Nick and Stef's Steakhouse

The Scene
Who says a steakhouse has to be dark and macho? Nick & Stef's charts a modern path, dressing its dining room in pale wood and silky gold fabric and doling out sleek French knives along with its fine, dry-aged meat. The location in the MCI Center puts it within a couple of blocks of the Shakespeare Theatre--this means the restaurant can be hushed or hyper depending on whether there's anything going on in the arena.

The Food
Start with a zippy grilled shrimp cocktail or a tangy Caesar salad, tossed at the table by an expert waiter. Continue with a ribeye or lamb loin chops, rounded out with a potato dish--or two: The kitchen tempts with a dozen possibilities, running from satiny mashed potatoes, with more butter than you want to know, to sweet potato fries jazzed up with shaved ginger. No getting bored with this menu, which is best knocked back with something big and red from the fine wine list.