As it turns out, Meritage needn’t worry: Rowes Wharf Sea Grille, which opened in late May, is still decidedly lower-key than its upstairs counterpart. There’s the nautical blue-and-white palette; there’s the option of al fresco dining on the harbor terrace. And on Friday nights during the summer, there are movies playing on an outdoor screen, visible (though inaudible) through the Grille’s enormous windows.

For a hotel restaurant, it’s surprisingly excellent food. Chef Daniel Bruce (who also oversees Meritage and hotel events) has assembled simple dishes that deftly enhance the seafood’s flavors, rather than overdressing them with heavy spices or too-thick sauces. The Jonah crab salad ($16.50), for example, pairs sweet crabmeat with tangy crème fraîche; microgreens and a nest of crispy fried shallots on top provide subtle crunch.

The entrees don’t slouch, either. A meaty grilled monkfish “osso buco” (a $28 hunk of bone-in fish) is served in a pool of light bouillabaisse, with crispy fennel crostini to soak up the aromatic broth. Caramelized sea scallops ($28) are expertly seared, topped with fresh peapods and greens over a creamy sauvignon-blanc based sauce. There’s plenty on offer for landlubbers, too, but the seafood’s so solid, you’d better hate fish to justify going for the lamb or steak.

As good as it is, though, it’s hard to see the Sea Grille as a destination eatery—possibly because the BHH itself doesn’t appear to see it that way. On our recent visit, the service verged on apathetic, from the water glasses that sat empty to a 20-minute wait for a simple plate of Island Creek oysters. Then, post-meal, when met with a $27 tab for an hour and a half of valet parking—approximately the cost of an entrée—we asked whether validation was offered for restaurant patrons. “Where’d you eat?” asked the valet, and we told him. “Sorry, not for the Sea Grille,” came the reply. (Ouch.)

In other words, it’s not the BHH’s best work, nor is it intended to be. We’d go back for the fish, but for service and scene, Meritage still rules the roost.

Rowes Wharf Sea Grille, Boston Harbor Hotel, 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, 617-856-7744, roweswharfseagrille.com.

At new Chinatown seafood restaurant Jade Garden, however, ignorance proves impossible. Making our way in last week, we were greeted by fish tanks crowded with all manner of ocean wildlife, including live lobster, crab, shrimp, flounder, and colossal mollusks called geoduck. (We once saw them on an episode of Dirty Jobs—enough said.) And these critters weren’t just for show. They were dinner.

Inside, the equally packed dining room was filled with Chinese families surrounding white cloth-covered tables and sharing multiple dishes, which we took as a good sign. Hot tea and a saucer of peanuts kept us busy while we eyed the menu’s seafood specialties, traditional hot pots and soups, and familiar mainstays like beef with broccoli and kung pao chicken.

Craving something a bit more exotic, we took our server’s suggestion and went with the daily seafood specials served with mixed vegetables (all “market price,” FYI). He tapped “flounder” in the menu, motioning to the tanks brimming with swimming fishies.

And then we watched our dinner die.

A cook emerged from the kitchen to net the flounder right before the dining crowd;  he retreated with the fish wriggling and flapping. Too much information? Maybe, but it was still fun to witness.

Appetizers were presented less, er, dramatically, but good nonetheless. Two steamed Kumamoto oysters served on the half-shell with black bean sauce were delightfully warm and soft, but bigger than the bivalves we usually get; we had to cut them up and chew. “Tidbits 2″ was everything an Americanized Chinese app should be: large shrimp and chicken dipped in still-crispy batter, and tender meat on a stick.

The flounder, meanwhile, turned out flaky and fantastic, perfectly seasoned and delivered atop a bed of broccoli, carrots, pea pods, water chestnuts, fresh grated ginger, and shallots. It tasted as fresh as can be.

“Murder!” our fellow diners teased as we chowed.

We prefer the phrase “tank-to-table.”

Jade Garden, 18-20 Tyler St., Boston, 617-423-3288.

A Midsummer Night’s Scene
June 25, 6-8 p.m.
Nine Zero, 90 Tremont St.
Fashion and English lit enthusiasts collide at the Dress for Success Fashion Benefit, which will include a runway show featuring Shakespeare-inspired fashions provided by the South End’s Looc, summer-inspired drinks, hor d’oeuvres from Ken Oringer of KO Prime, and music spun by DJ Mario.

Provincetown Portuguese Festival
June 25-28
Provincetown, MA
Provincetown’s vibrant Portuguese community continues to influence the area’s culture and community. Celebrate Portuguese heritage with four days of food, games, music, dance and art. Don’t miss the opening night festivities for a taste of Provincetown’s restaurants, the Portuguese soup tasting, or the Clamfeed.

A Taste of Allston
June 28, 5 p.m.
Murr Center at the Harvard Athletic Complex, 65 North Harvard St., Allston
Mayor Menino will be on hand to usher in the “Taste of Allston,” which will feature restaurants such as Buk Kyung, Lilly’s Gourmet Pasta, and more. There will also be a silent auction, freebies from local businesses, live music from ska band The Allstonians, and samples of several international and domestic beers and wine.

Chili Takedown
June 28, 3 p.m.
Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Ave., Allston
Calling all Boston foodies: Do you think your chili recipe is simply the best? Show off your cooking skills at Boston’s Chili Takedown. It’s free to enter, and prizes are $100 for the “people’s choice” and $50 from the judges. Pay just $10 per person to try all the chili.

But the restaurant’s owners worked out a plan B, and this spring, the business happily relocated to JP’s up-and-coming Brewery Loft complex on Amory Street, which also houses the lovely Ula Cafe.

One thing lost in the move was the candlepin bowling (sniff), but nearly every other element of the quirky nightspot has survived. And one could argue that the new Bella Luna is better than ever before. The new digs boast the same colorful décor as the old spot, from the red walls and boho pendant lights to the plastic dinnerware adorned with kids’ drawings. But since it’s a new build-out, it feels far more inviting and cohesive than the ragtag former space. The bar (the Milky Way part) sits in the middle of the restaurant instead of on a separate floor, making for good mingling between the drinking and dining crowds.

Chef Jake Zachow, who came on board before the move, has retained menu staples like thin-crust pizzas, burgers, and the infamous “Not Your Mama’s Meatballs,” as well as the $13 to $19 entree prices. But there’s also more creative fare, like a seasonal salad of spring asparagus, pear, and fennel ($9), and an entree of flame-grilled salmon with spring pea and honey risotto ($16). Some of it works, some of it doesn’t. The Lunar Eclipse salad ($11) of crisp greens, shaved veggies, and fried calamari is delightfully hearty, dressed with a bright citrus vinaigrette, but the gummy ricotta gnocchi with bland sausage and limp broccolini is a bummer.

Then again, at $8 for a half-portion of pasta, it’s tough to complain. And in reality, no one comes to Bella Luna looking for haute cuisine. Even after the move, the place continues to offer JP denizens affordable dining, strong drinks, solid takeout, live music, plenty of vegetarian/vegan options, and a family-friendly vibe. In other words, it’s still what the neighborhood craves.

Bella Luna Restaurant & Milky Way Lounge, 284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, 617-524-3740, milkywayjp.com.

The tip-offs have been coming from Twitter, of course. Some of our favorite chefs and restaurateurs are using the social-networking website as their sounding board to broadcast information to customers.

For example, Tony Maws at Craigie On Main (@craigieonmain) sounds off about fresh ingredients of the day, and lets users know when, and how many, spots are available for the popular Chef’s Whim prixe fixe. And Andy Husbands (@AndyHusbands) just revealed he’ll be starring on Hell’s Kitchen on July 21. What’s the hype all about? Check out for yourself with this sampling of the latest local tweets, all in 140 characters or less.

And be sure to follow us on twitter @bostonmagazine.

33 Restaurant: http://twitter.com/33Restaurant - 3-Course $33.00 Prix Fixe Menu Available Everyday! http://bit.ly/veOAn

Andy Husbands: http://twitter.com/andyhusbands - “HELL’S KITCHEN! July 21 at 8pm, see me on the show! we’re gonna have a big dinner at 647…more info soon”

Achilles Project: http://twitter.com/AchillesProject - Prix Fixe EVERYNIGHT only $33.09 per person!!!

The Beehive: http://twitter.com/BostonBeehive - Tasting the Pop Rocktail, Pop Rocks candy mixed with Yulupa Cuvee Brut. When is the last time you had Pop Rocks? Come try it tonight!!

Bond: http://twitter.com/BondBoston - Patio is open. Come see Amanda, Paula and Brian for a drink or a bite to eat…

Bonfire Steakhouse: http://twitter.com/BonfireSteak - Dollar Taco Thursdays tomorrow at Bonfire 5-7pm. Available in the bar and café areas.

Charles Hotel: http://twitter.com/CharlesHotel - Crossing our fingers for sun on Thurs. for the Taste of Cambridge! Over 60 restaurants! Tix still available http://www.tasteofcambridge…

Craigie On Main: http://twitter.com/craigieonmain - Few spots for tonites Chefs Whim >930. 4or6 course Tasting $39 or 55.Can’t promise but veal,cod chks,softshll cr,squab in the house,

Formaggio Kitchen: http://twitter.com/formaggio - Tried our new lamb bacon. Lamb bellies from Jamison Farms - tiny little things - delicate flavor with perfect balance or just damn good.

Joanne Chang: http://twitter.com/jbchang - Book photoshoot: 1st 2 hrs unloadg 9 bags props, next hr breakg open 12 rasp muffins, 12 dbl choc cookies, now lookg @ graveyard of pastries

La Morra: http://twitter.com/LaMorraBrooklin - Josh and his boys: New England’s daddy chefs dish on food and family for father’s day: http://bit.ly/15TcRV

L’Espalier: http://twitter.com/LESPALIER - Rhubarb Rani Beefeater, rhubarb simple and Peychaud bitters. Rhubarb stick! http://twitpic.com/894u0

Rocca: http://twitter.com/roccaboston - if only we had some SUMMER to go with this new summer menu of ours… check it out: roccaboston.com/menus

Sel de la Terre: http://twitter.com/SeldelaTerre - it’s magical Monday at SDLT back bay! Start your week off right with $1 oysters & charcuterie and $5 drink specials, tonight 5-7pm.

Tapeo: http://twitter.com/TapasAtTapeo - Pallini Promo this Thursday 6-8pm. Drink samples and specials (they might even buy you one…). Goes well with $5 tapas!

Tomasso Trattoria: http://twitter.com/TomassoTrattori - Tonight we have Insalata alla Frutti di Mare with Wellfleet clams, Eastham mussels, Maine sole, Florida shrimp!

Toscanini’s: http://twitter.com/tosci - This Th, Jun 25 is Shiftmob at Clear Conscience Cafe. Move 10% of your purchases to small local businesses and improve things. CLF. CSRA

Tremont 647: http://twitter.com/Tremont647 - Yes, its true, you will see Chef Andy Husbands on Hells Kitchen - you better come to $2 Taco Tuesday tonight before they really get BONKERS!

Uni: http://twitter.com/UniSashimi - Wanna know the cure for a dreary Tuesday? Sake Bombing at Uni! Get a four-course menu, sake and Sapporo for $35.00.

UpStairs on the Square: http://twitter.com/UpStairsonTheSq
- What a day for fiddleheads and sunshine! Susie’s in the kitchen cooking up springtime magic. Come taste!

Vox Populi: http://twitter.com/voxpopuliboston - is finalizing the new organic wine list!! Come by and try it with the new bar bites menu!

Taste of Cambridge
June 25, 5:30-8 p.m. (Please note that due to projected rain, the Taste of Cambridge has been rescheduled!)
Technology Square courtyard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
Swing on by and sample gourmet goodies al fresco from Cambridge’s top restaurants, including Grafton Street, Upstairs on the Square, East Coast Grill, Rialto, Temple Bar, Chez Henri, Craigie on Main, and more while benefiting Youth on Fire and Club Passim’s Culture for Kids/Music Speaks. Tickets are $50 in advance, and $60 at the door. Splurge for VIP for $75, and kids get in for $15.

José McIntyre’s Block Party
June 18, 5-11 p.m.
Like we needed a good excuse to party in the street? Jose McIntyre’s hosts the Financial District’s biggest block party to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), and 100 percent of ticket proceeds will be donated to the charity. U2 Cover band, Joshua Tree, will also perform live. $10 cover charge to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Bin Ends Wine’s “Having Fun with Fine Wine” Seminar
June 19, 6:30-8 p.m. and every Thursday, 6:30-8 p.m.
Bin Ends Great Wines, 236 Wood Road, Braintree
Indulge in fine food and wine while expanding your knowledge. Co-founder and wine connoisseur John Hafferty will teach a weekly seminar every Thursday, covering topics such as important grape regions, food pairing, and wine-making techniques. $15 per class.

And finally, our round-up of dinners (and brunches) and more for Dad.

Everyone looked a little blue from all the extended breath-holding. There were anxious rumors — mass closings, a blighted dining landscape. I heard the word “bloodbath” a couple of times.

And then?

Nothing.

Well, not exactly nothing. Excelsior closed, but that wasn’t a shock to anyone–the restaurant had long seemed to struggle to find its audience (despite Eric Brennan’s fine cooking). The Dish, a South End neighborhood favorite closed up shop, and Marc Orfaly’s attempt to break the Restaurant L curse failed after just a few months.

But none of it was shocking, and nothing came close to reaching bloodbath proportions.

Which is why it was so alarming that week in late May/early June when three restaurants announced they were closing by July. Aujourd’hui, Great Bay, and Icarus; all award-winning, fine dining restaurants, gone from the scene. Was this a sign of the Armageddon we’d been waiting for?

I’ve been discussing this question with industry folks for the past few weeks, and the answer I’m hearing is, happily, “no.”

“It’s big news when a restaurant like Aujourd’hui closes,” says Michael Schlow of Radius, Via Matta, and Alta Strada, formerly of Great Bay. “You look at cities like New York and Chicago, and it happens all the time. We’re very fortunate in that we haven’t had many closings. We may not do the same gross revenues that other cities do per square foot, but we’re a fairly stable restaurant community.”

“I think those closings were a coincidence,” says Charlie Perkins, Boston’s best-known restaurant broker (and the agent who handled the Icarus sale). “We had been working on the Icarus deal for several months. It just took a while to get someone who had the financial wherewithal to do it. I think the group that owns the Four Seasons just wasn’t getting the return on investment they wanted. Hotels want to get out of the restaurant business and either bring in a celebrity chef or lease the space out to a chain.

“And why did Great Bay go out? Quite honestly, there isn’t a market for a fine dining restaurant in Kenmore Square. The lion’s share of the business is done by Eastern Standard. I think Great Bay was the wrong concept for the location.”

For its part, Great Bay said in a statement, that, given the economic climate, “the principals decided the best course of action was to close [the restaurant], rather than try to re-make it into something other than what it was designed to be.”

So that’s three coincident closings, but no proof of a meaningful trend. And, while restaurateurs are generally skittish about admitting to financial strains (dining out is a form of theater, after all), some were surprisingly frank.

“We were scared shitless in January,” Orfaly says. “Pigalle is only profitable six months out of the year. July, we lose money, and the other five months, we’re good if we break even. December has always been our workhorse. And this December we were down, like, 50 percent. But one thing restaurateurs are good at is getting creative, so we came up with our $40 prix fixe, and made sure we were still appealing to our regulars, and through that, we’ve actually been surprised. I started to feel less panicked at the end of January. And our numbers are actually up.”

That’s not to scatter rosepetals and unicorn dust on a still-struggling market. “Some people are doing great, and others are having a really hard time,” Orfaly says. Summer, despite its influx of tourists, can be a tough season for upscale restaurants (though, this being the Year of the Staycation, perhaps that will change).

But, on the whole, restaurants seem to be hanging in, because good operators know how to make do in tough times.

“They’re working harder than ever,” says Schlow. “The key is to make sure your guests don’t feel the impact of the recession. You make the alterations you need to make without the guests noticing — renegotiating with the linen company, renegotiating with the valet service. Not every restaurant can turn into a $19.99 bistro [Ed. note: Amen!]. We still need diversity in our city. We’ve really been making progress in the last 10, 15 years, and I don’t want to see that stifled.”

So the arrival of Senegalese cuisine to the South End comes as a happy surprise. Teranga fills a simply adorned space on Washington Street between Mike’s City Diner and Cru (a newish wine store) and offers equally funky option to South Enders who’ve had their fill of—or can’t get into—tapas hotspot Toro. Carved gourds decorate the tables, and colorful, West Africa-inspired paintings hang on the walls. There’s a small bar pouring beer and wine, and two rows of two-tops that can be pushed together to accommodate groups.

Sadly, we can’t vouch for the food’s authenticity, since we don’t have a lot of experience with Senegalese cooking. But if this is it, we like it.

The menu leans heavily on fish, lamb, and fried appetizers; on a quiet night, you can hear your order bubbling away in oil as you wait. (The place was near empty during our Tuesday night visit, but it’s apparently packed on weekends—and FYI, Teranga doesn’t take reservations.)

For starters, don’t miss the fataya (spicy fish-filled empanandas), fried plantains, and black-eyed pea fritters. Star entrées include poisson à la braise (a grilled whole tilapia topped with caramelized onions) and lamb stew with sweet potatoes.

Touches of Vietnamese cuisine appear in the fried spring rolls, salads, and nuoc mam sauce. (Senegal and Vietnam were both French colonies, thus the cultural link.)

As for the sweets, thiakry (a thin rice pudding with vanilla and mangoes) is the house favorite for dessert, but the flat, cinnamony beignets hit the spot, too. A word of advice: Dessert portions are small, so order two.

Teranga, 1746 Washington St., Boston, 617-266-0003.

Step into Summer
June 11, 5-8 p.m.
Neiman Marcus, Copley Place
Food, drinks, fashion, charity! Join the Kitchen Cabinet and Neiman Marcus to get a look at the latest trends in fashion and food. Models will show off head-to-toe styles of the season as you munch on bites from Sage, Bambara, and Domenic & Anthony’s. Sip on style-inspired cocktails from Cold River Vodka and wine by Truro Vineyards. $65 per person.

Aquitaine Group & Aunt Sadie’s Deal
Through June
Aunt Sadie’s, 18 Union Park St. and South End restaurants Gaslight, Union, Metropolis Cafe, and Aquitaine
Shop at Aunt Sadie’s, and you’ll receive a coupon for 25 percent off your meal at any of the Aquitaine Group Boston restaurants (Gaslight, Union, Metropolis Cafe, and Aquitaine). And, if you dine at an Aquitaine Group restaurant, you will also receive a coupon to use at Aunt Sadie’s (15 percent off any purchase or 20 percent off actual Aunt Sadie’s products).

Coda Bar & Kitchen turns Two
Through June 30, Mon.-Fri., 4-6 p.m.
Coda, 329 Columbus Ave.
To celebrate its second birthday, Coda presents a special Birthday Bites & Cocktails menu. Throughout the month, choose a cocktail and an appetizer and pay just $5. Cocktails include the Grapefruit Summer Press and the Raspberry Lime Rickey, and appetizers include tomato, basil, and brie crostini, fried calamari, and roasted chicken wings/tossed in curry lime butter.

Chefs in Shorts
June 12, 7-9:30 p.m.
Seaport Boston, 200 Seaport Boulevard (along the Boulevard of Flags)
Boston’s star chefs join forces for an outdoor dining bonanza at the Seaport Hotel. Among the 35 big names firing up their grills: Rodney Murillo of Avila, Rachel Klein of Aura, Jason Santos of Gargoyles, Mark Sapienza of Bond, Joseph Brenner of Olives, and Mark Porcaro of Top of the Hub. Tickets cover beer, wine, and ample tastings, and help support the Greater Boston Food Bank. $60 per person.

Summer ‘Tequila Tuesdays’
Every Tuesday, 6-8 p.m.
Sushi-Teq, InterContinental Boston, 510 Atlantic Ave.
You’re lounging amidst palm trees and plush sofas while salsa music plays in the background. No, it’s not Miami. It’s the patio at Sushi-Teq on the Boston waterfront. On Tuesdays, you can sip complimentary tequila tastings and nibble on sushi. Each week, a different tequila is featured, and there will also be free salsa lessons from professional dancers.

It’ll serve lunch and dinner, featuring a selection of small plates, pastas, and pizzas, all priced under $13. And there will be a strong emphasis on local sourcing.

“We want it to be sustainable,” Bissonnette says. “We don’t want to beat people over the head with where we get our greens, but we want to be artisanal and local. As much house-cured salami as possible, Vermont cheeses, eggs from Round the Bend Farm in Dartmouth for our pasta dough. We’re hoping they can supply us with a whole animal each week. I’ve always been really into nose-to-tail cooking, but I want to be even more into it here.”

At the same time he says, this isn’t going to be some sort of fussy foodie temple. Bissonnette and Oringer understand that Bostonians like their comfort food (sigh), and will have plenty of familiar fare to offset the offal.

I know that these are lean times for restaurants, and we’ve seen some scary restaurant closings of late (more on that later this week), but this one sounds like a winner: the right concept for the right neighborhood at the right time. The ETA is looking more like “late August,” according to Oringer. And a website is in the works: coppaboston.com.

It hasn’t gone live yet, but keep checking back for more info. We can’t wait.

– AMY TRAVERSO