Stars align for Rialto

How many four-star restaurants are there in Cambridge? One, according to the 2009 Mobil Travel Guide: Rialto. The guide's new ratings came out today.

What does four stars mean? According to the guide, these are "exceptional restaurants featuring food that's creative and complex, and emphasizes seasonality and culinary technique. A highly-trained dining room staff provides refined personal service and attention. Mobil Four-Star restaurants that provide this style of refined dining include Michel Richard Citronelle in Washington DC, Daniel in New York, as well as several of the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons dining rooms."

According to the guide's online search engine, the four-star restaurants in Boston are Aujourd'hui, Clio, L'Espalier, Meritage, and No. 9 Park. I'm not sure if this reflects the new ratings, as it still lists Craigie Street Bistrot instead of Craigie on Main. (It gets a mere two stars, less than Salts, Harvest, and Oleana at three, and tied with Elephant Walk and Baraka Cafe -- discuss.)

Neither Boston nor Cambridge has a single five-star restaurant -- nothing, that is to say, in the company of the French Laundry, Jean-Georges, and Charlie Trotter's.

Could Sensing be a contender next year?