At his Warehouse District people magnet, chef/owner Isaac Becker does beautiful work with such high-brow fare as sea scallops with wild mushrooms and seared ahi tuna with chimichurri sauce. But don't miss his great takes on basic bar grub: the sweet-and-sour crab salad, cold cuts-pickles plate, bacon-harissa sandwich, one of the Twin Cities' best burger. Reservations a must; be sure to ask for a main-floor table. The restaurant was the Star Tribune's 2005 restaurant of the year. Becker is a 2008, 2009 and 2010 nominee for Best Chef: Midwest by the James Beard Foundation Awards.

Walk into the lobby of the Country Inn & Suites for an eerie sense of déjà vu: Is this Indianapolis? Rockford, Ill.? Oconomowoc, Wis.? That’s what happens at these chain hotels, as they all look exactly like one another. So it's a pleasant surprise to encounter the entirely unexpected Whitney Bistro & Onyx Bar. The bar just might be the coziest place to nurse a Lemon Drop in the 952 area code, and the lovely dining room could pass for the greenhouse at the palatial residence. Chef Adam Levitt takes his cues from his convention-defying surroundings. Starters ($6 to $13) include flatbreads topped with smoked salmon and the complementary flavors of caramelized onions and roasted garlic, nicely grilled shrimp paired with guacamole, skewers of tender beef, and crispy wontons stuffed with chicken and sweet green onions. Entrees (most under $20) include a half-dozen sandwiches, a handful of salads, four pastas, beef tenderloin medallions paired with wilted spinach, juicy burgers and a pork loin with sweet potato hash. Service is perky and fast.

Daron Close and chef Chris Whalen, formerly of Campiello and other D'Amico properties, have struck out on their own to open a small suburban restaurant. Acqua features a non-trendy menu of specials and entrees that unlocks the flavors lurking deep inside ingredients, whether it's a succulent, slow-braised pork shank or oven-roasted cauliflower. While I quibbled with a perfunctory thin-crust pizza and a few over-salted dishes, this place does a great job balancing the unexpected with the standard.

An honest-to-god neighborhood bar and grill offering a long menu of burgers, from basics (cheeseburgers, California burgers) to exotic (black bean with lettuce and salsa, cheese with sauerkraut, turkey with tomatoes and mayo), grilled chicken, fish and chips and a dozen deep-fried bar snacks.