Originally Posted by
It'sHip2B^2
This right here is the key. I live in a city with about 100,000 people. We have no decent city-like restaurants. We have two "fine dining" places that just aren't. But people here think eating at those places is "like you are eating in New York". I don't particularly like going to Olive Garden but I go there here since the food isn't bad, the service is good, and the experience is consistent. It's all about what you have for comparison.
Similar story for me when I went to Tupelo, MS on business. We were taken the first night to a local Italian place and the second night to Outback Steakhouse. Outback was a far better choice even though the first place was local and more expensive.