East Coast Grill   

Think of the East Coast Grill as the kind of place where the kid in you will want to throw a birthday party. Chris Schlesinger's seafood-and-barbecue joint is just plain fun, a rarity among upscale restaurants. With its color scheme of shifting blues and greens, whimsical glass-blown sculptures and neon lights that gleam here and there, entering the lively, noisy place is like going underwater. The menu is no less colorful than the decor. Margaritas and other quasi-tropical concoctions set a giddy tone; what follows is hands-on, from a raw bar extravaganza to all manner of spare rib and brisket platters (Schlesinger is a pit master as well as a grill guru). Other items are finger food in spirit, if not in conventional societal practice. The shellfish-and-tomato-laden Big Bowl o' Seafood goes from bistro to bar room with the inclusion of deep-fried calamari. The East Coast Grill is all about digging in -- not least during Sunday brunch, where Latin flavors dominate in dishes such as duck tortilla rellenos and fish tacos with rice and beans. "Aperitivos" of monterey jack grits and pork skewers are musts.