ELIZABETH'S,

Keep this in mind when you visit Elizabeth's, whose owner/chef is Englishwoman Elizabeth Burley. The Brits are individualists to the core -- and not the least bit insecure about their eccentricities. This is evident from the moment you set foot in the overstuffed Victorian parlor that is Elizabeth`s dining room to the time you need to thread your way up a stairway and through the tiny kitchen to find the door to a utility bathroom behind the refrigerator! No airs, no pretense -- Elizabeth mops her brow as you pass, pausing only briefly to assure you that she uses no salt, no sugar, no butter, no cream in her cooking. What's more, in a town renowned for its wining and dining, Elizabeth has survived for seven years without a liquor license -- and with an unusual way of charging for and serving her meals. Of the six entrees available on the evening we visited, we had to agree as a couple on one, because the meals here are cooked for two (at $25 to $35 per person). Fortunately, William, our amiable waiter, guided us toward shrimp e piselli: shrimp poached and then baked with bread crumbs alongside fettucine topped with a pea-onion-mushroom sauce. Elizabeth's is an experience to lean back into. Visitors need to flow with the differences, to appreciate the style of the room, the menu, and Elizabeth herself.

Full review.