Wilson

My wife and I were introduced to Michael Wilson's cooking several years ago when we sat at the ultra small bar at 5 Dudley in Venice. It rapidly became one of our favorite restaurants. We've been at Wilson for lunch and dinner. The BLTE (bacon, lettuce, tomatoe and eal) for lunch was incredible. We've tried the salmon, chicken with pesto, vegetarian platter (changes weekly, or maybe daily) and mussel with chorizo. All were excellent. Took two very picky foodies there last night; they raved about everything, especially the pulled pork! Michael has toned down the caesar salad (you ate it with your fingers at 5 Dudly) and turned it into the house salad with white anchovies. Great place for lunch or dinner. Pros: Great food; fun location; wonderful service Cons: None worth mentioning more

Wilson has been on my radar since opening last month, and when I finally ducked in for dinner with friends, I wasn't disappointed. The tone is set by a cool, dusky interior with long lamps hanging over maybe a dozen tables - an open space dominated by a long bar crowned by a huge black and white photo of hundreds of bizarrely dancing chefs. The right side of the room opens up into the neighboring Museum of Art Design and Architecture for a pleasing, casual flow. A couple of tables are staked out on the front sidewalk, where we sat digging the comfy, urban vibe (the overhead lights have to go, though).\r There's also a back patio, but harsh lighting and austere concrete make that space less than inviting. Some well-placed planters and softer tones, i'm thinking... \r We had the Market Vegetables plate to start, scooping up the sublime orange reduction with pieces of the fresh backed bread and scarfing away happily. Both the bottles of wine ordered with dinner - a crisp Pinot Grigio and a velvety Russian River Pinot Noir - were spot on, though fairly pricy. Do try the Sirloin Salad and/or the Seafood Ravioli special if they have it - the interplay of textures and flavors should delight any foodie's palate.\r Service was attentive without being pushy (my water glass was always full) and the kitchen seemed to have its act together - not too shabby for a fairly new space. You could say Wilson's is on the upscale side of casual cool, but if it weren't for the prices, we'd probably come here every week anyway.\r Pros: pleasing space, gallery-close, appealing dishes Cons: pricy more

Foodies will love the great care chef Michael Wilson has put into both his menu and every dish that leaves the kitchen. He has a unique style to his cooking -- even soulful american classics are served with a European twist, presentation and flair (think tomato soup with mini grilled cheese sandwiches!). For something light, try the sirloin salad or the grilled skatewing, or for something heavy and AMAZING, the open-faced pulled-pork sandwich (carnitas are the chef's own favorite, so anything he does with pork is a labor of love). He bakes addictive fresh breads every morning -- focaccia, rustic, and some kind of honey oat (they'll ask if you want bread, rather than serving it automatically). Best deals for lunch are the open faced sandwich and the enchilada lasagne. I went when the place opened, and have been back several times since. They have worked out the early kinks of opening and are now open for dinner. Oh - and their pastry/dessert chef is equally amazing...even if you're not going there for dinner, it is a worthy wine & dessert stop before or after a show. Pros: Memorable food, great location adjacent to MODAA Gallery, casual ambiance Cons: Can be pricey more

honest chef / owner\r incredible cuisine\r fresh atmosphere\r really enjoyed ourselves\r \r loved the staff Pros: we had an awesome experience more