BELLTOWN. Filled with rich wood accents, snowy white tablecloths, and elegant table settings, this restaurant offers Northwest-influenced French classics in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. Start with the soup du jour; French onion soup, rich with caramelized onions and gruyère cheese, is a comforting favorite. A grilled sea scallop brochette, served over warm chorizo-potato salad, and a giant mushroom ravioli with white truffle cream are indicative of the menu's breadth. Traditional dishes like coq au vin, beef bourguignonne, and steak frites arrive with delicious sides and don't disappoint. Save room for tiramisu profiteroles or the crème brûlée of the month!

SAMMAMISH. This cousin of Seattle's Metropolitan Grill provides the same great food but with a more relaxed ambiance. Wood accents and historical photographs of the region set the scene. Creamy crab and shrimp dip with warm crostini makes a wonderful appetizer. Steaks, then, include a sirloin, rib-eye, and tender filet mignon, all served with a choice of potato and market vegetables. If you're looking for something lighter, try the char-grilled sirloin steak sandwich with provolone, caramelized onions, and mushrooms. Plenty of seafood and pasta selections are also offered.

DOWNTOWN. North of Pike Place Market, Etta's is known for its take on superb, fresh-caught seafood. Tourists and locals alike pack the place, and although there's sometimes a wait, the food always compensates for the slight inconvenience. The innovative cuisine features Asian influences and a desire to move beyond traditional preparations. Signature dishes include deep-fried tilapia with scallions and black beans, seared halibut, tuna sashimi, oysters on the half-shell, spice rubbed salmon, and Dungeness crab.

CAPITOL HILL. Come early if you've got a hankering for the sweet Southern soul food this family-owned establishment dishes up. Whatever the crowded pair of dining rooms lacks in space and elegance is made up for in the quality (and quantity) of down-home cooking. Classics like buttermilk fried chicken, catfish, barbecue, vinegary collard greens, and macaroni and cheese (with onions and mushrooms) are prepared simply and served piping hot. Dessert is predictably heavenly: red velvet cake with buttercream frosting and strawberry shortcake are perfect finishing touches.

MAGNOLIA. This restaurant, with its island accents and Polynesian-tinged menu, is a great place to applaud a promotion, celebrate an anniversary, or treat yourself. Views of the city and Puget Sound draw your attention, but the menu has a seductive appeal too. Its emphasis on Northwest cuisine is especially apparent in seafood. Large king crab legs are served on a cedar plank, as is salmon and a number of other entrées. Grilled prawns, Dungeness crab cakes, tuna, and mahi mahi are also among the options you'll agonize over. The creamy seafood chowder is an event in itself ­ make sure to try it.