Forget The Food Network—the real restaurant drama takes place in Ballston. Ballston BID CEO Tina Leone (with Brookfield VP Simon Carney, left) tells us to bring our appetites to The 2014 Ballston Restaurant Challenge, where the neighborhood will find its next signature restaurant. The event is designed to activate commercial space and showcase the community. Star power helps: Top Chef all-star and restaurateur Mike Isabella (center) judges, and the prize is sweet: a free, one-year lease for restaurant space and the next 10 years at a substantial discount (about $16/SF to start). Icing on the cake: The property owner grants a $245k, interest-free loan. The contestants will have a taste-off at the 27th annual Taste of Arlington on May 18 (20,000 people attended last year). The public can vote for its favorite contestant on a mobile application, and the winner will be announced in June. That’s Ballston putting money where its mouth is. For more info on our great sponsor, click here.