Luxe Kitchen & Lounge

I've never experienced the roar of a tornado, but I imagine it sounds a bit like Luxe Kitchen & Lounge on a busy night. Seated in the dining room, our foursome not only struggles to hear our tableside server, we strain to hear each other. Adopting the role of forensic acousticians, we dissect the room for clues. Carpet? Check. Enclosed kitchen? Check. Subtle music? Check. Our deduction is simple: many people enjoying themselves in a confined space.

The situation at Luxe calls to mind the adage that states, "The only thing worse than a very loud restaurant is a very quiet one." Indeed, the stratospheric decibel level here is confirmation that diners are swooning over Marlin Kaplan's latest experiment.

It isn't a single demographic that appears smitten. Possessing one of the most delightfully eclectic crowds, Luxe manages to bridge East and West, hip and aged, even gay and straight. The restaurant has breathed air into the sails of a neighborhood poised on the verge of renaissance. Best of all, it does so by connecting with, rather than shutting out, the less-than-perfect streetscape around it. Kaplan easily could have chosen to insulate diners from the outside world with the installation of drapes. Instead, the restaurant's expansive front windows feature a litany of food-related quotes, affixed to the glass in a way that serves as a subtle visual break. They also offer passersby food for thought.

There obviously was a lot of thought that went into the creation of Luxe. But like a well-executed soiree, those machinations are wholly invisible to the guest. In the wrong hands, tidbits like the mix-and-match plates and silverware, homespun kitchen-towel napkins and shabby chic chandeliers can come off as contrived, even corny. This space feels organic, as if it had been here all along. From the Art Deco bar, salvaged from a Collinwood dive, to the brass-and-glass kitchen partition, vintage Terminal Tower fixtures, nothing looks out of place.

With a host of small plates, shared plates, pizzas and prix fixe dinners, Luxe has options for just about every mood and budget. "It's the kind of place where you can spend $10 or $100," Kaplan explained during construction. Amazingly, that's true. A couple can kick back in a plush cowhide booth and nosh on a charcuterie plate, an artisinal cheese board, and a couple of glasses of cabernet for a grand total of $12 per person. Combined, the platters contain enough salumi, cheese, crackers and bread to qualify as a light meal.

But stop there and you'll miss out on the delightful pork and chicken kabobs ($5.50), glazed with a zippy chile-garlic sauce. Or the explosively flavored bacon-wrapped shrimp ($13.50), grilled and served with a peppery Romesco sauce. Small but sprightly, a veal-stuffed pepper ($7) is topped with an herby tomato sauce and presented in a cast-iron pan. One of the kitchen's few missteps, an order of calamari ($8.50) arrives way too chewy to enjoy.

Kaplan is proud of his hand-tossed pizzas. Served on an elevated pizza platter, the marguerite ($12/small) is the perfect union of mozzarella, tomato, basil and wafer-thin Neapolitan crust. Olive oil is likely to blame for a pesto pizza's ($17/large) soggy bottom. Gourmet add-ons like smoked salmon, prosciutto and duck can be affixed to any pie for $2.

Luxe's Mediterranean-inspired menu also features creative salads, luscious pastas and daily specials. Adventurous diners who order the "family meal" are rewarded with a three-course spread served family-style for just $18 per person. I say adventurous because the chef decides as he goes what will be served. One evening our meal kicked off with a big plate of linguini topped with shrimp, mussels and sliced sausage in a garlicky tomato broth. Next up is a rack of fork-tender ribs, their aggressive spiciness tempered by a side of refreshing cabbage slaw. For dessert, we alternated between a dense slice of cappuccino ice cream pie and an almond cake, gilded with fruit and a pleasingly tart whipped buttermilk topping.

Taking into account our bottle of floral Rhone Valley rose ($25) - all of the bottles on Luxe's wine list are sold at $10 over retail - we tumble out of the restaurant sated, quenched and only $60 poorer (discounting tax and tip).

Owing, perhaps, to the size and shape of the room, the lounge is quieter than the dining room. Guests who prefer a more tranquil setting would be wise to snag one of the booths, high-tops or barstools in the front room. They are sufficiently comfortable, and they come with the added bonus of being able to hear the house DJ, not to mention your mates.

Luxe Kitchen & Lounge: 6605 Detroit Ave., Cleveland - 216.920.0600. Hours: 4 p.m.-midnight Tuesday-Thursday; 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.