Los Angeles gets its very own Michelin Guide next week! Very soon we will be able to find out which of those restaurants we can't afford are actually worth it (according to some French dudes). It will actually be very interesting to see how Los Angeles fares, since we're not exactly an esteemed eating destination on the world stage, even though some of my very favorite restaurants and chefs are right here in this very city.
The big question will be - does any restaurant in LA get the coveted three star rating? Only one restaurant in the Bay Area (French Laundry) received that honor. There are some contenders, but it's going to be tough to meet the standard. I am rooting for Providence, but it may not have had enough to time to build itself to that level yet.
The restaurants who received stars will be announced on Monday, Nov. 12 at noon. I will put up the list as soon as I get it, although you will probably be able to find it on all the LA food blogs.
That night, a reception will be held for the recipient chefs at Le Deux, which strikes me as slightly hilarious, since I don't think you could have picked a better place to represent exactly why it's taken so long for L.A. to even get a Michelin Guide. I hope that Mike "Boogie" Malin and his Dolce Group are not holding their breath in anticipation of any stars for themselves, because I just don't see them forthcoming.
The book will be available starting Nov. 14, and the Barnes & Noble at the Grove will be hosting a panel that evening at 7 p.m. featuring Barbara Fairchild of Bon Appetit, Leslie Brenner of the Los Angeles Times, and Evan Kleiman, chef/owner of my beloved Angeli Caffe and host of KCRW's Good Food.
The Michelin Guide Las Vegas also comes out later in the week for all you road trippers out there.
Comments
2. i would give Melisse the 3-star nod, over Providence to the extent it's mutually exclusive.
2. I have never been to Melisse, although from what I know of it, it will probably appear in the guide. I will be shocked if we get any three-star restaurants at all. I throw Providence out there, because anecdotally, it's the best meal I have had in my life. I would give it three stars in my Michelin guide. I was eating things there I normally would never touch, and loving them.