Lantern, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Competition for cool cuisine runs pretty hot in this college town. Lantern, tucked modestly in the middle of busy Franklin Street, literally glows with bright Asian cuisine in a minimalist artsy setting. Entrées range from $13 to $23. Best table: Go left, and claim the corner table by the window. From there, enjoy the procession of plates coming from the kitchen and people going to the bar. Don't miss: The angels sing when you take your first bite of the heavenly chocolate cake with ice cream ($6.75). Bar: A swanky red and black, the bar is in the back room. We recommend the Late Blossom--a creative floral concoction of lychee, vodka, Lillet Blanc, and orange-flower water ($6). 423 West Franklin Street; (919) 969-8846. Mark G. Stith
Lola's Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras
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Lola, Dallas
This refurbished 1930s house provides a romantic alternative to the glitz of Dallas. The restaurant opens onto a softly lit courtyard. Inside, mustard yellow walls and fine oil paintings lend an air of understated sophistication. Best table: Be sure to nab a seat at one of two tables by the front windows for a view of the courtyard. Don't miss: Pan-seared John Dory, cooked to tender perfection, comes with artichokes and tomato beurre blanc. The prix fixe menu--which offers two courses for $32, three for $39, or four for $45--changes regularly. Bar: Owner Van Roberts has a 40-page wine list with more than 2,000 choices. But head straight for the "Twenty $omethings" page for 39 selections priced between $24 and $29. 2917 Fairmount; (214) 855-0700. Warner McGowin The Oakroom, Louisville
This richly paneled dining room offers patrons a touch of history, having hosted such diverse notables as Al Capone and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Cupid makes this restaurant in the famous Seelbach hotel a perfect place to pop the question. Occasionally when a couple becomes engaged, the waitstaff serves Champagne to the whole room. But romance is only one reason to visit here; the food is excellent. The restaurant uses products from its home state--you can't beat the locally raised rainbow trout ($32). Best table: Ask to sit in the new wine room, surrounded by enough vintages to toast a zillion betrothals. Don't miss: Spoonfish caviar--Kentucky grown ($23). You will never go the Russian route again. Bar: The Seelbach Cocktail is a lovely and lethal concoction of Champagne, bourbon, Triple Sec, and two kinds of bitters ($6). 500 Fourth Avenue; (502) 585-3200. Wanda McKinney
