Caiolas is the kind of cozy neighborhood restaurant where your cheeks turn rosy from the wine, the warm draft from the kitchen and animated conversation.  Serving upscale comfort food inspired by owner Lisa Vaccaro’s rustic Italian roots, the meals don’t come out quickly, but they come out precise. It was the perfect place to settle in and catch up with my best friend from high school and her husband visiting from Chicago.

We’d allotted two hours for a leisurely meal and we needed it. The point of a night at Caiolas is to dine – and dine we did.

An initial round of crab cakes was a revelation — creamy herbed meat ensconced in a perfectly crunchy little shell of breading. No sogginess here (few things bug me more than a soggy crab cake)! The arugula salad that followed was peppery and loaded with julienned pears. Tossed with a light vinaigrette, it retained its fresh bite to the end.

Adam loved his burger, which came nestled in thick toasted bread, instead of a bun, accompanied by crispy round balls that looked like little breaded eggs. Turns out they were tater tots.

My slow-braised pork with fennel and polenta truly embodied the comfort food definition, but it was the side of greens that had me muttering “wow” over and over. Hiding in the mustard fronds were chunks of squash and mini brussel sprouts bursting with earthy flavor. Yum.

Suprisingly, no one ordered fish, which is a shame as chef/owner Chef Abby Harmon became known for her topnotch seafood at Street and Company.

Guess we just need to go back with our next visitors.

Soaring ceilings. Carved wooden rafters. The giant center bar. These “big things” captured my eye when I first walked into Grace. But it was the small things — the attention to the tiniest of details — that truly impressed me about this massive Methodist cathedral turned restaurant.

The food was extremely good and that alone would have made for a lovely evening. But the focused dedication to a visual theme is what elevated this dining experience from a good time to a state of grace.

Grace’s logo mirrors the design of two stained glass “trinity” windows nestled in the former bell towers. These small, elegant windows feature three leaves — or petals — and it’s this graceful shape that informs everything else about the restaurant. The structure of the expansive bar, the plates, the lip of the coffee cups, the chains from which the lamps dangle, the champagne glasses – all curve into a petal.

The effect was transformational; the towering building felt cohesive and cozy even on a crowded Saturday night.

With no reservations, we sat at the upper bar enjoying the attentions of all three bartenders. Our water glasses were filled like clockwork and the food arrived promptly. My autumn salad was a joy. Hearty sliced rounds of squash and pungent local mushrooms over fresh greens. The earthy, herby dressing set it off perfectly. Adam’s Certified Angus steak tartare was in a classic French style — pleasantly spiced and paired with a soft-boiled quail egg and hackelback caviar.

I opted for the half-sized burger off the bar menu (to save room for dessert) and was rewarded with a juicy and meaty patty topped with pickled onion and tomato confit. Small but tasty, the burger is geared toward those who don’t want too much red meat. I wouldn’t recommend it for the famished.

My Peanut Butter Cup was smallish as well, but also dense and rich. Comprised of chocolate mousse, a chocolate macaroon, peanut brittle and peanut ice cream it was packed with spoonfuls of creamy flavor.

Heavenly.