Lincoln Station Bar & Grill review

You'll probably make fast work of the warm pita served with a good roasted red pepper hummus. The crisp, bright Caesar salad is the meal-deal appetizer of choice; second place goes to the heavy yet flavorsome broccoli rabe and sausage egg roll. You may need your fork, though, to negotiate the pasty-thick New England clam chowder. One night, a chicken vegetable soup is offered in its stead. A marked improvement.

From the a la carte appetizer roster come short ribs with mixed mushrooms over mini waffles, everything on the plate coated with -- and tasting like -- a winy brown sauce. Filet mignon sliders with fried onion rings and horseradish sauce, ordered medium-rare, turn up without even a hint of pink.

But a delectable avocado and bacon-topped burger -- smoky and juicy -- has a lovely char and an oozy, roseate center; hand-cut fried potato wedges make a worthy accompaniment. Very good, as well, is a Cajun chicken sandwich with mozzarella and chipotle mayo.

Chef John Jenkins does his best work here with entrees. Tops on the prix-fixe menu is a well-marinated and tender skirt steak, followed by a dish called chicken bruschetta -- a big boneless breast, breaded and crisp, showered with a lively salsa of fresh chopped tomato and onion. "Big Abe's chili mac & cheese" -- jumbo shells stuffed with a rousing chili before being baked in Cheddar sauce -- can win you over with its Sloppy Joe appeal.

Conclude, on the prix-fixe, with either the warm cakelike brownie or a scoop of ice cream. Or go a la carte with pecan pie, worth the guilt. At least you won't have any over what you just spent for dinner.