Hamersley's Bistro   

No culinary tour of Boston is complete without a pilgrimage to Hamersley's, the pilot fish of the South End's dining renaissance. Still visible (beneath his trademark baseball cap) most nights in the restaurant's open kitchen, Gordon Hamersley is the rare celebrity chef whose focus has remained on his food rather than his fame. And what food it is, combining class and comfort in New American standouts like magically moist roast chicken (a signature dish) and halibut in crispy rice paper (with peaches and mint), a recent flirtation with fusion. A handsome crowd pays handsomely for the pleasure of following the trajectory of Hamersley's muse, taking equal enjoyment from a wine list that's received serial commendations from Wine Spectator. The setting for this epicurean pageant is an elevated perch overlooking Tremont Street -- an altitude that lends it the aura of a king surveying his domain. In a neighborhood where most restaurants serve as an index of passing fads, it's a relief to ascend the stairs to the serenity of Hamersley's, where the atmosphere is that of a New England farmhouse as imagined by an emigre from Provence. Its lemony walls and rough-hewn ceiling beams are offset by French tapestry florals and vivid artwork, setting the stage for first dates, warm reunions and even Hollywood endings -- or dark comedies, as evidenced by the filming of scenes from 'What's the Worst that Could Happen' in the main dining room. A spacious outdoor patio is available in warmer months.