Is Girl and the Goat, Stephanie Izard's much hyped and always crowded West Randolph spot, America's best new restaurant?

It's a contender, says the James Beard Foundation.

The New York-based organization on Monday announced the finalists for its prestigious chef and restaurant awards, with Izard's restaurant at 809 W. Randolph among the Chicago nominees.

Paul Kahan, the chef and partner in a growing restaurant group that includes Blackbird, the Publican and, soon, a butcher shop, is a finalist for the Outstanding Chef award. Patrick Fahy, Kahan's pastry chef at Blackbird, is up for the Outstanding Pastry Chef award, as is Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate.

In the category of Best Chef: Great Lakes, four of the five finalists are from Chicago: Michael Carlson of Schwa, Curtis Duffy of Avenues, Bruce Sherman of North Pond and Paul Virant of Vie.

Lettuce Entertain You's honcho Richard Melman is yet again in the running for Outstanding Restaurateur; Topolobampo, Rick Bayless' fine-dining Mexican restaurant, is nominated for Outstanding Service, and Chicago firm JNL Graphic Design is a finalist in the category of Outstanding Restaurant Graphics.

The winners will be announced in New York on May 9.