NOW CLOSED...

Formerly:

Take Five is a testament to the "when something works, stick with it" mentality. Inspired by the success of the $5 dinner offered once a week at Strega Nona's, the restaurant's owners decided to give their menu a makeover, reopening with a kitschy, and catchy, concept: Everything costs $5.

The same Strega Nona kitchen staff whips up an American eclectic, or "casually complicated," menu that hangs on to a few Strega Nona specialties, like spaghetti and Bolognese sauce stuffed peppers. Basic bar standards like Texas chili nachos and hot wings look provincial alongside cashew-encrusted brie, lobster bisque, Tilapia fish tacos and veal steak. Despite the low cost, don't expect appetizer portions; we're talking half-pound burgers, ample chicken breasts and six-ounce salmon filets. Since the price is right, many order tapas-style to get a hearty sampling of the selection.

The sprawling airy space, nestled beneath a high, bronze-gilded ceiling, is filled with dark wood tabletops, a sleek island bar and leather booths, two of which may be curtained off should your party care for some privacy. Individual flat-screen TVs entertain guests along the room's perimeter with music videos and shots of that night's carousing crowd.

Centerstage Reviewer: Jessica Herman