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A willingness to test and sometimes overstep boundaries typifies Samm’s, which stitches fifties-era comfort food, nuevo Latino, and Asian-fusion conceits into a crazy quilt of mixed-up Americanness. The restaurant’s barren, metallic front room and cocktail lounge is dominated by a flat-screen TV; at the back, a large, bi-level dining room abruptly alters the scene to that of a moody bistro, with a hushed vibe, dark wood paneling, and white tablecloths. The setting seems awfully musty as a staging area for culinary displays like calamari with Thai remoulade dipping sauce and bocconcini mozzarella wrapped in bacon-thick prosciutto. As high as the kitchen aims, Samm’s scores more direct hits with American basics, like roasted garlic lamb chops and meat loaf with gravy. The glistening, open kitchen, where Ecuadorian chef Segundo Guaman slings stainless-steel cookware in full view of his dinner and brunch guests, bespeaks a clattering self-confidence that has won over some loyal customers.  Others, mystified, are left scratching their heads, but they still enjoy their stick-to-your-ribs suppers. — Jon Steinberg

Fried calamari, $10; grilled lamb chops, $25