Swirl Wine Bar

The Scene
Head upstairs to this narrow, two-room space, where the front is bright and slightly more casual than the larger, back area bathed in red lighting. Sheer burgundy curtains enclose soft suede booths in sexy confidence, and funky, unobtrusive soul music creates a mellow mood.

The Food
Although saffron is typically associated with Indian food, here it represents its Latin, Mediterranean and Asian roots. The limited menu hits in every category, starting with refreshing cold grilled calamari salad tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. Delicious hot baked goat cheese layered with portobello mushrooms, oven-dried tomatoes, and pesto and pomodoro sauces makes for a dramatically colorful plate. Among entrees, rich halibut is crusted with paper-thin slices of potato and accompanied by bacon-wrapped shrimp; and the subtly peppered filet served on a bed of cheesy potatoes rivals just about any local steakhouse. Ask your server about desserts; one favorite is the bittersweet Spanish chocolate cake.