In the latest update to the California edition of the Michelin Guide, five local restaurants - three in San Francisco, one in Oakland, and one in Healdsburg - were recently added and given glowing reviews.
The three San Francisco locations all feature South Asian cuisine offerings. Azalina's, a Malaysian restaurant located in The Tenderloin, was complimented for its "economy noodles" topped with fermented chili paste and barbecued quail, and also for its "complex" pandan custard. Prospective diners are advised to "think California meets Penang."
Hed 11, a "swanky" Thai offering from Japantown, serves up "an 11-course menu that celebrates regional Thai flavors with a contemporary style." The review continues, warning customers that the "price point doesn’t lend itself to dining on a budget," but it still gives high praise to the way "Sweet and savory are blended throughout the menu."
Indian eatery Tiya's marks the last San Francisco entry on the list. Found a short distance east of The Presidio, the reviewers claim that the use of seasonal vegetables gives "a Californian edge to an intriguing contemporary take on Indian cuisine," and the room's elegance "adds an additional layer of sophistication."
The other two newly recommended restaurants are in Healdsburg and Oakland respectively. The latter, called Burdell after the head chef's grandmother, offers "southern-inflected fare" in gourmet style, with special praise given to its "thoughtful" selection of wine. "Who doesn’t love fried chicken with champagne?," the reviewer asks.
The former, Molti Amici, leaves the reviewer reflecting that few Italian dining establishments "manage to hit their mark quite so dead on as they do here." Wood-fired pizzas are described as "ideally blistered" and house-made pastas were commended for their "ideally al-dente chew."
All of these joints are eligible for Bib Gourmand awards or the ever-prestigious Michelin Star at Michelin's annual ceremony, located in Half-Moon Bay, coming up on August 5.
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