In a continuing effort to get a little more down to earth and recession friendly, the 2010 Bay Area Michelin Guide just released its "Bib Gourmand" picks, adding an extra 18 selections (Flour + Water and Dosa from SF) , for a total of 62. (The starred restaurant picks will be released on Monday.) In order to qualify to be considered for this Bib Gourmand selection, a restaurant must be able to get a customer out the door with two dishes and one glass of wine or dessert in their belly for under $40.

As usual though, the Michelin Guide's U.S. selections always leave me feeling a bit perplexed. Although they apparently have inspectors that live amongst us (not that are just flown in from France for duty), the guide always reads a bit like a European tourists' guide to SF, often selecting restaurants that I wouldn't say are on the majority of locals' dining-out short lists (Aperto, Le Charm, Sauce, Tomasso) and eliminating many that are perennial favorites (Pizzeria Delfina, Nopalito, Frascati, Coco500, Sebo … the list could go on).

I give you the list of the SF restaurants. See what you think.

Aperto        
A 16             
Bar Tartine   
Betelnut Pejiu Wu             
Burma Superstar              
Colibrí         
Delfina        
Dosa            
Farina                       
flour + water             
Incanto                
Kokkari Estiatorio   
Le Charm    
Mamacita        
Maykadeh  
Nopa           
Perbacco            
rnm                    
Sauce  
Slanted Door (The) 
Slow Club 
Sociale      
Tokyo Go Go           
Tommaso’s              
TWO   
Universal Cafe           
Yank Sing