It can be "fine dining" but not "haute cuisine". I eat steak rarely, picking my choices carefully. Last one was at a French bistro in Melbourne called the European, chateaubriand for 2 beautiful meat but also with 3 side dishes (served on separate plates) of incredibly good coleslaw, potatoes with shallots, bacon and prosciutto, and green beans with pistachios. Simple food but carefully thought out and balanced flavours. I have eaten at the French Laundry and this was every bit as good. But most steak houses would fail to deliver to this level of food; and I was eating on the sidewalk, in a simple bistro. The secret of good food is to enhance the flavour and "terroir", to work with the food rather than to make it into something that it is not. Many chefs (and vintners) make the mistake of trying to mold the food in their image, rather than in the image of the food. Of course securing good provisions can be tough, and having to change the menu to match what is in the market is not viable for some restaurants -- while essential for others.