After months of star searching here in the Bay Area for restaurants worthy of a Michelin star — or two — or three — the results are in.

Stars have been delivered — or not — to the worthy few.

Today, nearly a year after the inspections began, who got what can be found in the pages of “The Michelin Guide: San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2007,” ($16.95, Michelin.)

For months, restaurants have been on edge, updating their decor, revamping menus and doing their very best to earn the respect of the unseen, entirely anonymous Michelin inspectors.

For those who are unaware, Michelin is the outfit that has for more than 100 years traveled the world rating restaurants on the sly.

Inspectors visit restaurants several times, rating them according to various criterion, including quality of food and value.

So far, only 50 restaurants in the world have ever earned three stars. The Bay Area added just one to the list — the French Laundry in Yountville. The French Laundry’s star status, it should be noted, comes as no surprise. This reservations-only establishment is widely understood as a must-do on the list of all foodies — even though it does mean shelling out some $250 for a meal.

Four more Bay Area restaurants received two stars, putting them in the top 400 restaurants in the world. What’s interesting about the four that made this list is that at least two of them — Cyrus in Healdsburg and Manresa in Los Gatos — are somewhat surprising. The other two are the celebrated San Francisco restaurants Michael Mina and Aqua.

Another 23 stars were sprinkled around the Bay Area to establishments such as The Ritz-Carlton, Boulevard, Gary Danko, Fleur de Lys, Range, and Masa’s in San Francisco. In wine country, some of the one-stars landed at Farmhouse Inn, Bistro Jeanty, Terra, and Auberge de Soleil.

One star means they are among the 1,000 top restaurants in the world.

What does all of this mean? Narsai David, radio talk show host and longtime Bay Area foodie explains: “It’s the first guide in the Bay Area that sets forth objective standards. All of the restaurants are judged by professionals according to specific (criterion.) Do I agree with all of the guide? No. Do I think that San Francisco deserves to have more than two restaurants receive two stars, Yes. But I am pleased to see the standardizing of the review process.”

Who got how many stars and who deserved them will no doubt be the topic of much discussion all over the Bay Area for weeks, even months to come.

Why was Slanted Door — Naret’s admitted favorite San Francisco restaurant — left starless? What went wrong with Postrio? Farallon? Left Bank? Oliveto in Oakland? How could Chez Panisse get only one star? These are just a few of the whispers floating about.

Whispers, disappointments and disagreements aside, most guests at the Michelin San Francisco celebration Monday night were on good behavior, chatting politely and offering congratulations all around.

Guests — mostly winners, friends of winners and press — nibbled blackened shrimp and delicate sushi; miniature croutons topped with Caesar salad and spoons of cheesy truffle-infused pearls.

Even though winners had been notified in advance, as had the press, the room went nearly silent as the guide was served — on silver platters. Well-dressed restaurateurs and foodies hungrily opened their books, looking for details. Did Slanted Door get into the guide at all? Campton Place?

Flipping through the guide in search of stars, it seems the East and South Bay were all but ignored. Many favorite restaurants did not even get a listing at all.

In a post-party interview, Jean-Luc Naret, director of the Michelin Guide, acknowledged the inevitable debates and sour grapes, but insisted that in the end, the mere arrival of the guide to the area is a great compliment to San Francisco Bay Area’s cuisine:

“What people need to realize is that it is a huge compliment just to be listed in the guide,” he said. “It means that inspectors were impressed with the restaurant, impressed with what you are doing.

“The other issue is that we are not here to be in competition with (local media,) nor are we trying to be a replacement for other local guides. We are here because we see San Francisco as a place that deserves to be included on an international level.

“By bringing the guide here, we are putting San Francisco cuisine on a par with the rest of the world.”

One of the most exciting facets of this guide, he says, is the Bib gourmand, a rating of restaurants that serve great food at good value, under $35 per meal.

“This is a category that we include in all of our European guides, but we did not include it in our New York guide. We launched it here in San Francisco,” Naret says.

A third category lists restaurants that serve great food for less than $25.
“These are the restaurants that our inspectors say is fantastic. These are their favorites. These are the restaurants that if they were using their own pocket money, they would return to.”

Restaurants outside of San Francisco that made the Bib gourmand category include Bay Wolf in Oakland, Olivia in Berkeley, Cafe Gibraltar in El Granada, Junnoon in Palo Alto and Koi Palace in Daly City.

More of the East and South Bay restaurants grabbed space in the under $25 category. Those restaurants include Cafe Fanny, Cesar (Spanish), Kirla (Japanese), Ajanta (Indian), all in Berkeley.

Nan Yang (Burmese), Pizzaiolo, Le Cheval (Vietnamese), Soi Four (Thai), Tacubaya (Mexican), and Zachary’s Chicago Pizza, all in Oakland; Amber India in Mountain View; Hunan Home’s (Chinese) in Los Altos; Osteria (Italian) in Palo Alto; Piazza Italia in Burlingame; Pizza Antica at Santana Row, San Jose.

The guide also includes listings and ratings of hotels and brunch spots.

– Jolene Thym