Lounging and dining pair comfortably

Even at its busiest, West Side Lounge maintains the illusion of intimacy. Booths are the predominant mode of seating. They run the length of the restaurant, leaving enough space for anyone waiting at the bar to watch you finish up without necessarily hovering. This is not one of those passive-aggressive establishments that let the clientele in on the process of letting lingerers know they've overstayed. As the wait staff might say, "There's no rush."

Smack between Harvard and Porter Squares in Cambridge, this place has been riffing on solid American culinary ideas for about seven years. It's a more inviting dinner spot than a brunch locale, since the dark décor seems to repel the brightest sunlight. But brunch here is as good and sought-after as dinner.

West Side Lounge's popularity owes more to its simply hanging around than its ever having been hot. Diners tend to run from business yuppies and professor types to the sort of people one expects to find in Cambridge (openly gray, in flared black pants, clogs, and generous amounts of velour, chenille, and assorted microfibers). Accordingly, the vibe is starchier than Central Kitchen's in Central Square but not as cutthroat as Temple Bar's, less than a block away. That place is usually hoppin'. The space is bigger. So are the TV screens. But the menu and preparation at West Side Lounge win.

It's true that the new chef Sam Hunt is probably overindulgent with his ingredients. The cauliflower soup does not need the figs sunk at the bottom of the bowl. The title stars of the beet salad are upstaged by roasted garlic; they're Beyoncé to the garlic's Jennifer Hudson. And the brie takes too long to declare itself. In its defense, the brie is fried in a batter that makes it seem like mozzarella and comes paired with a polite, grainy salad whose eater labeled it a high-end trail-mix. He wasn't wrong, but it was better than that. It just did nothing to complement the cheese.

The entrees, meanwhile, are in complete harmony. Polenta and medallions of pork loin, paired with a chun ky sauce of yellow raisins, capers, and bacon would come out first in any contest to deliciously wed as many flavors as possible. The cod served in a pool of vichyssoise inspired only a round of elated expletives for its perfect salinity and terrific blend of textures. West Side Lounge has a special Valentine's Day menu. Sadly, the cod's not on it.

Speaking of romance, there seemed to be some debate between the hostess and a guest about whether its acceptable for a man who enters a restaurant alone to say "companion" when referring to the anticipated arrival of a friend whose gender and relationship are unclear. If by companion, she meant gentleman who might also like a very good fish, then yes, it is.

West Side Lounge, 1680 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-441-5566 , westsidelounge.com , Entrees $14-19.