Eddie V's - West Ave

There's something about Eddie V's that really sets it apart. Maybe it's the waiters in the throwback white short coats — a visual reminder that you aren't just eating out, you are having an experience. Yeah, it's that kind of place: Traditional, even retro, in layout and style, with a few key modern touches — especially on the menu — that keep things 21st century, from the sexy navy-and-black baroque textured walls in the bar area and live bar music piped throughout the dining room to a slightly springy table surface (great for elbows when deep in conversation).

Bypassing the enormous raw bar near the entrance (you can actually sit down at it and pick out your own protein), the dining room is deceptively large and has a wall of tinted windows looking into the spotless, stainless steel kitchen. The portions are huge and uniformly well-executed, from Alaskan king crab crudo served over diced avocado and cantaloupe to a Maryland crab cake that's all crab and just a hint of cake. The crab-stuffed shrimp is impossible to resist and the Wagyu beef hot rock is a great example of a more modern fusion dish. For a main course the Louisiana red fish cooked meunière style with lump crab is mouthwatering. There's nothing earth-shaking or genre-busting going on here, but it is always nice to see seafood classics executed extremely well.