michelin rating in L.A.

I am new to Los Angeles and have checked all the lists available. But what I want to know is which of all these restaurants is closest to being a Michelin rated type restaurant or is there anything comparable in Los Angeles? Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[mc michael]

What happened to Bastide? Wasn't the chef there trying to emulate El Bulli's chef?

[RicRios]

Resuscitators of this thread should do well reading extensive previous postings on the same subject.
The SEARCH function in this revamped version saves a lot of redundancy. thank God.
Also I somehow feel uneasy when two year old postings are brought back to life, but hey! that's probably just me.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/331236

[Das Ubergeek]

If you want the Michelin experience, hop a quick plane and go to the French Laundry in Yountville. We weren't "blessed" with the persnickety Michelin inspectors when they finally got to the US, that "honour" went to New York and San Francisco, and I'm perfectly happy to have it that way. I don't like "fine dining".

What we do best is holes-in-the-wall and scene restaurants.

And L'Orangerie is closing, which will leave Patina downtown as our only Relais et Châteaux restaurant.

[Sgee]

IMHO I've never experienced service here that would qualify a restaurant for 2 stars or let alone 3 stars. I attribute this to the "wild west" desire to disassociate itself from the old world elitism. (I'm a recent transplant from the east...)

Foodwise I've been to Providence and Spago in the last few months and don't think I would put them in 2 star land.

However LA does have a tremendous variety of cuisines that is not matched by any other city in the US (MHO).

If your looking for Michelin type experience in the US, stick to NYC.

I think there are about 730 local restaurants that are worth a detour.

As for the rest of the ratings, very few LA restaurants attempt to reach Michelin star rankings in terms of decor and service. Even our very best restaurants tend to me more relaxed and few US restaurants support the investment in silver, linens, and crystal that make Michelin-starred restaurants so ruinous to their investors.

L'Orangerie is Relaix and Chateau, if that make a difference to you.

If you give us some specific ideas about what foods interest you we can better help you.

I am not really interested in a specific type of food, just a restaurant that follows the Michelin principals.
Breads made in house, attention to detail from front of the house to the food, changing and evolving menus, good use of seasonal ingredients and consistency, innovation in cuisine. Could there ever be restaurants in Los Angeles along the lines of Ducasse, Arpege, Gordan Ramsey, and more recently the restaurants in Spain?

Alas, no. Probably never. If you follow the scathing comments and vitriolic "reviews" posted on this board of the few restaurants in L.A. that at least aspire to that level you will understand that Los Angeles will simply not support, or even nurture, a restaurant of that caliber. Whether from ignorance, inexperience, or the narrow-minded gastromonic provincialism of Irene Virbila of the Times, we accept the Spagos & AOCs as the height of culinary experience and gleefully tear down all who reach for greater heights. The shame is, of course, that ultimately we only injure ourselves by doing so.