Great dining hidden in plain sight

If you want to go out to dinner in Davis Square, you are faced often with a quandry: you want to go somewhere a little classier than Anna's Taqueria, and you have already eaten your way through the menu at Joshua Tree. Do not despair, as there's a place so obvious that it's actually hidden, Orleans.

Orleans _ located on Holland Ave. _ offers several options, each making for a great experience. It can be the evening bar before going to a party, a place to catch the game, or as a place to go on a date. The opportunities are endless at Orleans, and each choice is sure to be exactly what you are looking for.

The hostess, bartenders, and servers are all the kind you hope for when you go out. They're polite, cheerful (but not too cheery), and will do whatever it is that will make you happy and keep your night better than expected. If the weather is nice, the front wall of Orleans opens right up, and you have the option to sit near the outside.

The bar is stocked with just about everything you could imagine, so even that favorite, unique drink of yours can be prepared right in front of you. Be it a White Russian or a Black and Tan, Orleans will be sure to have you covered.

The atmosphere of Orleans adds to its overall appeal. The lighting is dark at first, gradually provides a sense of and relaxation_ perfect after midterms or finals. Combine this with the extremely good, casual service, and you are in a good mood before you even order.

Let's talk about the main reason to go off campus for dinner: the food. At Orleans, you can order everything from salad to fish to steak. The house salad is better than most. There's a perfect amount of each ingredient, and its presentation is as good as it flavor. The price simply adds to the enjoyment: $7.

The ateak, which will run you about $20, is worth much more than that and would cost a lot more at most other places. They tend to cook things a little rarer than most other restaurants, but they have no problem taking it back and cooking it to your liking.

The general range of prices for entrees is roughly $10 - $20, with appetizers as approximately $5. The menu also offers some more unique dishes, such as the pan-seared salmon filet, which is served with potato leek gratin and black bean sauce.

This dish will run you about $17, but you will not soon forget it. In fact, the dishes at Orleans will keep you coming back for more, whether you decide to come back for your favorite dish or to try the other enticing options.

The noise level in Orleans is about as good as it gets. There is some background music, and the restaurant has managed to find the perfect volume. It's enough to drown out other people's conversations and outbursts of laughter, yet quiet enough so as not to hinder your own conversation (unlike Anna's Taqueria). The tables are spread far enough apart so you nevre feel crowded (like at Red Bone's). At the same time, you will never be so distant from anyone that you might feel forgotten.

If you just want a place to relax and have a drink, and maybe even get some work done, Orleans has a few big, comfy chairs which are located in the front by the opened windows. In the early fall of spring these are a fantastic way to forget about everything on your mind, no matter what it is.

Orleans is without a doubt a great place to go for an off-campus meal, but it is best to go for dinner rather than lunch. The lunch menu is limited, and the place will not have the same ambience as later in the evening, as the setting is made for after-dusk dining. However, there is no place better for a first date. Perhaps a movie before dinner across the street is best, as it will give you something to talk about in those awkward, first date moments. All in all, you cannot go wrong at Orleans, no matter what the occasion and expectations might entail.