Sportello  348 Congress Street

Legendary Beantown Chef Barbara Lynch’s new Sportello (literally lunch counter in Italian) has everything going for it: white, chic, modern and her inventive and meticulous fare. Light and barely dressed (just the way I like it) fennel, parmesan and celery salad followed by a shared plate of chewy orechiette with lamb ragout, ricotta salata and pine nuts. I’m a fan.   www.sportelloboston.com   Stop downstairs for a cocktail at Drink, Barbara Lynch’s high concept cocktail party. Describe your desires to the bartender and he (or she) will craft a concoction from their stock of fresh-squeezed juices (pomegranate, raspberry) and artisanal liquors.

Flour Bakery and Cafe     12 Farnsworth St., Fort Point     1595 Washington St., South End

Head to Flour for lunch or a treat either during your shopping tour of the South End, or stop at the branch in Fort Point (after lunch at Sportello) for one of these mad yummy, slightly salty homemade Oreos.  www.flourbakery.com

Oishii    1166 Washington Street   South End

Washington Street was decidedly fringe when I lived there twenty years ago, but now it’s home to some of the city’s best restaurants. Right next door to my old digs is Oishii, a glamorous spot with a zen vibe (wall waterfalls, sake barrels, pretty urban people). Christopher said to have the Kaiseki Lunch: “just small bites, not too much”. Ha! Needless to say, we don’t have sushi like this in Lyme, so I polished it off. Nothing like a sakatini to cure real estate regret. Expensive, but worth it; lunch is a relative bargain.  www.oishiiboston.com