June 2006 Cheap Eats

"This place is like my living room," says the bartender who presides over the top floor of this split-personality restaurant. The downstairs dining room is all starched linens and $20 entrées; one floor up the scene is more sneakers and sweats. People hanging out at the few tables or by the bar seem like old pals. Slightly battered sofas, a flat-screen TV tuned to hockey or American Idol depending on the crowd, and a dartboard in the corner make it feel like a bachelor pad.

Chef Orlando Hitzig cooks for both floors, but this scruffy roost is billed as the domain of Mark Medley, his sommelier and co-owner. The abbreviated Mark's Menu might sound like the usual roster of sports-bar standards: chicken wings, burgers, Caesar salads. But here the seemingly simple stuff is well thought out and surprisingly sophisticated.

Meals--even a half dozen wings--begin with wedges of sourdough and a palette of flavored butters and vegetable purées. And don't bypass the Caesar--long leaves of romaine grilled to a smoky wilt and accented with good Parmesan and house-baked croutons. Order it with shrimp and they arrive plump and charred, heads still on. Tomato soup is rustic and rich with lager and cream. You can get the crab cake with apple slaw, but it's better sandwiched on fresh brioche. There are whimsical house-made ice creams for dessert--some are successes (saffron, black pepper), while others seem like failed experiments (ancho chili). Hitzig's warm chocolate cake is a sure bet.

Open daily for dinner.