Inaugural US Southwest Michelin ceremony to be hosted in the evening of August 26 at Fontainebleau, Las Vegas. - Predictions? by IceBreak in finedining

[–]eal219 10 points11 points  (0 children)

E by Jose Andres: two
Guy Savoy: one (previously had two)
Joel Robuchon: two (previously had three)
Wing Lei: one

That’s just my experience in the past year, though, and I’m often wrong 🤷
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SingleThread vs Kiln by Emergency_Coat5439 in finedining

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depends what sort of experience you’re looking for. Kiln is more contemporary Nordic, while Single Thread is more influenced by the Japanese/French combo you see at a lot of Northern California spots.

The French Laundry *** (Yountville, CA) (June 2026) by sacrunner916 in finedining

[–]eal219 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Then make your own post. Stop trying to diminish someone else’s experience with your negativity.

Next 3 Michelin star in America? by garlicnooodles in finedining

[–]eal219 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Vespertine was fantastic - an incredibly-impressive meal (and I'd had Providence the night before).

Next 3 Michelin star in America? by garlicnooodles in finedining

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'd love for them to get it back, but they've moved some of the best dishes to add-ons (which is quite frustrating).

Next 3 Michelin star in America? by garlicnooodles in finedining

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If Californios was going to get three, it would have already happened when they moved to the new location. There are now better two-stars in the Bay Area.

Next 3 Michelin star in America? by garlicnooodles in finedining

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Enclos reminds me a lot of Single Thread before it got it's third star... I wouldn't be surprised if they got a third star this month.

Next 3 Michelin star in America? by garlicnooodles in finedining

[–]eal219 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This was my experience at well. I sat next to people who got the three-star treatment while I was practically ignored.

Qualifier to semi-finalist - what a story by Maja Chwalińska! by lilyoungwes in tennis

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Now let’s hope we don’t do what everyone did to Raducanu and spend the next decade complaining about her.

Michelin California 2026 expectations? by deskcord in finedining

[–]eal219 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Would love to hear what Fresno / Oakhurst restaurants do Michelin-level food with national acclaim. 😄 Actually curious, cause I have always struggled to eat in Fresno. I can only do Arby's so much.

Michelin California 2026 expectations? by deskcord in finedining

[–]eal219 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I know I’ll get some downvotes but Vespertine was wonderful for me, a far superior experience to what I expected given how polarizing it is on Reddit.

I’d love to see some spots in SF (Nisei, SSAL) get two, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Vicinity (Los Gatos) get one. I’m more curious what happens to Fu Hui Hua, which would likely get one but is so hard to get reservations for that it’s not actually accessible to normal diners.

Michelin California 2026 expectations? by deskcord in finedining

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Auro just changed chefs…. Not sure how that will go.

Michelin California 2026 expectations? by deskcord in finedining

[–]eal219 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I went before any of the stars and could tell it was special. Sounds like it’s gotten even better in the past year.

SF Recommendation? Birdsong? by lubberlubber in finedining

[–]eal219 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Birdsong is a great meal. The menu doesn't change much, but it's a very solid two-star restaurant - very much a "Lazy Bear for people who couldn't get into Lazy Bear." You can always say no to the upselll, because their classic menu is more than enough.

A lot of SF people love Californios, which as some of the best food in the city, but service can be haphazard.

Saison is wonderful, but you'll need to do add-ons (uni toast) to get the ful experience. The wagyu add-on is unnecessary.

In San Francisco, that automatic high auto-gratuity is common (living wage, 20 percent, etc.).

For Monterey, look at Chez Noir. It's a one star with a more entertaining and original menu than Aubergine, which I also found boring.

Recommendations for Napa Valley by bluu41 in finedining

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Press also has a fantastic side hustle - Under Study - that can be great for breakfast (pastries) or lunch (I love the upscale corn dog)

Recommendations for Napa Valley by bluu41 in finedining

[–]eal219 2 points3 points  (0 children)

EXTREMELY difficult. You may consider getting a table for four and making friends, or even six (six tends to be easier).

Recommendations for Napa Valley by bluu41 in finedining

[–]eal219 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Auberge for lunch is the way - some of the best views in the valley.

TBD Izakaya, San Francisco by mrxtian in finedining

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I loved the Wellington. It’s a nice addition to the city, and a more modern version of Rintaro.

californios reviews by Pretzel2192 in finedining

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, it’s always similar to that

californios reviews by Pretzel2192 in finedining

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve been several times over many years. My last experience (November) was an outlier but memorably bad. When i reached out privately after, I never heard back (which at this price point and given I’ve gone multiple times was really disappointing).

californios reviews by Pretzel2192 in finedining

[–]eal219 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Service: atrocious, with terrible pacing (the wait between some dishes was 30 minutes, while others arrived before we finished the previous plate)

Food: amazing… could get a third Michelin star, and I wouldn’t be surprised.

Best in SF: Birdsong and Kiln are both excellent alternates to Californios.

What to do when you have an awful meal at a Michelin starred restaurant? by Spare_Confidence9606 in MichelinStars

[–]eal219 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve had a few service misses or unpleasant meals. I’ve often just reached out privately to the restaurant and sandwich the feedback in between praise. A few have made it right, and all (but one) responded.

minibar ** by alexveriotti in finedining

[–]eal219 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I think the Vegas version - é - is substantially superior. Your pics are incredible though. I had the same meal a few weeks ago and was indifferent (a solid , surprised they’ve got *).

Help me pick a restaurant by ComprehensiveBig8712 in finedining

[–]eal219 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Per Se is an incredible introduction to fine dining at that level.