• Annas Tacqueria, 1412 Beacon Street - Anna's limited menu includes hefty burritos, gooey quesadillas and overstuffed tacos; all are meals in themselves. The super burritos feature a choice of grilled chicken, tender pork carnitas, moist steak or grilled vegetables with rice, beans, cheese, salsa and hot sauce inside a giant flour tortilla.

• Beacon Street Tavern 1032 Beacon Street - Aims to provide its guests with a welcoming spot for reasonably-priced, upscale comfort fare. The menu runs the gamut from pressed sandwiches and spicy beef quesadillas to more high-minded fare like seared tuna and an eggplant napoleon. No reservations are taken, so most patrons face a wait, even on weeknights. When the weather allows, there's a breezy outdoor patio (Beacon Street location only).

• Coolidge Corner Clubhouse, 307 Harvard Street - Colorful sports photos, cartoons and posters provide the ambience of a jock dorm room. Tiny tables fill the cramped room, making for a tight game-watching experience. Fortunately, there are about 20 strategically-places screens that show any and every game. Most menu items are named after famous figures. The "Roger Clemens" is a grilled chicken sandwich with broccoli, honey mustard and melted cheese, while the "Wade Boggs" salad is topped with a grilled teriyaki chicken breast

• The Elephant Walk, 900 Beacon Street - A colorful crowd of food lovers make the trek to sample hard-to-find Cambodian dishes and non-fussy French fare. Attentive young servers and colorful, eclectic dishes provide the bright, upbeat dining room with plenty of atmosphere (there are also many elephant images, for good luck). Libation lovers have a menu of fruity house concoctions to select from, as well as an exciting wine list that's full of rare, international varietals.

• Finale, 1306 Beacon Street - The Coolidge Corner Finale's gorgeous crimson and gold dining room features the same stylish setting of the original Theater District location, including an overhead demonstration mirror that affords a view of the pastry chefs that construct Finale's signature desserts. Young, friendly waiters are pleased to recommend selections from the epic drink list.

• Fugakyu, 1280 Beacon Street - The city's largest Japanese restaurant has a dynamic interior that wouldn't be out of place in Disney World. From the sushi bar's moat (and its circling, sushi-carrying wooden boats) to the bi-level dining areas' screened-off private rooms and projection screens, a meal here promises a unique experience. Bilingual, kimono-clad waitresses wear headsets to ensure that nothing gets lost in the translation with the kitchen and sushi bar. There's also a stylish, discreet cocktail lounge, ideal for an intimate rendezvous over a pear saketini.

• Paris Creperie, 278 Harvard Street - Crepe lovers enjoy a sweet (or savory) taste of France by filling their made-to-order crepes with a wide range of ingredients, from fresh fruit and dulce de leche to Gruyere and sun-dried tomato. Specialty varieties include the apricot turkey (apricot marmalade, turkey and grilled veggies) and Tuscan (fresh basil, goat cheese, chicken and veggies). Fresh smoothies (the "Jimmy Carter" combines peanut butter, banana and non-fat frozen yogurt), soups and coffee drinks round out the offerings.

• Sol Azteca, 914 Beacon Street - Having served award-winning Mexican cuisine since 1974, Sol Azteca (there's another location near Fenway) enjoys a loyal following. With exposed-brick walls and traditional fiesta decorations, the subterranean dining rooms all share a casual, homey atmosphere.

• Super Fusion Cuisine, 690A Washington Street - Super fresh sushi selections, tempura and teriyaki, are served up super fast at this Brookline favorite. Dessert, too often overlooked in Japanese restaurants, is also a treat.

• The Village Smokehouse, 6 Harvard Street - With a grill center stage, tin ceiling, wood walls and photographic gallery of Hollywood cowboy stars (and the three Stooges), there's a sense of fun and frivolity to the place that makes you want to order a platter of ribs and a cold beer. It's a great spot for drinks and dinner after work. Cold bottles of Lone Star beer and posted Hank Williams lyrics make this a Texas embassy in the heart of Brookline.

• Audubon Circle Restaurant & Bar, 838 Beacon Street - Standing in stark contrast to Fenway area's numerous beery sports bars and college dives, Audubon provides area residents and less jocular Sox fans with a stylish, and affordable, drinking and dining option. Perfect for post-game noshing, the menu features several inventive appetizers and sandwiches.

• Taberna de Haro, 999 Beacon Street -In Spain, a taberna is a relaxed, informal spot for hearty food, good conversation and a glass of wine. Taberna de Haro fits this bill and then some, both indoors and out. A breezy sidewalk patio proves popular during the summertime, and when it's cold out, crowds pack the rustic interior and fog up the windows. Taberna de Haro's open kitchen aims for authenticity with dishes like brandada con pimiento rojo asado--bread slices sporting a savory puree of codfish and garlic, topped with slices of roasted red pepper slices.

Closest to our 1750 location:

• The Fireplace, 1634 Beacon Street - The cornerstone of the Washington Square dining scene, the Fireplace attracts young couples and older families with award-winning "New England grill" cuisine and a comfortable bar environment. While there's only one fireplace (located on the lower level, facing the bar), it fills the entire establishment with pleasant scents of winters past and future. Friendly, knowledgeable waiters patrol the warm-toned dining room, delivering dishes from the open kitchen.

• Golden Temple, 1651 Beacon Street - Golden Temple is consistently placed among the best Chinese restaurants in town. While prices are on the high side (for Chinese), the portion sizes of most menu items--from the traditional General Gau's chicken or beef and broccoli to to deep-fried chicken livers and ginger-garlic littleneck clams--are well worth the cost. Flavors and sauces are light and subtle thanks to a focus on fresh and healthy ingredients.

• The Publick House, 1648 Beacon Street - Area professionals young and old flock to this inviting pub for its beer selection and romantic, relaxed atmosphere (lots of candles, a pair of fireplaces). With a full bar, more than 20 beer taps and a varied food menu (pistachio-crusted scallops, mussels and frites), patrons won't find themselves lacking for options. The taps feature several hard-to-find microbrews and imports (several more are available by the bottle).

• Washington Square Tavern, 714 Washington Street - Aims to provide its guests with a welcoming spot for reasonably-priced, upscale comfort fare. The menu runs the gamut from pressed sandwiches and spicy beef quesadillas to more high-minded fare like seared tuna and an eggplant napoleon. No reservations are taken, so most patrons face a wait, even on weeknights. When the weather allows, there's a breezy outdoor patio (Beacon Street location only).

• Athans Bakery, 1621 Beacon Street - Athan's European Bakery is an authentic cafe and artisan pastry shop. Their sweet offerings are handmade in their European style kitchen according to classic and traditional techniques.

• Cityside Bar & Grille, 1960 Beacon Street - It's popular with the bevy of students and young professionals who live nearby; seating at the bar is hard to come by in the evening. The upstairs deck is a great spot to enjoy pub grub in a relaxing alfresco setting before or after catching a flick across the street.

• Eagles Deli & Restaurant, 1918 Beacon Street - Eagles Deli's epic sandwich list is ignored by many patrons in favor of the restaurant's famed burgers. BC football players are fond of the Godzilla burger, a pound of meat with loads of cheese, while the Chillerama burger (five pounds of meat, 20 slices of cheese and 18 bacon strips) is free if one can finish it within an hour. Crisp fries, sold by the pound, and Cokes (alcohol isn't served) round out most meals. Be sure to check out their enormous cooked breakfasts too.