Mountain View foodies were elated after hearing big news about a small local restaurant.

Chez TJ, located in a Victorian house at 938 Villa Street, is now ranked among the very best restaurants in the Bay Area -- the top seven, in fact -- according the 2008 Michelin San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country Restaurant Guide.

The restaurant was given one star last year, but with its upgrade to two stars, Chez TJ's French cuisine is now worth a "detour" for travelers and food lovers, according to the guide.

The Michelin Guide is the most prestigious of all restaurant guides, and can significantly affect a restaurant's business. Guide reviewers reportedly visited eight times before awarding the stars.

The only other Silicon Valley restaurant with two stars was Manresa in Los Gatos. There are two others in San Francisco and two more in Napa Valley.

Only one Bay Area restaurant, the French Laundry in Napa Valley, received three stars this year. Twenty-seven Bay Area restaurants received one star.

At Chez TJ, guests will pay $110 each for a selection of 11 small dishes cooked by master chef Christopher Kostow -- a good deal, according to reviews.

— Daniel DeBolt

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