If Q Restaurant were a student, it would be the laid back but approachable quirky kid with curious good looks to whom everyone flocks. Everything about the Q dining experience is warm and welcoming -- in that 'toasting marshmallows in front of a fireplace' kind of way.

Q's reasonably priced, innovative "funky American comfort food" and extensive vegetarian offerings have made it a fixture in my favorite restaurant line-up. Appetizers include the usual suspects (fried calamari, grilled wings, fish tacos), made exceptional with additions of papaya salsa, chili-lime aioli, and tropical fruit-habanero dipping sauces and many other creative offerings. Other not-to-be-missed appetizers include the spinach salad with caramelized walnuts, apples, blue cheese and smoked onions ($7.50), Grilled corn on the cob with jalapeno-lime butter ($3.50), and a recent special of tender black mussels steamed in Pilsner with chipotle, garlic, and butter ($6.50).

- By Charyn Pfeuffer