The Courtyard   

Design and color are at the heart of the draw for this Mediterranean-style restaurant serving seafood, meat and vegetable tapas, opened by friendly chef Albert Silvera and James Welch after a tasty summer of research in Spain. Whether you're seated in the actual courtyard, the exposed brick space with little yellow chairs and sputtering fountain, or inside the dining room with its levitating wine casks and decorative tile mosaic, it may be a good idea to stick with the servers' recommendations. On a menu that conjures up everything from spicy North African lamb sausage to dates wrapped in bacon, getting too adventuresome could be risky. But the ham-wrapped asparagus is excellent, and for dessert, there is virtual jackpot of satiation in the sampler: banana pudding with cookie crumbles, chocolate mousse and an unforgettable creamy rice pudding. There's also a charming wine menu that has insightful back stories underneath each selection, such as for the Spanish Vina Izadi "Expression" Reserva '97 Rioja, which proclaims: "With no West Coast distribution, we risked it all on the docks 'til 4AM to bring you this fantastic wine."Worthy of knowing: The Courtyard starts their week off with Flamenco Mondays, when a guitarist serenades tapas tasters and twosomes alike from 6:30-10PM, filling the night air with Spanish ballads.