I dined at the Mason Street Grill last night and I know that Thursday is the new Friday and all that, but the place was pretty well hoppin' -- bar and restaurant -- and I was reminded about how much that space in the northeast corner of The Pfister has been wasted over the years.

In the past it's been offices, banks and who knows what else. That's because the space had a low profile on a high profile corner and was just screaming out, "make me a place for people to go."

At Happy Hour, it's a place to get $2 beers and specials on the Grill's tasty flatbreads, which are much like Coquette's wonderful flammekuche. The bar crowd looked like 30- and 40-something Downtown workers and the diners a mix of that crowd and a slightly older clientele.

I was also reminded that as fine a restaurant as Celia was -- and it was -- its subterranean location was oppressive (I want windows, dang it).

We were pleased with the food. My wood grilled ahi tuna was nicely seared and came in a hearty portion, with fennel. The same could be said for my dining companion's scallops. We each ordered an appetizer, too, which in retrospect was unnecessary and led us to eat more than we should have; we could have shared one.

The sweet potato side was delicious but very rich and those adjectives describe the desserts, too. My companion's French fries were disappointing, however, having gone cold within minutes after arrival.

The prices are as substanial as the food, but remember that entrees come with a big house salad -- loaded with toppings (vegetarians remember to tell your server up front to nix the bacon!) -- and a side dish and therefore certainly don't seem excessive. You definitely won't be nickel-and-dimed by the a la carte system in place at many restaurants these days.

It seems that the Mason Street Grill, with its retro yet modern, casual yet upscale approach, might be the perfect fit for the corner of Jefferson and Mason.

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