Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Image 1 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  AQ: Axing this restaurant was particularly painful because I truly admire the food crafted by Mark Liberman and how they change the decor with the four seasons. However this year 26 of the Top 100 entries offered a fixed price menu format, as does AQ, so I needed to get more diversity in the list.  AQ: Axing this restaurant was particularly painful because I truly...admire the food crafted by Mark Liberman and how they change the decor...with the four seasons. However this year 26 of the Top 100 entries...offered a fixed price menu format, as does AQ, so I needed to get more...diversity in the list.  Image 2 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Bocadillos: I love the small plate tapas concept, and this restaurant has been on the list since it opened in 2004. However on my check-in visit the food was very good but didn’t have that extra spark of excitement to seal the deal.  Bocadillos: I love the small plate tapas concept, and this restaurant...has been on the list since it opened in 2004. However on my check-in...visit the food was very good but didn’t have that extra spark of...excitement to seal the deal.  Image 3 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Bouchon: The food is always solid at this Yountville restaurant, but on two visit visits it felt as if the food was being prepared by rote.  Bouchon: The food is always solid at this Yountville restaurant, but...on two visit visits it felt as if the food was being prepared by rote.  Image 4 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Central Kitchen: The service bordered on annoying, and the prices didn’t seem justified for the food, albeit well prepared.  Central Kitchen: The service bordered on annoying, and the prices...didn’t seem justified for the food, albeit well prepared.  Image 5 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Dock at Linden Street: The restaurant and brewery installed a new chef late last year and the menu was simplified and pared down. Some of the best preparations didn’t make the cut.  Dock at Linden Street: The restaurant and brewery installed a new...chef late last year and the menu was simplified and pared down. Some...of the best preparations didn’t make the cut.  Image 6 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Farmshop: It was difficult to take a Marin County restaurant out of the mix, but the food on my check in visit slightly disappointed.  Farmshop: It was difficult to take a Marin County restaurant out of...the mix, but the food on my check in visit slightly disappointed.  Image 7 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Gialina: I’ve always loved the pizza here, but on the last visit it was unevenly cooked and the other offerings didn’t make up for it.  Gialina: I’ve always loved the pizza here, but on the last visit it...was unevenly cooked and the other offerings didn’t make up for it.  Image 8 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Greens: I was underwhelmed on a dinner visit, and because it was a pioneer when it opened in 1979 and was the only vegetarian restaurant on the list, I returned for a second check in visit. It confirmed that food had lost its edge.  Greens: I was underwhelmed on a dinner visit, and because it was a...pioneer when it opened in 1979 and was the only vegetarian restaurant...on the list, I returned for a second check in visit. It confirmed that...food had lost its edge.  Image 9 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Hopscotch: The Asian influenced menu in a diner setting is compelling, but on my visit to Oakland the flavors didn’t come together as they had in the past.  Hopscotch: The Asian influenced menu in a diner setting is...compelling, but on my visit to Oakland the flavors didn’t come...together as they had in the past.  Image 10 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Maven: Some staff movements seem to have had an unsettling effect on the experience. The food and cocktails were still good—I appreciate the idea of pairing each dish with a specific cocktail—but less inspired than I found on earlier visits.  Maven: Some staff movements seem to have had an unsettling effect on...the experience. The food and cocktails were still good—I appreciate...the idea of pairing each dish with a specific cocktail—but less...inspired than I found on earlier visits.  Image 11 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Molina: A chef change also change the dynamics at this Mill Valley restaurant, where much of the food is cooked over fire.  Molina: A chef change also change the dynamics at this Mill Valley...restaurant, where much of the food is cooked over fire.  Image 12 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Monsieur Benjamin: Salt is the enemy of this kitchen; at my check-in visit more than half the dishes needed a seasoning adjustment.  Monsieur Benjamin: Salt is the enemy of this kitchen; at my check-in...visit more than half the dishes needed a seasoning adjustment.  Image 13 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Nido: The rustic nature of the Mexican food at this Oakland restaurant set it apart, but it lacked finesse this time around.  Nido: The rustic nature of the Mexican food at this Oakland...restaurant set it apart, but it lacked finesse this time around.  Image 14 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Nojo: One of the few easy deletions. Owner Greg Dunmore sold to a Japanese company and the concept has changed.  Nojo: One of the few easy deletions. Owner Greg Dunmore sold to a...Japanese company and the concept has changed.  Image 15 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Piccino: This was also a very difficult deletion because this restaurant helped put Dogpatch on the map. I still love the feel of the place and the food. While the preparations remain steady, the menu hasn’t quite kept up with the competition.  Piccino: This was also a very difficult deletion because this...restaurant helped put Dogpatch on the map. I still love the feel of...the place and the food. While the preparations remain steady, the menu...hasn’t quite kept up with the competition.  Image 16 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Picco, Larkspur: Longtime chef Jared Rogers left to open a restaurant in South Carolina; a new chef did not have time to settle in before my deadline.  Picco, Larkspur: Longtime chef Jared Rogers left to open a restaurant...in South Carolina; a new chef did not have time to settle in before my...deadline.  Image 17 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Sante: I admire what Andrew Cain has done to transform the dining room at this restaurant at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. I have nothing negative to say about the experience. The only negative is that it has a more traditional approach and is expensive. In the end I just shut my eyes and deleted.  Sante: I admire what Andrew Cain has done to transform the dining...room at this restaurant at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. I have...nothing negative to say about the experience. The only negative is...that it has a more traditional approach and is expensive. In the end I...just shut my eyes and deleted.  Image 18 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Scopa: The restaurant is tiny, seating only 36 in a cramped narrow space, and getting a seat can be as difficult as winning the lottery. On my check-in visit the Italian-inspired menu didn’t have the same soulful character that set it apart on previous visits.  Scopa: The restaurant is tiny, seating only 36 in a cramped narrow...space, and getting a seat can be as difficult as winning the lottery....On my check-in visit the Italian-inspired menu didn’t have the same...soulful character that set it apart on previous visits.  Image 19 of 19 | Restaurants taken off the Top 100  Trick Dog: There can be no doubt that this is primarily a bar – one that changes its whimsical menu every six months – and the food is perfect for the venue, which is why it made the list in previous years. Today more restaurants are blending the two, and I decided it was more relevant as a bar is a restaurant.  Trick Dog: There can be no doubt that this is primarily a bar – one...that changes its whimsical menu every six months – and the food is...perfect for the venue, which is why it made the list in previous...years. Today more restaurants are blending the two, and I decided it...was more relevant as a bar is a restaurant.
The most difficult challenge of formulating the Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants each year is not just what to include, but what to cut. Obviously for every addition there needs to be a subtraction. Th…