Bites Nearby: The Talk

It's been around for just two years, but seems to have become a fixture in downtown Watertown (just across from the Town Hall). The cuisine is Mediterranean and fresh, with a good assortment of appetizers (mussels, calamari, eggplant), salads (walnut and gorgonzola), and Italian specialty main courses. The dining room is subdued and fairly spacious, with mostly tables as well as four booths. The bar area is small and lively, with two high tables – and of course a flat screen.

What to eat: There are lots of traditional Italian dishes, featuring chicken, seafood, vegetables, or red meats. Try the mussels, swordfish with capers and lemon, veal picatta, pasta primavera, chicken marsala, or shrimp scampi. There's a good wine lists, too, with glasses from $5.50. The fish is delivered three times a week from Cape Cod.

The Vibe: Lively and casual, but also slightly elegant and slightly hip – a taste of Boston on this side of the stream. The waiters and waitresses are all dressed in black.

Cool factor No. 1: Several of the pasta specialities come in two different sizes – and prices. For those who want a dinner, not a doggie bag.

Cool factor No. 2: On a recent evening the ambient music was Dire Straits.