Mesa Grill (CLOSED)

Jacked-up Southwestern dishes routinely appear on menus around the city, but the party started here when chef Bobby Flay opened this soaring dining room in 1991, before he became a Food Network celeb. Bold flavors still rule: The signature blue-corn pancake stuffed with shredded barbecued duck is a tasty beginning, as are the grilled mahi-mahi tacos with smoked tomato salsa, avocado relish and charred pineapple hot sauce. Entrées include a spice-rubbed sirloin served with Mesa Grill’s secret steak sauce and a double-baked potato with horseradish, green onions and crème fraîche.