Five Star Restaurants in Dallas

So I've based this list on the restaurants receiving five stars from the local newspaper, The Dallas Morning News. The paper defines the five-star category as meaning a restaurant is extraordinary, defining fine dining in the region.

We assign separate ratings for food, service and atmosphere and then factor them together for an overall rating. Food is the most important element.

Five-star restaurants are easy to classify: They're nearly flawless experiences on every level, the special-occasion destinations that set the benchmark for fine dining in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and its environs.

Abacus is one of the more eclectic choices on this list. I mean, how many places can you order lobster shooters? The menu is a little bit of Asian, a lot of contemporary and heavy on the fabulous.

The decor and location make for a bit trendier visit

Sadly, I haven't been here yet, so I can't give a personal review. It has been in Dallas for a few years, but just made the top echelon in the past year. So Aurora is definitely on the list. But until then, here's what the DMN had to say about it:

Basically, a journey to the heart of intelligently honed flavors crafted by an impassioned perspective unlike any other in Dallas. Or, to put it more simply: dazzling modern French fare.

We made it to Bijoux for my birthday one year, did the tasting menu and did enjoy it. The setting and menu is a more casual than The French Room, but the food didn't quite keep up. (And at the time, it was more expensive!) I could see where it got the five stars, but didn't think (at the time) that it was better than The French Room.

Hadn't been here in probably 13 years. At the time, we were still new to the world of five star restaurants. I remember having pheasant, not being able to see my food, sharing a bench seat with the people at the table beside us, arguing with my husband over whether that really was Kay Baily Hutchison at the table across the room. The restaurant has since dropped a star, remodeled, brought in a new chef and gained that fifth star back. And deservedly so.

The new look is lighter, airier and less stuffy. The food - utterly divine. We did the tasting menu with the paired wines and everything was amazing. Just amazing. Great way to celebrate a special event.

We're here at least once a year as it's the preferred spot for celebrating my husband's birthday. He was on a first-name basis with the somilier and our waiter (had the same one for the past nine years), the wine cellar is fab and the souffles ... ah the souffles.

The food continues to be fabulous, if solid and uninspired. (There was banana lime pudding this last time, though.) There's a new somilier who draws too much of a line between himself and the diner. And the service ... well, it's starting to unravel as well. Wines aren't there when the course arrives, servers aren't communicating with each other. Still love being there, but I'm not sure it's maintaining its five-star standard.