Originally Posted by
mbstone
My gradations of U.S. Dining:
1. Michelin-star dining, usually found in ritzy neighborhoods in large cities (NY, SF, Beverly Hills, Vegas) and usually denoted by the chef's name on or closely associated with the restaurant.
2. Chain fine dining, e.g. Chart House, Palm, Ruth's Chris.
3. Chain dining, e.g. Claim Jumper, Black Angus, P.F. Chang
4. Chain suburban, e.g. Outback, Lone Star, Red Lobster
5. Japanese teppan
6. Good Asian buffets; local Italian; local NY/NJ fancy diners
7. Average buffets, e.g. local Asian, Home Town
8. Coffee shop, e.g. Denny's/IHOP; Boston Market
9. Fast food
Notes: Categories 1-5 have liquor licenses, 6 have beer/wine.
You're missing a category that would be either equal to, just below, or just above #2--non-Michelin-star local (non-chain, or at least regional chain) nice restaurants, for lack of a better term ("nice dining"?
).
AFAIK, there are no Michelin star restaurants in ANC (unless someone's been holding out in their advertising--the only one I would suspect would even be listed in the Guide would be the Crow's Nest). But I'd pit Simon and Seafort's, Orso, Glacier Brewhouse, Jens', the Double Musky, Kincaid Grill, or Southside Bistro against any chain restaurant any day. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with enough of these kinds of restaurants outside of ANC to give you a sample elsewhere (maybe the well-known McCormick and Schmick's in SEA, though I've never been there), but there's no place in your scale for them. Where would you put them?