Handle

You can tell a lot about a restaurant by its most basic salad. At Handle, it’s one with just kale, topped with pine nuts and cheese, but it’s so perfectly dressed and seasoned that you leave remembering that plate of leafy greens for days. Each of the 15 or so dishes on the daily-changing menu follow a similar approach—the core ingredients shine through thanks to creative, and sometimes surprising, executions. The fried chicken, served with red pepper cream and dukkah spice, has some Mediterranean flavor, and a tangy cauliflower appetizer gets topped with a chili glaze and Sriracha vinaigrette. The dinner-only restaurant has an edgy yet laid-back feel to it, with intimate green booths, marble countertops, and soft pink accents.