Excelsior   

Few and far between are the restaurants that can justifiably be called awe-inspiring, but even Bacchus himself might go ga-ga were he ever to pay a visit to Excelsior. Upon entering the restaurant, which strikes a classy balance between swank and hip, you're immediately confronted with the sight of a three-story, temperature-controlled wine tower with the capacity to hold 7,000 bottles. It's eye-popping Vegas excess meets ancient Spanish sophistication. The tower doubles as elevator shaft, through which you can ride in a glass elevator to the upstairs dining room. Seat yourself amid the dim saffron-and russet-colored space, which is decked out for a meal that employs fresh local ingredients glammed up in unexpected, exotic flavors. Chef Eric Brennan is known for highlighting the variety of New England shellfish, but his menu is also loaded with attention-grabbing creations, like five-spiced wild Chinook salmon accessorized with "fruits de mer," stuffed eggplant, bok choy and carrot-ginger emulsion and a pork rack decked out in a maple-ginseng lacquer, braised red cabbage and truffle-potato puree. Downstairs is a bustling gathering spot for a lively after-work crowd and an even livelier after-hours bunch that can be found kicking back in deep brown leather chairs. The fashion-centric clientele matches the stylishness of the drinks. Consider the ginger Cosmo, which has a sweet nugget of candied ginger floating in its midst. And as if the wine tower weren't enough, the bartenders went and created the Grape Excess, a blend of Ciroc vodka, white cranberry juice and Moscato, crowned with frozen grapes. Who ever said there's anything wrong with excess?