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Don't be confused by the name—Melt isn't yet another grilled-cheese spot. This popular Park Slope restaurant serves New American fare to a bubbling twentysomething crowd. The décor is minimal and modern yet warm, with chocolate walls and pendant lamps hanging above the bar. With experience in the kitchens of Gordon Ramsay and Thomas Keller, executive chef Andres Valbuena puts together inventive, seasonal offerings divided into small-, medium-, and large-bites sections on the menu. A silky strawberry gazpacho is served with housemade ricotta and basil-infused olive oil; diver scallops on asparagus purée are creamy and perfectly seared. Though a “medium bite,” the handmade almond ziti is hearty enough for a full meal, and the salmon entrée arrives with mussels and broth for dipping your bread into. The chocolate molten cake is as cliché—and delicious—as ever, served with a dollop of vanilla cream. A changing menu of wines and specialty cocktails—including a refreshing lemon-basil martini—complements the meal nicely. — Megan Creydt

"Taste Life Tuesday" happens on the first Tuesday of every month; it's a five-course prix fixe tasting menu ($25) created special each time. For $20 extra, pair each course with wine.

Lobster Fest Through the Summer
Every Wednesday through the summer, Melt will be featuring a different type of lobster dish, in appetizer and/or entrée form.

Strawberry gazpacho, $9; handmade almond ziti, $16; pan-seared wild sockeye salmon, $24

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