The Scene
Orange and red tones warm the casual front bar area and the more refined main dining room. Stretched mirrors and black picture frames minus the artwork add curious nuances to the decorating scheme. Cosmopolitan Eastsiders outnumber scruffier locals in Von Dutch caps. Earnest servers express wine-list knowledge but lack fine-dining finesse, evidenced by timing missteps and forgotten requests.

The Food
Chef Marshall Blair earned his gills at L.A.'s seafood emporium Water Grill, so it's not surprising that the fish dishes are enjoyable, but the hearty meat entrees are the unexpected treasures--tender braised short ribs fall off the bone into creamy Parmesan polenta. Aromatic grilled salmon melts with piquant chimichurri flavor, while robust crab cake, plump with shredded Dungeness, minced onions, carrots and celery, complements red pepper puree and homemade tartar sauce. For dessert, the cranberry-and-apple cobbler is a tart treat.