XO CAFE,

Forget what went on the plates -- enjoying that was a given at this level of restaurant. What most impressed us about XO Cafe was its atmosphere. Combine the wait staff's dress code of blue jeans with white shirts and ties with a decor that mixes fun with refinement, and you've got a place where you can dine graciously-without feeling as though your parents are watching. Appetizers here are mostly Oriental, with even the calamari ($7) fried in a rice flour batter (although it is served with smoked jalapeno mayonnaise). The "Portabello Mushroom Fries" ($6) came as a tall stack of a half-dozen lightly battered tempura-fried slices accompanied by a dipping soy sauce flavored with anise. The presentation also included balsamic vinegar atop olive oil puddles, for some variety of flavor. For an entree, try the angel hair with lobster ($17) -- capellini topped with a blend of white wine sauce, butter, olive oil, fresh sun-dried tomatoes and herbs. The lobster was also in generous presence, with the meat of three claws and half a tail's worth. To top it off, the creme brulee tray ($7) consists of three variations of the baked custard -- chocolate, white chocolate, and anise -- suspended in a triangular wrought-iron contraption. Drizzled sauces of lime, raspberry, and mango decorated our plate. At a place like XO, where thought goes into details, the pleasant little touches add up.

Full review.