The Best Place in Town

Samuel Johnson got it right when he said, "A man seldom thinks with more earnestness of anything than he does of his dinner." A good meal at the end of the day--especially after a long day of travel--is as much a restorative as it is a reward for a job well done. With that in mind, Playboy asked top food critics in 25 American cities to choose the restaurants at which a traveler with only one night in town will find the finest food and service as well as an atmosphere that evokes the city's character. Our critics picked three alternatives, in case you find the first choice booked. Since most of the restaurants are extremely popular, reservations--sometimes days in advance and always on weekends--are advised. Lunch is an easier time to secure a table, but remember, many restaurants offer different menus than they do at dinner. Dress codes have relaxed, but you'd be wise to call and ask if a jacket and tie are required.

We've divided the critics' picks into three categories indicating the approximate cost of a dinner per person before drinks, wine, (text continued on page 171) Best Place (continued from page 112) tax and tip. Moderate indicates restaurants serving dinner for $15 to $25. Expensive means $26 to $45 and very expensive means $46 and up.

Atlanta

Buckhead Diner, 3073 Piedmont Road, 404-262-3336. Moderate to expensive.

Critic: Elliott Mackle, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The drop-dead-looking Buckhead Diner was a hit the day it opened and it's still the toughest table in town to get--especially since reservations aren't accepted. That's OK, though. The place attracts a sexy crowd, so you never know whom you'll meet while you wait. Chef Gerry Klaskala's American fare includes potato chips with blue cheese, sirloin pepper steak with celery, mashed potatoes and guacamole, and traditional Southern desserts.

Alternative choices: the Dining Room of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Buckhead, Chops (also in Buckhead) and Burton's Grill.

Baltimore

Milton Inn, 14833 York Road, Sparks, 301-771-4366. Expensive.

Critic: Rob Kasper, The Sun

Situated in the horse country just outside Baltimore, this 240-year-old former stagecoach stop has a kitchen that Kasper rates as the best in the state. "Order the softshell crabs in grain-mustard sauce," he says. Executive chef Mark Henry's hearty venison-goose-rabbit-boar sausage and grilled smoked loin of pork with bourbon glaze are outstanding examples of regional American cooking. In cold weather, you'll want a table by the fireplace. In the summer, ask for one on the garden terrace.

Alternative choices: Hampton's in Harbor Court Hotel, the Polo Grill and Obrycki's.

Boston

Jasper's, 240 Commercial Street, 617-523-1126. Expensive.

Critic: Robert Levey, The Boston Globe

Ten years ago, Jasper White pioneered the "new" New England cookery in this handsome dining room. His style is now widely copied. He has paired johnnycakes and poached eggs with osetra caviar and made old-fashioned Indian pudding taste as if it were a Nineties creation. White has pulled off combinations with flair, including Portuguese pork with clams, lobster and corn chowder and bacon-wrapped shad roe--all sensational. Many think that White serves the best seafood in Boston.

Alternative choices: Biba, Olives and Seasons in the Bostonian Hotel.

Chicago

Everest, 440 South LaSalle Street, 312-663-8920. Very expensive.

Critic: William Rice, Chicago Tribune

This aptly named posh dining room on the 40th floor of the Midwest Stock Exchange Building has a view that is almost as spectacular as chef Jean Joho's eclectic nouvelle cuisine. The Everest draws a power-lunch crowd during the day; at night it becomes a romantic aerie. One of the best ways to test the kitchen's mettle is to order the $59 seven-course tasting menu, which offers such dishes as quail risotto, foie gras with turnips, "cappuccino" of lobster on beluga caviar, and caramelized pears with fresh cheese ice cream. The Everest also has an outstanding Alsatian wine collection that is reasonably priced.

Alternative choices: Charlie Trotter's, Topolobampo and Vivere.

Cincinnati

The Precinct, 311 Delta Avenue, 513-321-5454. Expensive.

Critic: Sara Pearce, The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Precinct is second home to the Bengals and the Reds, and it includes a regular crowd of hot-looking hangers-on. The restaurant occupies a former police station and the food is straight-up-the-middle American steaks, chops, fresh seafood and pasta. Most of the menu items are named after such local sports figures as Bengal Tim Krumrie, rumored to have downed two 44-ounce sirloins at a sitting. The dessert called Death by Chocolate shouldn't be missed.

Alternative choices: the Maisonette, Primavista and Montgomery Inn.

Cleveland

Sammy's, 1400 West 10th Street, 216-523-5560. Expensive.

Critic: Wilma Salisbury, The Plain Dealer

Twelve years ago, Sammy's single-handedly sparked the revitalization of the Flats, one of Cleveland's oldest neighborhoods. Now the area boasts many trendy hot spots, but Sammy's is still the liveliest. Its redbrick warehouse setting has swagger and the kitchen creates such imaginative specialties as grilled snapper with pomegranate sauce, salmon with saffron risotto and cranberry-pecan pie. Ask for a window seat.

Alternative choices: the Ritz-Carlton Restaurant, the Baricelli Inn and Z Contemporary Cuisine.

Dallas

Routh Street Café, 3005 Routh Street, 214-871-7161. Very expensive.

Critic: Waltrina Stovall, The Dallas Morning News

One of the innovators of Texas cooking, chef Stephan Pyles marries such Southwest flavors as chilies and mesquite at Routh Street Café. The café's pale salmon-and-chrome decor represents cool minimalism at its best, and the crowd obviously shops the best fashion boutiques in Dallas.

Alternative choices: the Mansion, the Riviera and Actuelle.

Denver

Zenith American Grill, 1735 Arapahoe Street, 303-820-2800. Moderate.

Critic: Alan Katz, The Denver Post

The Zenith's sleek black-and-white dining room has the buzz of a long-running hit. Chef Kevin Taylor's eclectic menus feature such dishes as smoked corn soup, steamed mussels in a creamy peppercorn sauce and chocolate bread pudding with brandy custard sauce. Add to that moderate prices, an on-premises bakery and an outdoor café, and there's not much debate as to where to dine the next time you hit Denver.

Alternative choices: O Sole Mio, the European Café and the Palace Arms in the Brown Palace Hotel.

Detroit

The Rattlesnake Club, 300 River Place, 313-567-4400. Expensive.

Critic: Molly Abraham, Detroit Free Press

Owned by Jimmy Schmidt--one of the nation's most dynamic chefs--the Rattlesnake Club is a lively riverside restaurant that shook downtown Detroit out of its doldrums. Set in a renovated redbrick building, the room has a striking postmodern design decked out with art by such contemporary American painters as Jim Dine, Frank Stella and Jasper Johns. Schmidt's food is a canny balance of new American concepts and Midwestern flavors. His game dishes--venison with pomegranate and tarragon, pheasant with leeks and vanilla, and duck-and-pheasant ravioli--may be the best in the Midwest.

Alternative choices: Pike Street (Pontiac), One 23 (Grosse Pointe Farms) and the Whitney.

Houston

Tony's, 1801 Post Oak Boulevard, 713-622-6778. Very expensive.

Critic: Teresa Byrne-Dodge, Houston Metropolitan magazine

Through recessions, depressions and boom times, Tony's has remained as popular with tycoons as it has with great-looking Texas women. The diverse menu includes everything from robust Italian dishes to legendary chili, and the wine list is excellent. "If it's not on the menu," says Byrne-Dodge, "the owner, Tony Vallone, will have it prepared for you."

Alternative choices: Café Annie, Goode Co. Barbecue and Brennan's of Houston.

Kansas City, Missouri

The American Restaurant, 25th Street and Grand Avenue, 816-426-1133. Very expensive.

Critic: John Martellaro, The Kansas City Star

With its dramatic two-tiered dining room and a glorious view of the city's sunsets, The American Restaurant sets the standard for dining in Kansas City. The bar (which mixes a mean martini) is a prime afterwork meeting spot and the food--always good--has improved even more since chef Rex Hale took over. Expect local foods prepared in imaginative ways, often with Oriental seasonings.

Alternative choices: Venue, Café Allegro and Stephenson's Apple Farm.

Las Vegas

The Palace Court, Caesars Palace, 702-731-7110. Very expensive.

Critic: Elliot S. Krane, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Flamboyant but not as flashy as most of the rococo casino restaurants, the Palace Court is where Krane sends visitors who wish to get away from the intensity of the gaming tables. High praises go to chef Arnaud Briand's salmon wrapped in potato with lemon vodka sauce and to the fabulous Caesar salad. Desserts are equally impressive.

Alternative choices: Pegasus in the Alexis Park, La Pamplemousse and Andre's.

Los Angeles

Spago, 1114 Horn Avenue, 213-652-4025. Expensive to very expensive.

Critic: Ruth Reichl, Los Angeles Times

Say what you will about this celebrity-haunt gourmet pizzeria, it's "still the place everybody wants to go," says Reichl. Owner Wolfgang Puck made pampering the stars an art form while simultaneously transforming American cuisine. Try the chopped salad, smoked-salmon pizzas or the roast lamb dishes. And if you don't see at least a half-dozen famous faces in the dining room, you either have the address wrong or, worse, you were seated in the back room.

Alternative choices: Citrus, Patina and Campanile.

Miami

Mark's Place, 2286 Northeast 123rd Street, 305-893-6888. Very expensive.

Critic: Geoffrey Tomb, The Miami Herald

Absolutely the hottest spot in town, Mark's Place is where you'll find the shortest skirts, the longest legs and the deepest tans. In a subtly lit room with an open kitchen, chef-owner Mark Militello marries flavors and textures in such dishes as pancetta-artichoke-and-roast-garlic-cream pizza, wild mushroom pasta with breast of duck and dried chilies, and salmon with honey-mustard glaze and couscous. Forget trying to snare an eight o'clock reservation on a weekend. Go at ten, when Miami's well-dressed Latinos start coming in to dine.

Alternative choices: Didier's, Yuca and Chef Allen's.

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Dakota Bar and Grill, 1021 East Banadana Boulevard, St. Paul, 612-642-1442. Moderate.

Critic: Jeremy Iggers, Star Tribune

If only for the great jazz artists it features--Max Roach, Betty Carter and Abbey Lincoln, to name a few--the Dakota would be a prime destination for anyone coming to St. Paul or Minneapolis. But it also serves some of the most exciting food in the Twin Cities, featuring a menu Iggers calls "haute cuisine from humble pie." Chef Ken Goeff's dishes are based on the local larder: Minnesotabrie-and-apple soup, broiled walleyed pike with wild rice and corn relish, thyme-marinated pork loin with maple-blueberry glaze and Sebastian Joe's ice cream.

Alternative choices: Lucia's, Goodfellow's and Nicollet Island Inn.

New Orleans

Galatoire's, 209 Bourbon Street, 504-525-2021. Expensive.

Critic: Gene Bourg, The Times-Picayune

If you want to soak up the essence of old Creole culture and cooking, get in line outside the glass door of the 87-year-old Galatoire's (after 2 P.M. or before 6 P.M. to avoid the crowds). You'll be seated in a long dining room with ceiling fans, tiled floors and lights that dim whenever a streetcar starts up. Skip the menu and ask the waiter what's good that day--perhaps shrimp remoulade or pompano with crabmeat or crepes maison flamed with a liqueur.

Alternative choices: Commander's Palace, Emeril's and Brigtsen's.

New York

Le Cirque, 58 East 65th Street, 212-794-9292. Very expensive.

Critic: Bryan Miller, The New York Times

Power, glamour, clout and some of the best food in the world. That's Le Cirque, where you are where you sit and where on any night of the week you're likely to spot Elle Macpherson, Woody Allen, Henry Kissinger or Barbara Walters seated at tables as tough to come by as Dan Quayle's law school grades. Chef Daniel Boulud's cuisine is widely regarded as an ideal balance of classic and modern. Order "scallops in black tie," anything with white truffles or fresh foie gras--and don't miss the famous crème brulee for dessert. At $34, lunch is a steal.

Alternative choices: Le Bernardin, Gotham Bar and Grill and River Café (Brooklyn).

Philadelphia

The Fountain Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel, 1 Logan Square, 215-963-1500. Expensive.

Critic: Elaine Tait, The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Fountain Restaurant is the kind of place to go to for a serious romance or to impress a client. The dining room is formal but not stuffy and chef Jean-Marie Lacroix turns out exquisite French cuisine along with an alternative vegetarian menu and at least five not-to-be-missed chocolate desserts. In Philly, where the Sunday brunch competition is fierce, the Fountain's version is exceptional, breaking the bagel-and-eggs-benedict mold with such dishes as Provençal pissaladiere, pot au feu and Paris-Brest pastry.

Alternative choices: Le Bec Fin, Jack's Firehouse and Susanna Foo.

Phoenix

Vincent on Camelback, 3930 East Camelback Road, 602-224-0225. Expensive to very expensive.

Critic: Nikki Buchanan, Phoenix Magazine

For years, Vincent on Camelback has been considered the city's best restaurant. "Ironically," says Buchanan, "it took a French chef to bring Southwestern cuisine to Phoenix." Vincent Guerithault sees nothing odd about that because his sense of taste has never allowed him to go overboard with strong flavors. Such dishes as lobster chimichanga, foie gras with black beans and sweet tamale with caramel sauce have made him a chef that others around the country look to for new trends. The open kitchen lets you watch Guerithault at work while you sip the house chardonnay and nibble smoked-salmon quesadillas. Don't miss the mesquite-grilled rack of lamb with burning rosemary.

Alternative choices: Los Dos Molino's, Havana Café and Franco's Trattoria (Scottsdale).

Portland, Oregon

Genoa, 2832 Southeast Belmont, 503-238-1464. Expensive.

Critic: David Sarasohn, The Oregonian

For 20 years, Genoa has been the friendliest spot in the city--a perfect northern Italian restaurant where everybody eats too much. But instead of opting for pasta and a salad, order the seven-course, fixed-price dinner that may include gnocchi with spinach, rabbit braised with fresh rosemary and fennel, and seven desserts. The place is dark, spirited and no one's ever rushed.

Alternative choices: L'Auberge, the Heathman Restaurant and Pazzo in the Hotel Vintage Plaza.

San Francisco

Stars, 150 Redwood Alley, 415-861-7827. Expensive to very expensive.

Critic: Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle

Stars is "a great American brasserie. Chef Jeremiah Tower does the kind of gutsy food people really love to eat." That means hearty dishes such as veal shanks and risotto, shellfish stews and luscious, lavish desserts. The bright, colorful dining room reflects the vitality of San Francisco's restaurant scene, and the crowd cuts right across the city's society. "And," notes Bauer, "next door at Star's Café, you can eat wonderful food in an even more casual atmosphere for very little money indeed."

Alternative choices: Ozone, Sam's Grill and Undici.

Santa Fe

Santacafe, 231 Washington Avenue, 505-984-1788. Expensive.

Critic: Babs Suzanne Harrison, The New Mexican

Situated in a 180-year-old adobe with a Spanish courtyard and a Southwestern starkness that reminds you of a Georgia O'Keeffe painting, Santacafe is the most historically evocative restaurant in town. Hungarian-born chef Laszlo Gyermek uses a savory blend of Southwestern and Asian ingredients in such sensational dishes as Chinese dumplings with serrano chile dipping sauce and Madagascar vanilla crème brulee. "Count on the women to show up in black cowboy boots and tight miniskirts," says Harrison, "and most nights you'll probably catch a visiting celebrity."

Alternative choices: Coyote Café, La Traviata and Maria's New Mexican Kitchen.

Seattle

The Dahlia Lounge, 1904 Fourth Avenue, 206-682-4142. Moderate.

Critic: Jonathan Susskind, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

With its red walls, paper lanterns and a Pacific Northwest menu with an international flair, the casual Dahlia Lounge epitomizes the kind of laid-back yet profound dining experience for which Seattle is known. You can make a whole meal from the appetizers--or go vegetarian for a night--and still be amazed at chef Tom Douglas' creativity.

Alternative choices: Restaurant Le Gourmand, Ray's Boathouse and Trattoria Sostanza.

St. Louis

Tony's, 826 North Broadway, 314-231-7007. Expensive.

Critic: Joe Pollack, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"What keeps Tony's on top," says Pollack, "is that owner Vincent J. Bommarito and his sons are so competitive. When a new place opens up, Tony's tries to do better. It doesn't matter if you're a regular or from out of town, you'll get the full treatment." The menu's basically Continental, with a few new Italian items. Portions are lavish and the drinks generous.

Alternative choices: Balaban, Grappa and Fio's La Fourchette.

Washington, D.C.

Jean-Louis at the Watergate Hotel, 2650 Virginia Avenue NW, 202-298-4488. Very expensive.

Critic: Phyllis Richman, The Washington Post

Set in a subterranean section of the Watergate Hotel, Jean-Louis is the place where lobbyists go to bend a Senator's ear or celebrate a client's exoneration. If you like exotica, try moulard duck hearts stuffed with foie gras or chocolate pasta with mocha sauce. Or, if you're feeling particularly flush, order the seven-course all-truffle menu at $150 a pop.

Alternative choices: Restaurant Nora, Twenty-One Federal and Galileo.

Bon appétit!