Hark! Michelin season is officially upon us, as the tire-manufacturers-slash-restaurant-arbiters released their Bib Gourmand list today. This is the precursor to their coveted awarding of stars to what they deem to be the city's best restaurants, a way to recognize restaurants that provide an excellent value but aren't quite worthy of their highest honor.

Occasionally, though, the Bib Gourmand list brings us drama. This year, it most definitely did.

Among its 54 honorees (up two from last year) was Longman & Eagle (2657 N. Kedzie Ave.). This constitutes a major snub: The Logan Square restaurant-slash-inn had maintained its 1-star status for seven (!) straight years. 

It's been a weird year for Longman, though—founding chef Jared Wentworth remains with the restaurant as a partner but now focuses his time on Regards to Edith, the newly opened restaurant from Heisler Hospitality (Pub Royale, Bad Hunter). I haven't dined there recently, so I can't say whether the downgrade was warranted. Perhaps this slip is a result of divided attention. Perhaps Michelin was just over it. Or perhaps nothing has actually changed, and the meat still flows freely, and now the tide of Michelin completists will die down and leave more whiskey for the rest of us. 

The full list of Bib Gourmand awardees: