Page 53 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

LA PERCH, opposite; salad at Faith & Flower, LA, right;
kitchen crew working at Valette, Healdsburg, bottom.
flavor-infusions. Fortunately, as the state
faces water challenges, olives are one of the
most drought-resistant crops.
Dining Among the Stars
It comes as no surprise that of the 148
Michelin stars awarded to restaurants
nationwide, a full third of them go to San
Francisco establishments. Let’s take a tour
of the gourmet galaxy.
San Francisco Bay Area
Aglow with coveted Michelin stars, the area
boasted a record 50 honorees for 2016.
Benu, French Laundry, Meadowood, Man-
resa and Saison all have 3, while
Acquerello, Atelier Crenn, Baumé,
Campton Place, Coi, Commis and Quince
each sport two. New one-star establish-
ments include All-Spice, Al’s Place, Aziza,
Californios, Commonwealth, Kin-Khao,
Lord Stanley, Mourad, Nico, Octavia,
Omakase, Rasa, Sushi Yoshizumi, The Lazy
Bear and Wako.
LA & Environs
Trendy dining spots include 71Above,
Animal, Erven, Faith & Flower, Georgie,
Gwen, Here’s Looking at You, Kali, Lost at
Sea, Maude, Nora, Paley, The Glen, The
Guild, Trois Mec and Wolf. Michelin stars
include Asanebo, Birch, Cut, Mélisse,
Osteria Mozza, Patina, Spago, Sushi Zo,
Valentino and Water Grill.
San Diego
San Diego’s food scene is currently buzzing
over Barbusa, Bracero, Campfire, Carnitas’
Snack Shack, Cucina Sorella, False Idol,
Herb & Wood, Madison, One Door North,
Pokirrito and Trulucks.
Silicon Valley
True Food Kitchen comes to Stanford,
while Andrew Welch premieres ASA in Los
Altos: he opened The Basin in Saratoga in
1999. Los Gatos gems include Nasch (Aus-
trian), Hult’s (Scandinavian) and Bywater
(New Orleans). In Campbell it’s Orchard
City Kitchen (Michelin starred Chef
Jeffrey Stout). Luxe dining divas Chez TJ,
The Plumed Horse and The Village Pub all
boast Michelin stars. Wine tasting
abounds throughout the Santa Cruz
Mountains from Summit to Sea.
Seacoast Stars
Think Mendocino for romantic and iso-
lated coastal dining stars, such as Chef
Marc Dym of Little River Inn and Chef
Nicolas Petti of Mendo Bistro. The creative
cuisine of Chef Peg Davis at Brewery Gulch
Inn makes it a gourmand’s delight and The
Wild Fish in Albion sets new standards for
seaside dining. The Madrones in Anderson
Valley offers centralized wine tasting,
gourmet food and posh accommodations,
and Mendocino’s beautifully preserved
Joshua Grindle Inn offers rest and respite.
Carmel & Monterey
La Balena’s authentic Florentine cuisine sets
a high bar, while Michelin-starred
Aubergine, Anton & Michel, Casanova,
Carmel Belle and Cultura are Carmel dar-
lings. Carmel Valley’s Lucia at Bernardus
Lodge, headed by esteemed Chef Cal Sta-
menov, features his new mentor-inspired
menu, along with Café Rustica, LOKAL,
Roux and Wills Fargo. Monterey’s 1833 is his-
toric chic while Fandango in Pacific Grove
offers Old World cuisine and charm.
» FIND YOUR
NEXT MEAL
Mouthwatering News
chow.com
eater.com
slofoodbank.org
tastingtable.com
seriouseats.com
2017 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A 51