Suze Restaurant

For some 10 years now, this tiny destination/neighborhood has ignored wayward trends and big-buck makeovers, sticking to the fundamentals of, um, Asian-lashed, Mediterr-ized American fare, with some global twists. Chef-owner Gilbert Garza and his kitchen sidekick Jeffery Hobbs change things up occasionally. On recent visits, dishes seemed busier than in the past: skillet-seared salmon glazed in hoisin, soy, ginger, toasted sesame and mirin on a bed of rice noodles, cucumber, cilantro, mint and rice wine vinaigrette, for example. Yet this dynamic duo can pull it off, creating a maze of intense flavors on one plate, a strategic unveiling of complementary elements on another. And they manage all of this without losing their neighborhood soul. Still on the menu, fried green tomatoes in marinara, buttery trout almondine and some of the most luxurious foie gras one could imagine, laced in dried cherry cassis. Reservations are necessary in this cramped dining room. Big-name restaurants come and go, but Suze holds its own as—consistently—one of the best places in the city.

• Cuisine(s): Greek, Mediterranean, New American

  Hours: Tue-Sat 5:30pm-10:30pm

  Price: $$$

  Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards

• Attire: Casual

  Features: Banquet Facilities, Catering, Kid Friendly, Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Private Party, Smoking, Takeout, Vegetarian Friendly

  Serving: Dinner

  Alcohol: Beer/Wine

• Reservations: Accepted, Highly Recommended

  Parking: Lot Available