Carmelita   

You probably won't see Atkins diet devotees darkening the velvet-draped entry of this fetching, romantic restaurant; even in these enlightened times, vegetarians can still be regarded with suspicion. Still, with such flavorful and savory fare, diners of any persuasion almost always leave happy. A menu that owes so much to fresh, local and seasonal ingredients goes through several changes throughout the calendar year, with daily specials thrown into the mix. Favorites include fried green tomatoes with a red pepper reduction, portabella mushroom roulade, fall squash in any of its guises and, especially, English pea agnolotti with an asparagus, mushrooms and truffle butter sauce. Some return time and again just for the signature dessert, warm chocolate muck muck, a domed cake concealing a molten pool of pudding. Named for the big, splashy art, the main dining area is dubbed "the poppy room," the more intimate space is "Carmelita Salon," but many prefer the cozy, covered garden patio, enhanced by wafting herbs in the summer, warmed by heaters and flannel blankets as the season fades.