Best of Boston

Walk through the door of this swank eatery, and you can’t help but feel 10 times cooler than you really are. Subtle lighting, high-backed leather booths, and R&B playing just above the gentle hum of conversation—they call it ambiance, and the West Side Lounge has it in spades. The food is equally hip. Inspired by the Kentucky roots of chef Alex Jenkins, the menu offers such comfort dishes as bourbon-marinated pork chops and homemade peanut butter ice cream. Even the martinis, complete with blue cheese-stuffed olives, have a style all their own.