That fancy french foodie bible The Michelin Guide has it’s new Bay Area edition going onsale this Wednesday. The seemingly odd role of a tire company and it’s dual role as a gourmet dining authority reverts back to the early 1900’s when the Michelin company began producing travel guides for upscale motorists of Europe. This new SF version is the 2nd version ever made for the US ( the first was in NY).

The Michelin Guide San Francisco, Bay Area & Wine Country 2007 lists only 356 restaurants out of over 3000 in the city, and maybe another 1000 or so in the region. So out of those 356, only 26 were worthy of star ratings, with the tiny 15 table French Laundry in Napa Valley getting the Bay Area’s lone & much coveted 3 star. Good luck getting a table there, or catching a Muni bus there, but if ya want to graze at some worthy, but supposedly lesser spots read on…

San Francisco itself warranted just two “2 star” restaurants, those being downtown faves Acqua & Restaurant Michael Mina inside the St. Francis Hotel.

As for one star joints rated by Michelin, the city’s borders hold
(by neighborhood)

• Fleur de Lys - Financial District
• Rubicon - Financial District
• Bushi-Tei - Marina District
• Quince - Marina District
• Range - Mission District
• Acquerello - Nob Hill
• La Folie - Nob Hill
• Masa’s - Nob Hill
• Ritz-Carlton - Nob Hill
• Gary Danko - North Beach
• Boulevard - South of Market
• Fifth Floor - South of Market

An exclusive reception for the nominated restauranteurs & invited guests, and media is scheduled tonight at the Ferry Bldg, ironically the same building where the popular Slanted Door did not make the 1 star cut.

On Wednesday, when the guide officially is released, a special public event will be held at 6:30 pm at Williams -Sonoma at 340 Post St with the Director of the Michelin Guide , Jean-Luc Naret. The first 100 attendees to purchase the famous red guidebook will also get a seat to hear apanel with local restaurant reviewers and authors like Patricia Unterman of The Chronicle, as well as reps from 7×7 and San Francisco Magazine.

For those not dripping dough, but still hungry for ‘tude with your food, you may want to research the 38 listed “Bib Gourmand” restaurants where a diner can get a glass of wine, and two dishes for less than $35. These moderately priced options were selected by Michelin’s inspectors as favorites ” for good value.”

The Michelin guide is such a status symbol amongst restauranteurs that the rankings are not without scandal. Last year an establishment appeared in a Euro guidebook before it was actually open… something the chef attributed to his “good relations” with the guides editors. In fact a book was even writtten about the insider world of the Michelin system, Pascal Rémy’s “L’inspecteur se met à table”.