Food Distinctions

A friend and I were trying to figure out what to eat for dinner yesterday and all I could think was that I wanted vegetables.  She said she needed protein.  So, we thought we'd try Siri.  

This is how that conversation turned out:

Friend: Siri, find us a healthy restaurant.

Siri: I'm sorry, can you please define that?  

Me: Ok, that's not going to work.  We need to think of food genres.  

Friend: Genres?

Me: What's the word?  Ethnicities?

Friend: Types? Categories?  This feels like a bad game.  I can't seem to think of it.  What is the word?

.... <We both think about this for a while>

Friend: Maybe we should stop trying to think of the word and actually think of a characterization.  

Me: Characterization?  That's not it either.  Ok, um...something Asian?

Friend: Siri, find a Japanese restaurant.  

Siri: I found a few a little ways away.

Friend: That is so vague.  What does that mean?  

Me: I have no idea.  Wait, how many Japanese people are there here anyway?  Siri, how many Japanese people are there in Salt Lake City?

Siri: Let me think for a moment.  The answer is 480.  

<My friend and I laugh>  <We ask about various populations for a few minutes>

Friend: We have to think about food!  

Me: Middle Eastern!  That's healthy and it includes vegetables and protein.

Friend: Good call.  

Where did we end up going?  An Ethiopian restaurant we came across on our way to the Middle Eastern restaurant.  It was great.  

But I still have no idea what food classification is called.  Any takers?