Monday, October 15, 2007 12:06 PM

Ratings are based primarily on food quality but take into account service and ambience. Restaurants that earn no stars are rated poor.

* Satisfactory

Restaurants that are useful to know about if you are nearby; they may have only a few dishes or a single quality, such as a view or atmosphere, to distinguish them.

** Good

Restaurants with gen-erally appealing cooking, service and settings; they tend to be worth driving across town for.

*** Excellent

Rewarding destinations, no matter where you're coming from; they typically blend high-quality cooking with the environs and service to match.

**** Superlative

An unsurpassed dining experience; these restaurants do what they do extraordinarily well.