Let the gloating and chest-beating begin, the 2010 Michelin Guide to San Francisco (and we peons up here in the North Bay) is out.
Depending on who you ask, the honor is either the pinnacle of gastronomic awards (those that get the stars) or a shameful tripe stew overseen by crack-smoking monkeys (those who don’t).
Somewhere in the middle are those of us left scratching our heads and wondering if we occupy the same food universe as the so-called “famously anonymous” Michelin reviewers.
Because while some many of the choices seem solid (even perhaps staid), there are blind spots toward others. There are restaurants who’ve who seem to be getting the benefit of the doubt while newcomers (Restaurant Eloise, JoLe and Rosso) haven’t warranted notice in either the Bib Gourmand or starred category. Granted, I haven’t been to some of the starred restaurants in a couple of years (could they have changed that much?), but even Michael Bauer seemed to be hedging his bets a bit in his softball sum-up of the guide. For me it’s hard to understand exactly what rubric is being used to measure up to Michelin standards.
Seeing stars for the first time in 2010: etoile (the restaurant at Domaine Chandon), La Toque, Sante, Solbar and Ubuntu.
After Bauer’s scathing review of Bistro Jeanty, it wasn’t surprising to see it lose its star for 2010, though the demotion of Martini House was surprising. Galling is the fact that two restaurants, El Paseo (in Mill Valley) and Trevese (South of SF), were awarded one star, but have since closed. Tyler Florence is slated to take over the El Paseo spot.
Maybe patience is a virtue in the world of Michelin star-ratings. But frankly, I’ve lost mine.
The Michelin 2010 San Francisco Restaurant and Hotel Guide will be available in stores October 20.
Here are the 2010 standings...
One Star (*=new)
Wine Country
Auberge du Soleil (Rutherford)
Bouchon (Yountville)
*Etoile (Napa)
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant (Forestville)
*La Toque (Napa)
Madrona Manor (Healdsburg)
Redd (Yountville)
*Sante (Sonoma)
*Solbar (Calistoga)
Terra (St. Helena)
*Ubuntu (Napa)
SF and beyond...
Acquerello (SF)
Ame (SF)
Aziza (SF)
Boulevard (SF)
Chez Panisse (Berkeley)
Chez TJ (South of SF)
Commis (East Bay)
The Ritz-Carlton Dining Room (SF)
Fifth Floor (SF)
Fleur de Lys (SF)
Gary Danko (SF)
La Folie (SF)
Luce (SF)
Masa’s (SF)
Murray Circle (Sausalito)
One Market (SF)
Plumed Horse (South of SF)
Quince (SF)
Range (SF)
Trevese (South of SF)
Village Pub (South of SF)
Two Stars
Cyrus (Healdsburg)
Meadowood (St. Helena)
Coi (SF)
Manresa (Los Gatos)
SF’s Michael Mina and Aqua lost their two star status for 2010
Three Stars
French Laundry (Yountville)
+++++++++++++++++
The Complete List:
http://www.michelinguide.com/us/sf_stars_2010.html
November 7 – They are protesting use of Fois Gras tonight at Cyrus.
Frankly, Cyrus was a big disappointment. We loved Nick Payton and Gary Danko at
the Ritz Carlton in SF, but did not feel we had a dining experience worth the $$$$ at Cyrus.
Frankly, Cyrus was a big disappointment. We loved Nick Payton and Gary Danko at
the Ritz Carlton in SF, but did not feel we had a dining experience worth the $$$$.
I should probably make at least one actual non-snide point about the post…
I think guides like Michelin can be part of any decision about where to eat, not the be all/end all. I am interested in their opinion but it’s part of a bigger picture: friends, Yelp, Jeff Cox, Heather, comments here, etc.
Having said that, I’m disappointed about Eloise but imagine it’s only a matter of time. And I love the food and service at Madrona Manor, just don’t love the piped-in music. Feels so beneath them when everything else is so stellar.
MJF you are funny
Wow is right. I didn’t know there were three different ways to say that.
Yes, Heather, a few years can make a big difference……..Wow.
Yes, Heather, a couple of years can make a big difference……
Yes, Heather, restaurants can change that much in a couple of years……..
Heather seems quite venomous here. Is there more to this story? Who is better than the French Laundry? In defense of the Frenchies, both of those closures were rather recent. I think Eloise is fine, but not on a broader, national or global scale.
Eloise is in the guide, it just was not good or cheap enough to rate a bib gourmand or a star.
After a whole lot of dining this year, I would have promoted Madrona Manor to two stars status based on Cuisine, Setting, and Service.
La Toque’s star isn’t really its first. They had a star in 08 at their Rutherford location but lost it in 09 because they hadn’t been reviewed at their new Napa location. Now they have it back.
Love Rosso but no stars please until they add dessert to the menu. Some gelato and a tiramisu would be enough.
MJF – LOL
It’s a simple French bistro that gets overlooked but should be at least considered, De Schmire in Petaluma. I think they have excellent food, most of the time, and good service. Of the several times I’ve been there over the past few years, only once have I been disappointed by the food.
My hubby and I went to Cyrus right after they were awarded stars for the first time. We had the tasting menu, which I think I heard has been discontinued. Although the food and service were absolutely outstanding, never have we paid so much ($400 for dinner for two people, including tip) for so little food.
So disappointed to see Restaurant Eloise left off the guide. Michelin has overlooked a truly lovely place. It will be on the guide next year, while everyone who knows better will be going this year before the crowds.
Just had very dissappointing brunch at Murray
Circle, lovely setting, great atmosphere, food mediocre at best…Can’t believe it merits a star from anyone.
Could you re-submit your comment in English? Thanks.
Excellent, the Michelin guide is prefect for letting you know what to avoid, simply put anything with a star or above is rated by sommelier count, with food as an irrelevant chore between bottles of vineg… I mean wine for the reviewers increasingly atrophied tastebuds and braincells.
The Bib-Gourmand restaurants on the other hand are genuinely good and sometimes even genuinely excellent for real gourmets i.e. those more interested in cuisine, in food rather than wine and what the waiter is wearing.
Still it’s always fun to see who got demoted through basically being complacent and not realizing it’s not a lifelong achievement award, I mean to gain stars and then loose them means you can’t even do wine right! (and who manages to mess up the jollies?).