I think with food, the key is variety. After a while of cheap eats, they get boring too. I travel a lot, but I'm always on a budget. I try to have one fancy meal each trip, and eat quick and simple the rest of the time. I often enjoy the quick sandwich from a bakers, or a little soup from a fast food deli, but if you space out your fancy meals, then they can be nice too.

I agree that often restaurants are over-hyped. I tend to go by personal recommendations rather than reviews. If that takes me to a small, family owned place that does killer pasta, then great. If it takes me to a 'frequented by the stars' type place, and my wallet can handle it that week, then that's great too.