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Le Bec-Fin, which had received the Mobil Travel Guide's top ranking for two decades, rated only four stars in the guide's 2000 edition released this week. No other city restaurant has received five stars from Mobil.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/a/AP...ar-Philly.html

My favorite Philadelphia restaurant- still!

Kurt

Interesting story - do you have info on what those 18 5-star restaurants nationwide are?

Dr. PfP

Another reason to avoid Philadelphia.

MileageAddict

Avoid Philly? Nah! Forget about those 5 star joints and get yourself a cheesetake hoagie and a soft pretzel, wash it down with a Frank's soda and have some Tastykakes for dessert.


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Beckles

I assume this hasn't changed this year, but here in N'Awlins our only Mobil 5-star restraunt (despite all of our excellent restraunts) is The Grill Room, which is located in our only Mobil 5-star hotel, The Windsor Court.

shadow

Mileage Addict...

MisterNice

Kurt-

Here you go..........

The Dining Room, Atlanta
Seeger's, Atlanta
Ginza Sushiko, Beverly Hills, Calif.
Maisonette, Cincinnati
Charlie Trotter's, Chicago
Restaurant at the Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
Picasso at the Bellagio, Las Vegas
Renoir at The Mirage, Las Vegas
Nuances, Montreal
The Grill Room, New Orleans
Daniel, New York City
Jean Georges, New York City
Le Cirque 2000, New York City
Lespinasse, New York City
Gary Danko's, San Francisco
Mary Elaine's, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Inn at Little Washington, Washington, Va.
The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif

essxjay

RUN, don't walk, to Gary Danko's in San Francisco. It's the only thing better than Krispy Kremes.

Seriously, it's to die for. Be sure to leave room for the cheese course. That's a real treat.

Djlawman

Good news, folks!! Philadelphia HAS NOT lost Le Bec-Fin, the restaurant in question (which was an remains superb). George Perrier has simply lost one of his stars. Anyone in town should still eat there for one of the best meals you will ever have this side of the Left Bank.

Djlawman

Nanook

The Mobil Star ratings and the AAA Diamond ratings are highly overrated. They send one or two different raters to properties and rate them on the basis of those visits. In some cases they visit just one time. Maybe the rater was having a bad day, had the flu, was angry at his/her spouse, etc. Perhaps the chef or the waiter was having a bad day and didn't do his/her best that one time. These ratings are just a guideline. These days, losing a star is nothing to lose sleep over. I'm sure Le-Bec Fin is just as good as it always was.

dflyer829

Deleted

newself

essxjay,

I thought only a pint of Guinness was better than Krispy Kreme's?

Catman

What's losing One star??? DJlawman is right.

I should try this place whenever I get back to Philadelphia.

OMNI: where is the best Guiness? In DUblin (where I'll be for 30 hours in March) or USA?

Personally: I think a steak with a cold beer is better than a Krispy Kreame or Guiness.

dgolds

Gary Danko 5 stars, Masa's not? Hard to believe...

I'm trying to get to Gary Danko some time next month (for my birthday), thanks for the wonderful recommendation, SXJ.

BillMorrow

I once had a neighbor who worked for AAA rating hotels.

He had some interesting comments about the way AAA rates properties.

Apparently, AAA takes the rating of 4 & 5 diamond properties very seriously. 1 & 2 diamond properties receive their ratings based on open visits from AAA inspectors and rarely rate an overnight stay unless they are being considered for 3 diamonds.

The basic chain (Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Marriott, etc) hotel/motel will rate 3 diamonds as long as it meets certain standards for facilities available and some general cleanliness standards. Each 3 diamond property generally receives 2-3 stays per year.

Overall, each diamond level has an objective set of requirements that a property must meet. For example, no matter how nice a property is, it will not receive a 5 diamond rating if it does not have a pool or 24 hour room service. Outside of that, there are a lot of subjective issues (service, cleanliness, ambience) in determing 4 & 5 diamond ratings.

For a 'nice' property, it is not all that difficult to qualify for 4 diamonds. Good facilities, up to date rooms with good housekeeping, maintenance and reasonable service will net a property 4 diamonds.

For a property to reach 5 diamonds is much more difficult. A property being considered for 5 diamonds (or renewal) will receive 7-10 anonymous overnight stays by AAA inspectors. Additionally, they will have announced meetings with management to discuss the property.

Generally, a property must have been open or under the same management for a certain period of time before it will be considered for 4 or 5 diamonds (2-3 years in the case of a 5 diamond rating). Properties who are not happy with their ratings can ask not to be listed in AAA's guide books. (The Homestead is famous for this) Complaints from AAA members about 4 & especially 5 diamond properties are taken seriously.

Note: the above info is about regular hotels/motel and not restaurants or special properties like inns.

Thought you might find this of interest.