Despite the din, Hush has its moments

SHHHH! Naming the noisiest restaurant in town Hush may have been wishful thinking or merely irony on the owner's part. Maybe we are just getting old, but we actually like to hear the person talk who is sitting right next to us. In fact, we really enjoy having a conversation over dinner.

Maybe we're out of step, since so many new restaurants seem to be designed with acoustics that amp up the volume. Does the hip crowd have so little to say to each other? Does the buzz mean you are in the spot that's hot? Whatever! Noisy restaurants are on our pet peeve list.

Despite the daunting decibels, Hush is an extremely attractive place to dine, with an outdoor patio as large as the interior dining room. It is sleekly styled with overtones of Calvin Klein. The walls and floor are a soft beige. Lining two sides of the room, banquettes and booths are covered in a creamy textured fabric. Accents of dark chocolate in the carpet are repeated in the woodwork.

The main dining room is dominated by two large, square, fabric-covered light fixtures that pick up the beige tones in the room. There are candles everywhere, creating a warm glow. The outdoor patio has a retractable roof and low glass walls above the banquette seating that edges the room.

It is a lovely spot for a summer night's dinner, yet warm and comfortable in winter. There is a separate bar area with a long communal table and one large, curtained, private booth at the back. The bar has its own menu serving such items as spicy shrimp spring rolls, goat cheese wontons, a cheese plate and a cheeseburger with fries. Hush also has a fixed-price, pre-theater menu from 5:30 to 6:30 nightly.

After being seated, you are presented with the menu and a veritable tome that turns out to be the wine list. This list is world-class! The owner is a wine connoisseur and collector and has included bottles from his personal collection as well as an extraordinary range of wines at every price. If you are overwhelmed, consult with the knowledgeable sommelier.

On the first occasion we dined there, very early on a Saturday night, the restaurant was relatively empty and fairly quiet and the service was excellent. Unfortunately, on the second evening, a Tuesday, there were two very large Christmas parties and our service was erratic and indifferent with a parade of rotating waiters.