What does 3-4 star mean to you?

[AsianEscoffier]

As a journeyman cook, my career has enabled me to live and work in various cities. When I first moved to San Francisco in 2006, I was shocked when I found out the Chronicle ratings for various restaurants in town. I recall working in a certain manhattan restaurant, and the level of tension that permeated the kitchen when we found out that Grimes(NY Times) was coming in to eat. This restaurant had an amazing staff, and outstanding chef, and at the time(2002/2003) I believe that it was the best seafood restaurant in the city. When the review came out, and we had got our 3 stars, everyone was excited, the chef was patted on the back, cooks got glasses of champagne, it was a good moment, that had punctuated a tough tough season of working our asses off. And why? cause, even in a city with thousands of chefs with 4 star ambitions, getting 3 stars meant something. It meant you were good. Really good. There are numerous superstars that have never had more then 3 nytimes stars, and they are no less then culinary gods in my mind.

However, here in San Francisco there is a different story. It seems that Chronicle critic michael bauer gives out 3, 3 1/2 stars like they were going out of style. I first really started thinking about it when i ate at La Folie and later found out that they were 4 stars. I was taken aback, because i was so thoroughly disapointed with that meal, that I was furious at myself for having wanted to eat there. Old school, heavy, huge portions, same veg sets on different entrees. I ate the 5 course dinner and left there more full than any meal of my life, and yet so completely unsatisfied. Then I found out chez nous was a 3 star restaurant. 3 Stars! Its a glorified neighborhood restaurant, and yet its deserving of three stars!

All told there are 115 3 star restaurants and another 25 three and a half/four star restaurants. Am I the only one who thinks that his grading system is completely off kilter? Really, Coi the same level as Delfina? Rubicon the same as A-16? Meadowood the same as the Matterhorn? Tell me what you think guys...

[EJCSanFran]

The problem is Michael Bauer. The best article about this is called "Eating in Michael Bauer's Town" by Maile Carpenter - it's from 2001, but well worth reading. Here's a link to the original article:

http://web.archive.org/web/20030618052317/...auer/bauer.html

Essentially, the article points out that Michael Bauer does virtually nothing to hide his identity when dining out, that he has very particular (and rather pedestrian) likes and dislikes (which some believe has hampered creativity among chefs eager to get a favorable review - they have to create a menu that kowtows to Mr. Bauer); and that he both reviews restaurants AND determines what goes into the Food section - thus allowing him to promote his friends and smite his enemies.

Another write-up on Bauer here:

http://www.slammedmagazine.com/inthisissue...004/bayarea.php

It's a shame, really, that this lackluster character holds such sway in a town known for it's food and restaurants.

As one observer put it, "“He’s a mediocre writer, a mediocre mind, a man of no inspiration and limited taste.”

Edited March 18, 2008 by EJCSanFran (log)