San Anselmo’s Madcap, owned and run by Marin chef Ron Siegel, was once again honored with a Michelin star for this year’s Michelin Guide. The intimate restaurant, which offers seasonal tasting menus of modern American fare with French and Japanese influences, received one star — maintaining the one star it received last year.

It was the only Marin restaurant recognized this year.

Three stars denotes “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”; two stars signifies “excellent cuisine, worth a detour”; and one star is “high-quality cooking, worth a stop.”

“Upscale yet approachable, chef/owner Ron Siegel’s Madcap is one of the Bay Area’s best for contemporary dining,” writes the guide.

Marin resident Giancarlo Paterlini was also awarded two stars for Acquerello, his Italian restaurant in San Francisco — maintaining its two-star rating from last year.

“The cooking remains top rate, promising finesse and bold flavors in equal measure. Handmade pastas combine classic technique with a touch of personal style, and mimicking the art on the walls, some dishes like carrot and ginger terrine or the must-order cheese plate arrive as visual masterpieces,” the guide writes. “Sweets are a notable strength, down to the very last few bites when one of the best mignardises carts in town rolls up stacked with chocolates, pâtes de fruits and caramel rolls. Speaking of bests, friendly sommeliers are essential guides for navigating one of the deepest Italian wine and Champagne cellars in the country.”

Michelin inspectors anonymously revisit all previous winners and new prospects with five criteria in mind: quality of the meal; harmony of flavors; mastery of technique; personality of the chef and their cuisine; and consistency between each visit.