Chicago Michelin Guide

adambparker · Nov 16, 2010

The list of starred restaurants was released today, a day early, after the (accurate) list of star ratings was published yesterday on Yelp. List is below:

*** Alinea
*** L2O
** Avenues at the Peninsula Hotel
** Charlie Trotter's
** Ria at the Elysian Hotel
* Blackbird
* Boka
* Bonsoiree
* Crofton on Wells
* Everest
* Graham Elliot
* Longman & Eagle
* Naha
* NoMI
* Schwa
* Seasons
* Sepia
* Sixteen
* Spiaggia
* Takashi
* Topolobampo
* Tru
* Vie

Michelin released its Bib Gourmand (excellent food for a good value, I believe under $40 for an entree appetizer and a glass of wine or dessert) list last week, which includes the following restaurants:

"¢ Ann Sather
"¢ Belly Shack
"¢ Bistro 110
"¢ The Bristol
"¢ Browntrout
"¢ Ceres' Table
"¢ Cumin
"¢ De Cero
"¢ deca
"¢ DeCOLORES
"¢ Frances' Deli
"¢ Frontera Grill
"¢ Gilt Bar
"¢ Girl & The Goat
"¢ Green Zebra
"¢ Han 202
"¢ Hopleaf
"¢ Jaipur
"¢ Kith & Kin
"¢ La Creperie
"¢ La Petite Folie
"¢ Los Nopales
"¢ Lula CafÃ

"¢ M. Henry
"¢ mado
"¢ Mexique
"¢ Mixteco Grill
"¢ Nana
"¢ Nightwood
"¢ Opart Thai House
"¢ Otom
"¢ Paramount Room
"¢ Perennial
"¢ The Publican
"¢ The Purple Pig
"¢ Raj Darbar
"¢ Riccardo Trattoria
"¢ Smak-Tak
"¢ Smoque BBQ
"¢ Spacca Napoli
"¢ Taste of Peru
"¢ Thai Village
"¢ Twin Anchors
"¢ Urban Belly
"¢ Veerasway
"¢ West Town Tavern

gladhands · Nov 16, 2010

::dismissive wank:: Michelin places too much stock in **** other than the food. I couldn't care less how beautiful the space is or how professional the waitstaff. My favorite (one) starred restaurant on that list doesn't even have waitiers, but for my money kicks the living **** out of Trotter's.

That budget list is pretty on point, though. Now that I no longer live in Chicago, and don't have to deal with the waits, I highly recommend Taste of Peru, just don't take the owner's wine suggestions.

kwilkinson · Nov 16, 2010

Originally Posted by gladhands

I couldn't care less how professional the waitstaff.

I think most people would disagree with you on that.

Manton · Nov 16, 2010

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

I think most people would disagree with you on that.

It's something a lot of people (me included) take for granted. When it's good you don't notice and don't give proper credit. When it's bad you (I) get really pissed off and it ruins everything.

kwilkinson · Nov 16, 2010

Originally Posted by Manton

It's something a lot of people (me included) take for granted. When it's good you don't notice and don't give proper credit. When it's bad you (I) get really pissed off and it ruins everything.
Absolutely. And IMO, great food can outweigh bad service. However, it's ridiculous for someone to think that service shouldn't be taken into account when making a list of the best restaurants in a city.

itsstillmatt · Nov 16, 2010

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Absolutely. And IMO, great food can outweigh bad service. However, it's ridiculous for someone to think that service shouldn't be taken into account when making a list of the best restaurants in a city.
Bring me my beer. Seriously, service matters. I think people focus on the wrong issues w/r/t service sometimes, but good, professional service is part of what a restaurant provides. Sometimes, and I mention no names, pompous servers try to upsell you on Champagne turning a marginal dinner into a relatively poor one. Sometimes.

kwilkinson · Nov 16, 2010

Also LOL @ Kahan tweeting about Avec getting "snubbed." Also LOL @ De Cero getting even mentioned in this book.

gladhands · Nov 16, 2010

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Absolutely. And IMO, great food can outweigh bad service. However, it's ridiculous for someone to think that service shouldn't be taken into account when making a list of the best restaurants in a city.

Service absolutely matters, but not to the extent that it plays into the reviews. Restaurants without old-world grand restaurant-style service always suffer when it comes to Michelin.

itsstillmatt · Nov 16, 2010

Originally Posted by gladhands

Service absolutely matters, but not to the extent that it plays into the reviews. Restaurants without old-world grand restaurant-style service always suffer when it comes to Michelin.
I think you are making a mistake w/r/t understanding what Michelin is identifying. It isn't the "best food," but the restaurants fitting a certain standard. How you rate service as a component of dining doesn't really matter, since they aren't rating on your scale. Also, they are terrible at understanding local food scenes, so that can make some things look silly.

adambparker · Nov 16, 2010

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Absolutely. And IMO, great food can outweigh bad service. However, it's ridiculous for someone to think that service shouldn't be taken into account when making a list of the best restaurants in a city.

+1, especially as someone who spends a lot of time asking about what's in various dishes (dietary restrictions). L20 was at another level from any of the other restaurants I've been to in terms of service (haven't been to Alinea). It really enhanced the experience in notable ways.

otc · Nov 16, 2010

so who wants to go to alinea with me?

SField · Nov 16, 2010

Funny Avec gets no mention when it's the only place I'd ever go back to of Kahan's establishments.

Tru is more than a 1 star, as is Everest. Those to me, are solid 2 star establishments. If Schwa were fancier you could say the same.

Spiaggia is also more than a star, but it needs to get out of the 80s first.

dhc905 · Nov 16, 2010

Originally Posted by SField

Funny Avec gets no mention when it's the only place I'd ever go back to of Kahan's establishments. Tru is more than a 1 star, as is Everest. Those to me, are solid 2 star establishments. If Schwa were fancier you could say the same. Spiaggia is also more than a star, but it needs to get out of the 80s first.
+1. Food and service are definitely >1* Also de cero sucks, big time. One of the worst meals I've had with bad service and I paid a pretty penny for it. I felt totally cheated, so I asked the waiter if I could take a bottle of their hot sauce as recompense. He agreed, so I guess it wasn't all bad.

SField · Nov 16, 2010

Service at the Elysian is a problem but the food is good.

There's definitely a few omissions... Les Nomades, Oceanique etc... they deserve some stars for sure.

kwilkinson · Nov 16, 2010

Les Nomades not getting a star is a big snub. I'm also surprised at how many ones there are, while so few twos. I would think Boka, Tru, and Graham Elliot would have two.

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