One of the Back Bay's premier dining destinations for French Mediterranean cuisine pleases fussy gourmands while satisfying the fashionable and trendy.

The Scene
Mistral is as much a place to dine as a place to preen. The bar area is such a hot spot that well-dressed locals hover just to be in on the action. The overall look is modernist-Provencal with some carefully-crafted wall patches worked in amid towering, arched windows. Though huge, the space--flowingly divided into bar, cafe and restaurant--is oddly intimate. Stylish servers try to not let the commotion overwhelm them.

The Food
The exceptionally modern menu incorporates a plethora of high-end ingredients (boutique lettuces, truffles, forest mushrooms). Among starters, fresh brioche is stuffed with morsels of seared foie gras and confit of duck, all covered in a reduction of Wisconsin cherries. Entrees feature high-end fish and game like Dover sole, Cornish game hen and Colorado lamb. Thin-crust pizzas (typical variety: beef tenderloin, mashed potato and white truffle oil) prove popular for sharing at the bar.