Striped Bass

The Scene
The marvel of this converted brokerage house building is not so much its indisputable grandeur--soaring ceilings, tall leaded windows and polished pink marble columns that look like tongue in aspic--but how comfortable the space is. Fabric-draped chandeliers soften the cavernous space and plants separate multilevel dining sections into intimate areas. Prices are stiff enough to push the crowd towards generous expense accounts and special occasions, but there's still an edge of casual chic to the place, especially at the bar, where skilled mixologists serve perfectly stirred or shaken cocktails.

The Food
You can drop 200 bucks on the caviar sampler, but it's more fun to see what the chef comes up with for the day's appetizers, based on what's fresh and in season. Dayboat sea scallops may be seared with pickled kumquat and orange oil or made into a ceviche basking in jalapeno and lime. A rich shrimp bisque, composed at the table, is sufficiently rich and subtly briny to make strong men fall to their knees, and a silky polenta with crispy garlic and a strong taleggio cheese is a great prelude for, well, anything. Count on surprising flavor counterpoints and hearty portions. Entrees are almost exclusively from the water, although a swordfish might be wrapped in Serrano ham and Arctic char accompanied by a short rib ravioli.