Michelin honors 37 more California restaurants as ‘new discoveries’ — 7 in the Bay Area

Four months after highlighting 35 California restaurants as new finds, the Michelin Guide judges have named 37 more “new discoveries.”

Tuesday’s announcement is a run-up to the main act, the Dec. 5 release of the new Michelin Guide, with its coveted stars for culinary excellence.

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, said in a statement that he hopes these “regular revelations” will entice diners to “discover and support the restaurants around them.”

The newest list of 37 honorees features 18 restaurants from the Los Angeles area, nine from the Central Coast, seven from the Bay Area and three from San Diego. That list, combined with the previous list of 35, favors San Francisco and Los Angeles restaurants heavily.

Will the praise for these restaurants be elevated to Michelin stars? Or become Bib Gourmand honors, the Michelin awards given to restaurants that offer “excellent food at reasonable prices” to diners?

It’s a wait-and-see situation for these chefs.

Here are newest “discoveries,” along with dining notes from the Michelin inspectors:

BAY AREA RESTAURANTS

Bird & Buffalo, Oakland: “Picnic tables gift-wrapped with colorful plastic tablecloths and unhurried, nonchalant service readily evoke the casual roadside restaurants scattered throughout Thailand — and happily, so do the multifaceted, punchy flavors.

Cyrus, Geyserville:  “Celebrated wine country chef Douglas Keane has returned to the fore with his re-launch of Cyrus in Geyserville. Dinner is an ebullient experience that progresses from canapes and Champagne in the lounge, to small bites in the kitchen, and concludes with substantial compositions in the dining room.”

Hi Felicia, Oakland: “The transformation of a popular underground supper club into a fully formed brick and mortar may sound like a familiar tale, but rest assured that there’s nothing formulaic about this East Bay iconoclast, whose name is a clue to the kind of exuberant irreverence diners should expect.”

Itria, San Francisco: “This welcoming, easygoing retreat draws in a lively crowd with Italian cooking that’s appealingly modern. Chef Daniel Evers employs a confidently uncomplicated approach, bringing a light touch to classic flavors and allowing simplicity to shine.”

Ken, San Francisco: “The city has its share of intimate omakase counters, but few offer quite as much cozy charm as this six-seat gem in the Lower Haight.”

Osito, San Francisco: “Chef Seth Stowaway puts his heart, soul, and even his nickname (osito means “little bear”) into this rustic, lodge-like spot where live-fire cooking takes center stage. Warmth radiates from the central hearth and from the supremely hospitable staff.”

Yuji, San Francisco: “Specializing in kappo cuisine, the 12-course menu similarly reflects the seasons, featuring a progression of dishes spanning a series of delicate bites, both hot and cold, and culminating in a hearty dish of steamed rice (which might be enriched with hairy crab or a similar delicacy), paired with pickled and savory miso soup.”

CENTRAL COAST RESTAURANTS

AMA Sushi, Montecito: “It’s worth going all in on the omakase to sample the chef’s artistry, which begins with a trinity of bites from soba noodles and fried eggplant to sesame tofu.”

Bar Le Côte (Los Olivos): “Slide in to one of the booths or banquettes and settle in for a meal that is an ode to the sea and is best enjoyed with shared plates.”

The Dutchess (Ojai)
This quirky concept features a bakery/cafe by day and a trendy Burmese restaurant by night. Come hungry, as this heartfelt menu is brimming with snacks, salads, curries and large plates designed for sharing.

Ember (Arroyo Grande)
Its inviting industrial-rustic interior is the perfect setting for their heartfelt and down-to-earth cooking. You’ll likely never tire of the contemporary menu filled with comforting favorites.

The Hatch (Paso Robles)
It’s all hail to the bird at The Hatch. This downtown Paso Robles restaurant reveres the rotisserie and roasted chicken is indeed the must order.

LOS ANGELES AREA RESTAURANTS

asterid by Ray Garcia (Los Angeles)
The evolving menu draws from seasonal local produce and Latin American, Asian and European influences with Chef Garcia’s distinctive Angeleño point of view.

Caboco (Los Angeles)
This airy, industrial-chic space welcomes guests with a well-rounded menu of deeply flavorful and thought-provoking modern Brazilian dishes.

Camphor (Los Angeles)
Camphor plates seriously good French fare with a sprinkle of spicing from India and Southeast Asia. Creative cocktails, including the refreshing Saint-Germain, complete the experience.

Chulita (Venice)
Tacos are served all day at this spot where Oaxacan-style, California-influenced Mexican food rules.

Damian (Los Angeles)
Housed within a repurposed warehouse with polished concrete, exposed brick and pendant lighting, Damian has that industrial chic look down pat, and the menu speaks to a kitchen that is rooted in the nuances of Mexican cooking.

Yangban Society (Los Angeles)
Katianna and John Hong are behind Yangban Society, a DTLA multihyphenate that is equal parts deli, mini-mart and restaurant offering a multicourse prix fixe featuring straight-up comfort food with Korean flair.

Yunomi Handroll Bar (Los Angeles)
Chef David Movsisian’s Yunomi Handroll is located on a stretch of East 3rd Street that has become a hotbed of terrific restaurants and nightlife, and this cool, inviting spot is certainly keeping up with its neighbors.

SAN DIEGO AREA RESTAURANTS

Valle, Oceanside: “The name is a reference to the Guadalupe Valley of Baja California, Mexico’s premier viticultural region, which furnishes the restaurant’s wine list, and serves as inspiration for Chef Roberto Alcocer’s refined, modern expression of Mexican cuisine.”