At least once a week, we get a note asking where to take a large group. We say Highpoint Bistro & Bar. Exec Chef Phil Deffina (who shows the influences of his work with David Burke and at San Francisco’s La Folie) shines in the menu items that work when ordering lots of little dishes. Buffalo chicken meatballs are done as lollipops on sticks with a blue cheese dip. Elegant tiny tuna tartare tacos are adorned with chili, sesame oil, spicy mayo, avocado mousse and tobiko. Mini sliders (4) are adorably cute and manageably sized. Fries come in mini shopping carts. Larger items also have an element of fun; seared day boat scallops have bits of popcorn and a watermelon "steak au poivre" (vegan friendly), with pink peppercorns, white balsamic vinegar and honey, strangely mimics a good steak. It's a spot that's good for sharing, such as bachelorette parties, hosting your out of town family (who can't handle "weird, ethnic" food), a corporate outing, sorority or fraternity reunion or any cluster that isn't well- suited to the snootier two-tops in town. Don't miss the Caramel Experiment dessert. p.s. We're hoping that Deffina will see fit to make some of the veg garnishes into sides; corn puree under the scallops stands alone, as does jalapeno fingerling potatoes that come with (real) steak, as do the baby turnips that garnish the suckling pig. Fortunately the crazy corn already is.

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