Ris

Ris Lacoste helms the stove at this terrific neighborhood spot, a draw for diners in the company of family, friends, and business associates alike. The sprawling, light-filled dining room is dressed in earth tones and filled with intimate corners for an air of seductive sophistication. And the menu, with its ramped-up takes on the tried-and-true, toes the line between familiar and surprising. Loaded with butter and olive oil and jazzed up with red pepper flakes, linguine with clams is briny and delicious and chicken Milanese has a perfectly zippy tomato topping. The crab cakes are always on point, and the crown of cauliflower is both interesting and complex, thanks to an ensemble of roasted vegetables slicked with mustard cream and an army of flavors.