If One Walnut (1801 E. 9th St., 216.575.1111) is an Armani suit, then Luxe Kitchen & Lounge (6605 Detroit Ave., 216.920.0600) is a pair of dark jeans and an American Apparel T-shirt. Chef and owner Marlin Kaplan set out to fashion a restaurant that would be "affordable, approachable and fun." Based on an opening weekend visit, it's clear he accomplished his goal. The lighthearted tone at this nascent Detroit Shoreway bistro begins outside, where the double storefront windows are emblazoned with quotations honoring food, drink and art. Casual and chic, the barroom features a stunning deco bar, rescued from Collinwood, marble-top tables and real cowhide banquettes (cowches?). Unexpected juxtapositions like exposed brick walls and crystal chandeliers create a sense of drama. Mix-and-match china, flour-sack table runners and kitchen-towel napkins keep the mood laid back. A bank vault, a vestige of a former tenant, functions as the restaurant's wine cellar. Kaplan's Mediterranean-inspired menu complements the breezy atmosphere with big and small plates for sharing, family-style meals and design-your-own pizzas. Skewered on sugar cane, pork and chicken kabobs ($5.50) are glazed with a zippy chile-garlic sauce and served with a tropical mango salsa. Shrimp ($13.50) is wrapped in bacon, grilled until crisp and presented on a robust tomato ragu. Kaplan is proud of his hand-tossed pizzas, as he should be. In the marguerite ($12), fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil meld into a perfectly textured crust. Slightly thicker than a wafer-thin Neapolitan, the crust possesses a pleasant heft and chew. The menu also features pastas, sandwiches and a burger. Luxe's tightly constructed wine list is jammed with attractive bottles priced just $10 over retail, making a bottle of, say, Twenty Bench Napa cabernet a mere $33. Providing the soundtrack for all this theater is the house DJ, who broadcasts a genre-busting playlist. Luxe Kitchen & Lounge is open for dinner every night but Monday, with Sunday brunch service beginning at 11 a.m.

Most restaurants host special Mother's Day brunches. But how many offer the opportunity to get Mom tipsy on cold sake? Sasa Matsu (13120 Shaker Sq., 216.767.1111) is offering an East-meets-West banquet of made-to-order omelets, shrimp shumai, steamed buns, fish katsu, bbq ribs and a host of other options. The brunch runs from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday and the price is $20 per adult. If sake isn't your cup of tea, consider Sasa's own green tea-infused wheat beer brewed by Willoughby Brewing.