phillipe Quzeau of Taix in Los Angeles.

Three nominees for Male Service Person are Branden Frame of Pammolli, Atef Mih Hail of Breeze in Century City and Henry Kelly of Vito in Santa Monica.

Female Service Person of the Year is sole nominee Wendy Kohlhoff of the Buggy Whip in Los Angeles. And in the Pastry Chef category, Alain Vernault of the Patina Group in Los Angeles, Francisco Lozano of Loews Coronado Hotel in Coronado and Salvadore Acosta of the Hotel Del Coronado, also in Coronado, received nominations.

Restaurant industry veterans joining Ray Vega as Pioneer nominees are Daniel Forge of Beaurivage in Malibu, Tommy Tang of Tommy Tang's in Los Angeles and Andrew Cherng of the Panda Inn, South Pasadena.

Sommelier of the Year nominations have gone to David Jones of Crustacean in Beverly Hills and Christopher Lavin of Madison in Long Beach.

With Max in the Most Promising category are Alex in Los Angeles, De Mori in Beverly Hills, Zucca in Los Angeles, Top of the Glen in Bel-Air, Fleming's in El Segundo and Las Campanas in Riverside.

CRWA information: [phone].

DEVONSHIRE OPENINGS :Culinary things are happening on Devonshire Street in Chatsworth.

The long-shuttered Taste of Scandinavia at 21629 Devonshire St. has reopened. It's now called The Smorgasbord: Taste of Scandinavia and still presents the low-priced Scandinavian-style buffet. Information: [phone].

Soon, when the original Taste of Scandinavia at 21136 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, changes ownership and becomes Italian, this will be among the last of the once-prevalent smorgasbords.

Further east at 20951 Devonshire St., the Polish restaurant known as the Golden Duck quietly changed ownership late last summer.

New owner Evonna Pestka and chef Ed Buzan have expanded the menu, making the fare more Eastern European than just Polish.

Look for additional dishes from Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Russia and Germany here. Information: [phone].