Michelin taps 3 top chefs in L.A.

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- A trio of Los Angeles restaurants garnered two coveted Michelin stars in the first-ever rankings of the region.

The Michelin Guide gave two stars each to Beverly Hill's Spago, owned by celeb chef Wolfgang Puck; Santa Monica's Melisse, with Californian and French cuisine; and Rodeo Drive's Urasawa, a Japanese restaurant with seating for 10, the Los Angeles Times reported. No restaurants received the guide's top honors, three stars.

The French tire company Michelin has published the prestigious guide for more than a century, and in 2006 issued its first North American guide, for New York City. Michelin will publish its first Asian guide, for Tokyo, this month.