Back Bay aerie rises smoothly to special occasions with the best view of the city.

The Scene
The laid-back elegance of ample tables, crisp white linens and hefty silver and glassware produces a lush, romantic feel. So does the 52nd-story vantage. Patrons--conventioneers, locals celebrating birthdays and anniversaries--dress to match the prices. Service is knowledgeable and unobtrusive.

The Food
The food is inventive without being esoteric, and the artful compositions delight both eye and palate. A wide, shallow bowl holds swirled roasted squash soup surrounding a short tower of seared scallop, foie gras and cranberry jam. Slow-roasted pork tenderloin (enough meat for two) perches on a bounteous array of roasted baby vegetables, including yellow carrots. Seared yellowfin tuna steaks stack up on crunchy coconut-jasmine rice in pools of cucumber-cool green and hot yellow-curry sauces. Even desserts display panache, as wacky shapes give a stylish quirk to warm chocolate cake, raspberry shortbread and caramel ice cream.