San Francisco restaurants and Michelin stars
I was really hoping I'd find some fallout from the newly released Michelin ratings for San Francisco restaurants. It took a little digging, but I think I've found some good stuff.

The San Francisco Chronicle says, "OMG they just don't get us. We're better than New York!" (Also, I didn't see this until I went out after work, but this story was on the front page. Food is serious business.)
"I'm disappointed by not getting two stars," said La Folie's Roland Passot, who has a four-star rating from The Chronicle but got just one from Michelin. "I was not expecting to get three stars, but I was hoping to get two. I don't know how they judged.

"Some of the one-stars have no tablecloths and people waiting in line outside. I know we're better than those restaurants," Passot said.

The Chronicle's restaurant reviewer says, "The French Laundry is TOO GOOD." (Comments are still growing on this entry.)
Maybe we should blame it on the French Laundry. I wonder if our restaurants are being handicapped because it's much better than any of the other restaurants here and the three stars in New York, including Per Se.

eGulleteers weigh in with mixed reactions.
I'll bite. After living in San Francisco for a number of years, I was eagerly awaiting the announcement, and to be honest, it left me extremely apathetic to the whole thing. I don't mean to discredit those who have earned their stars (and congrats go out to you!) but the whole Michelin Guide seems to me at least, to be a bit lost here in America.

But for the ultimate explosion, we turn to Joy at Confessions of a Restaurant Whore.
All I can say is: What the fuck?

I have been waiting for this announcement with the anticipation of a virgin on prom night. Sadly, like the aforementioned, I have ended up with nothing but the disappointing knowledge that the real thing can never live up to the fantasy.

Range, an excellent restaurant, is totally worthy of it's one star, but why then why no Delfina? Why no Zuni? And how do you put Range and The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton in the same category? The Ritz should have two at least, in my opinion. They are making some bad ass yums over there. And Bushi-tei? Really? Because I just don't see it, folks.

Don't even get me started on Michael Mina's two stars. I just about puked on my keyboard reading that shit.

Isn't that fabulous? And all over restaurant ratings!

ETA: I forgot to check Yelp. They've got a big thread about it. It basically comes down to, "Michelin sucks, and our reviews here at Yelp are much better!"

ETA2: Oh yeah, and then there's Chowhound, too.

And an excellent quote from Clark Wolf in the San Jose Mercury News (registration required):
"It shows Michelin is anachronistic and doesn't know what it's doing," Wolf says about the Bay Area list. "The message is that this guide is for French people who want to visit San Francisco in 1960. To give Fleur de Lys and La Folie only one star and to give Aqua two means they're smoking funny cigarettes. This is all just a waste of paper."

VERY LATE ETA: This person has found every blog everywhere complaining about the Michelin stars.