In response to the OP: I can enjoy a wide range of food, I adjust my expectations to the level of the restaurant. I can enjoy simple comfort food as delicious when it's good and I enjoy an incredible meal at real fine dining restaurant. A real fine dining restaurant can provide more surprises and swooning over great combinations and unique textures and flavors though I still enjoy other food.

In response to LongingForORD, I think that a lot of restaurants position themselves and are sometimes regarded as fine dining restaurants when they are not really that, a wolf in sheeps clothing if you will. That's one of the difficulties in traveling, finding real fine dining that meets one's own tastes. It's often hard to gauge recommendations in other cities since you may not know much about the recommender.