Greens With Envy

When a young Cape Cod man was tragically injured last summer, one simple act of generosity inspired another. And another. And another. Until Wellfleet, for a brief moment, blossomed into the most generous town in America.

THE BEST Side of collards $4, Tremont 647

Got soul? Chef/owner Andy Husbands does, at least when it comes to the preparation of his collards, which are served a la carte or as an accompaniment to his equally soul-inspiring ribs and buttermilk fried chicken. The salty-and-sweet, sour-and-spicy greens are so popular that he cooks about 80 pounds of them a week -- and, thanks to a special steam kettle, the greens retain their bite. Expect to taste two types of bacon -- smoky apple wood and cured -- along with sweet onions, a hint of molasses, and brown sugar. Bottom line These greens make you want to shout "I feel good!"

Herb crusted haddock with mushroom-braised collard greens $14, Kitchen on Common

When we heard that chef/owner Joh Kokubo's collards were prepared vegetarian-style (no ham hocks?!), we wondered how he'd pull it off. But the collards were just as savory as the meat-infused versions that we tasted. Cutting the locally sourced collard greens into a chiffonade and sweating them with leeks and garlic just until they start to wilt, Kokubo then braises them in a rich mushroom stock and drizzles them with a nutty-tasting oil from butternut-squash seed -- the perfect finish to a near-perfect dish. Bottom line Who needs pork when you've got leeks and garlic?

Collard greens sauteed with pine nuts and raisins $5, Solea Restaurant & Tapas Bar

It's more common to find spinach or kale on a Spanish tapas menu than it is collard greens. But in a nod to the Portuguese co-owner (collards are a favorite in that country), the kitchen prepared a knockout rendition that hits all the right notes. Salty, bitter, and a bit sweet, these greens are julienned and sauteed with olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and plump golden raisins. Bottom line A small plate with a sassy twist. -- Rachel Travers

Tremont 647 647 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-266-4600, tremont647.comKitchen on Common 442 Common Street, Belmont, 617-484-4328, kitchenoncommon.comSolea Restaurant & Tapas Bar 388 Moody Street, Waltham, 781-894-1805, solearestaurant.com