Michelin's stars out of reach for now

Oct 25, 2009 (The Sacramento Bee - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- WICN | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- With the usual mix of delight, despair and simmering debate within the restaurant industry and among epicureans, the highly influential Michelin Guide for the Bay Area and Wine Country went on sale Tuesday.

Though there were a couple of surprises that rocked the San Francisco dining scene -- Aqua lost both of its coveted stars and Michael Mina was demoted from two stars to one -- the fourth edition of the Guide held steady on most of its high-profile rankings.

According to Michelin, Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame remains the culinary king, San Francisco continues to thrive as a dining destination, tiny Yountville seems to have a great restaurant for every 2.4 residents, and, for what it's worth, the "famously anonymous" Michelin inspectors apparently don't have enough riding on their tires to make it to Sacramento.

At least not yet.

"It's bizarre how we are the state capital, and Michelin goes to the South Bay, they go to Yountville, and they go everywhere, but Sacramento doesn't get noticed," said Randall Selland, co-owner of The Kitchen Restaurant, whose $125-per-person prix fixe menu is considered the pinnacle of superb cooking in the Sacramento area.

Published annually in France since 1900, when there were but 3,000 automobiles nationwide, the Michelin Guide has become the most influential restaurant rating guide in the world. A single star signifies excellence. Three stars means a restaurant is one of the finest in the world.

Despite a flourishing restaurant scene, California's capital is not included in the 427-page red handbook, much to the frustration of some of the city's top restaurants. In fact, only New York and the Bay Area/Wine Country are rated by Michelin for 2010, a nod to the economic strife that saw Michelin cancel publication of its new guides for Los Angeles and Las Vegas. No other parts of the United States are included.

Those guides are expected to resume once the economy recovers. Michelin is apparently looking to expand its reach to more parts of the United States, though it is famously secretive. It entered the U.S. just five years ago with its first guide in New York, followed a year later by the Bay Area edition. Would it be too much of a stretch to include Sacramento?

"It's the reputation of the city. That makes a difference," said Morgan Song, whose artful and refined French-inspired cooking has won raves from diners at Ambience in Carmichael. "They think Sacramento is not necessary."

Song, who for decades ran restaurants in the Bay Area, believes Ambience and perhaps other Sacramento eateries stack up to some of the 39 Michelin-rated restaurants in the Bay Area.

"Lots of our customers come from San Francisco and they say to us, 'This is amazing,' " Song said.

Referring to the ongoing Michelin snub, Selland added, "It's bothersome. We get asked a lot why we don't move The Kitchen to San Francisco or Napa Valley. But my family is dedicated to Sacramento and we'll fight tooth and nail to keep pushing the envelope."

Though Michelin denies it can be influenced, getting the attention of the inspectors often comes down to marketing and hype to go with the high quality. When Las Vegas began opening restaurants run by some of the world's greatest chefs, Michelin took notice.

But Sacramento has often taken a back seat to San Francisco.

Michael Tuohy, executive chef at the new and impressive Grange, says earning a star requires high standards.

"There are a lot of one-star restaurants on the list that I thought would be two stars at least," the chef said. "Nonetheless, I think it would be huge if Sacramento was included. There are certainly a couple of restaurants that would be worthy of one star, possibly."

"They still see Sacramento as kind of provincial and not worthy of paying attention, which surprises me because we are the capital," said Nicki Rivieccio, operations manager at Hot Italian, the midtown pizzeria, and formerly of highly touted and now defunct Masque in El Dorado Hills. "The ones that come to mind right now, because they are really trying to achieve some goals, are Grange, Ella and Hawks in Granite Bay."

According to Jean-Luc Naret, the worldwide director of the Michelin Guide, neither politics, persuasion nor reputation play a role in the star ratings. Inspectors judge the quality of the ingredients, the cooking and the creativity, or, as Naret says, "the personality of the chef on the plate, not on TV or in books."

When told Sacramento restaurants feel overlooked, Naret smiled and said, "I specialize in frustrating cities."

Mario Ortiz, general manager at the Firehouse Restaurant, said getting Sacramento recognized may take a combination of competition among restaurants -- pushing one another to new heights -- and cooperation -- forging an alliance to tout the overall quality and range of dining in the area.

"I think it would make a huge difference for Sacramento if we get in the Michelin Guide," Ortiz said. "I know there are some incredible places in town."

No one is suggesting Sacramento has restaurants to rival The French Laundry. But many contend that the capital has come of age over the past decade and no longer has to apologize for its fine dining scene.

"We have a farm-to-table grass-roots movement here, a casual but upscale dining scene," said Dennis Kercher, an avid cook and traveler who runs the popular Hidden Kitchen underground "restaurant," until recently out of his Land Park home. Kercher, who has eaten at several Michelin-starred restaurants, lists Grange, Mulvaney's, Ella and The Kitchen as local contenders for a Michelin star or two.

But he also admires the smaller neighborhood bistros that have flourished in recent years -- places like Tuli in midtown, Ravenous in the Pocket Area and Formoli's in east Sacramento.

"Maybe it's not Michelin, but it's really good quality with great choices," Kercher said.

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Call The Bee's Blair Anthony Robertson, (916) 321-1099.

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