Zengo Restaurant   

Zengo seems to be a readymade hotspot. Soaring, sexy, Adamstein and Demetriou-designed space? Check. Location in the restaurant hot zone near the MCI Center? Yep. Celebrity investor? They've got Placido Domingo. Add to that nationally recognized Mexican chef and owner Richard Sandoval, and Citronelle-trained chef de cuisine Alan Yu, and you've got a place people are definitely talking about. At Zengo, which is part serious restaurant, part sleek lounge, the cocktails are pricey and the food is trendy Latin-Asian. Chipotles and jalepenos show up in sushi rolls, while yuzu and wasabi make their way into ceviches and tiraditos. There are sharable antojidos, with tacos laden with pickled ginger and empanadas stuffed with Thai chicken. Larger plates include rack of lamb with hoisin-adobo sauce; grilled mahi-mahi with curried slaw; and charred black cod drizzled with chipotle-miso. Look out for a more casual lunch menu, and daytime takeout window. The cocktail menu is one place where Zengo keeps its Latin and Asian interests smartly separate (Wasabi-spiked mojitos? Ouch. Not a good look). Ride out the night with a classic caipirinha or a yuzu-sake cooler.