Sink into the sumptuous leather banquettes, enjoy the attentive but subtle white-tablecloth service and bask in the warm glow of mahogany paneling. Luxury lives in every crevice of the Capital Grille. The lunch crowd is mostly buttoned-down dealmakers devouring rib-eye steak sandwiches with caramelized onions. Health-conscious diners will gravitate toward the grilled tuna or the lobster-and-crab burger.

Dinner crowds are more relaxed in attitude and glitzier in dress. The menu is a la carte, so side items cost extra. The portions are huge. The pan-fried calamari with hot cherry peppers is a popular beginning and a nice prelude to the steaks that begin with a 10-ounce filet and end with a whopping 24-ounce porterhouse. This is the perfect stop for a chilled martini and a romantic meal either before or after a show at the nearby performing arts center. Those dining before the curtain rises should bear in mind that dinner here is an event -- give it time. -- Lesa Kastanas