This restaurant just got SLO County’s first Michelin star
A Paso Robles restaurant is the first San Luis Obispo County eatery to earn a coveted Michelin Guide star.
The esteemed culinary guide awarded Six Test Kitchen, located in Paso Robles’ hip Tin City complex, a single star on Tuesday.
According to the Michelin Guide, Michelin stars are awarded by anonymous diners — known as restaurant inspectors — who visit restaurants and rank them based on the quality of the food, which is designated by one, two, or three stars, and the ambiance of the restaurant, marked by a fork and spoon symbol.
Six Test Kitchen is one of just 90 restaurants in the state of California that has been awarded a Michelin star. Elsewhere on the Central Coast, Bell’s in Los Alamos and Sushi | Bar in Santa Barbara also have single Michelin stars.
Six Test Kitchen, which is located at 3075 Blue Rock Road, Unit B, offers a multi-course tasting menu in an intimate setting with flavors inspired by the Central Coast, according to its website.
“Diners will be riveted from start to finish” by the restaurant’s menu, the Michelin Guide said, describing silky chicken liver mousse with shallot-onion jam, crisp-skinned duck with bay leaf-laced jus and pickled beets that “speak to the team’s focused yet complex flavor unions.”
Desserts such as honey ice cream with cherry blossom syrup and fennel pollen “depict a delicate blend of sweet and savory elements,” the guide said.
According to Six Test Kitchen chef and owner Ricky Odbert, chicken liver is always on the menu. Everything else is subject to change based on what is in season and available, he said.
With just 12 seats available nightly via reservation, dining at Six Test Kitchen is about putting diners’ focus on the food in front of them, said Odbert, an Arroyo Grande native.
“We want to go for two stars,” he said. “The end goal is to get two Michelin stars and really just pushing ourselves to that point.”
Odbert praised the restaurant’s low-key Tin City setting — “There’s definitely something to be said about sitting in an asphalt parking lot and having really great wine,” he said — and added that he’s not interested in expanding into a larger space.
“We have pretty much exactly what we need here to do what we hope to do,” he said.
SLO, Paso Robles restaurants recognized by Michelin Guide
Six Test Kitchen isn’t the only San Luis Obispo County restaurant to earn recognition from the Michelin Guide.
The Restaurant at Justin, located at Justin Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles, was awarded the Michelin Plate for its California contemporary menu and seasonal lunch and dinner offerings.
“Understated and elegant, this space is furnished with a tasting counter and tables just beyond. The muted décor allows diners to focus on the food—and (rolling vineyard) view,” according to the guide.
Hotel San Luis Obispo’s Ox + Anchor is a modern steakhouse with a southwestern feel.
The Michelin Guide advises diners let the staff lead them through the menu, perusing classic options such as ribeye steak served with button mushrooms or less traditional fare including an apple-brined pork chop and macaroni and cheese.
Six Test Kitchen is open Wednesday through Saturday, beginning at 5 p.m. Tickets are available on Tock, but ticket sales close each day at noon. More information available at http://sixtestkitchen.com/
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
