Originally Posted by 5khours

Re: Michelin - I don't think it's very accurate for Japanese cuisine. As for the western cuisines and at the risk of sounding snobbish and getting flamed, the vast majority of customers at the 3 star restaurants are on once in a decade outings and totally out of place at these restaurants. As a result the atmosphere is often very stilted. IMHO the ambiance of a restaurant is much nicer with a more sophisticated clientele who are actually able to relax and have a nice time in a formal setting.