Gastronomique: Bibendum to the Rescue.

The Michelin Guide will release its first San Francisco edition next fall. This follows in the footsteps of the New-York guide, whose first edition they released late last year. We can't hardly wait to put our hands on this. Which places will have the 3 stars rating, the one which means a restaurant is a trip destination on its own? The French reviewers are fussy, so the down-to-earth Chez Panisse might be out of favor. The French Laundry definitely checks in, especially since its little sibling, Thomas Keller's New-York restaurant, Per Se, got its *** already.

If obnoxious and smelly French people show up in your restaurant and make a scene, just accommodate them kindly. It might not be the Michelin reviewer, but it might be us all the same. If the Michelin list proves too selective, as only a handful will get the highest rating, you can always refer yourself to the more inclusive San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 restaurant list for 2006, unveiled last week-end. We were absolutely shocked --flabbergasted!-- to see that our favorite, Winterland, did not make the cut. We cannot name three better restaurants in the Bay Area. Other shocker: the inclusion of Dosa as one of the token ethnic places, while it is far from being the best South Indian restaurant in the bay. And Little Star got robbed! It's the best darn pizza in this city, for Chrissake, it belongs there. Anyhow, your mileage will vary, but you can take a peek at the San Francisco restaurants below the jump.