Amalia

Enjoy inventive American cuisine with a coastal Mediterranean flair in an exquisite environment blending old world baroque elements such as silk chinoserie wallpaper and black Murano glass chandeliers with downtown touches like distressed brick walls, granite archways and a magnificent backlit mosaic tile "floating staircase" custom made by Sicis of Italy.

Amalia is sure good at run-on sentences in their descriptions. But there is more I'd add, notably the unique placement of artwork and old-world paintings...on the ceilings! The dark atmosphere and candlelight combine with a trendy crowd to make a pretty happening restaurant.

I'd say that Amalia isn't quite a formal restaurant but it is definitely upscale (and pricey - luckily this meal was compliments of my alma mater, thanking me for my donations). We had excellent service throughout our three-course meal with wine. The food was very good and the menu had some interesting selections, with a handful of words I'd probably have to look up before ordering. I think I'd go back if I had the budget for a fancy pre-theater meal, or a guest who'd appreciate the cool crowd and atmosphere.

Mezzo Mezzo

Mezzo-Mezzo might mean “half and half,” but this place gets the whole Hellenic taverna thing right. - Time Out New York

Valentines dinner at Mezzo Mezzo was cool, literally. Each of the five courses of the fixed price meal were delicious but some could have been served hotter. My guess is that a lot was pre-prepared for the menu and the holiday and was simply waiting under heat lamps - the service of each course was speedy and right about on time if a little early.

The lobster bisque had enormous chunks of lobster meat and was quite tasty. I wished it were warmer. The salad was nothing special, but tasty and refreshing before the stuffed portobello mushroom caps. These had a crab/cornbread stuffing with some melted cheese on top and were very tasty. I expected the mushroom caps to be larger (just 2.5" across) but in a five-course meal, portion size is important and this was just right.

The main course was "flounder stuffed with crab" which used the same cornbread/crab stuffing as the mushrooms. Very tasty, a little sweet, a little buttery. I found a few bones in the fish, but nothing outrageous. We also got mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes making it a very filling course. I brought home leftover fish, which was great for lunch the next day. Finally, baklava for dessert was flaky and sweet and delicious.

The service was friendly and the manager/owner even came by to see how the meal was. He seemed like a good person to know (I saw him offer another table a free round of drinks). The decor was warm with log-cabin style exterior walls and heavy wooden tables and chairs. The stone/brick walls added to the look. Apparently the weekend scene is big too with bell dancers and what appeared to be a dance club upstairs.