We love the name XO on Elm for this restaurant because it is a big, wet kiss for urban bistro lovers. In fact, Manchester has become quite the urban bistro destination with places like Cotton, Z , Richard’s Bistro, and now, XO.

This place is positively yummy for the eyes as well as the tummy.

Well lit and tricked out cutting-edge decor, visiting XO makes you feel hip just by crossing the threshold.

There’s an in-wall fireplace, two stacked, flat-screen TVs on the wall behind the meandering bar and uber-chic, modern furnishings in earthy tones of cool sage and gray. And don’t get Mrs. T for T started on the adorable blue olive motif on the sconce lampshades.

Even the flatware and glasses are fashion forward. Our tumblers looked as if they were doing an undulating dance, and the forks and knives matched their organic lines.

It all flows at XO, where lunch and dinner are served during the week and dinner only is served on Saturday nights.

The menu is based on seasonal and local availability of protein and produce and is small, yet creative.

We started our meal with the homemade Portuguese cornbread with pecan butter and whole-grain bread with dipping oil and fresh herbs.

The dipping oil and whole grain were excellent, but the cornbread and pecan butter were heaven. We ate it all and asked for more before we finished looking over the menu.

If you don’t want to start your meal with an appetizer that might affect your appetite for the main course, XO has a Small Bites

Tapas menu. There are Stuffed Dates, with chorizo sausage and cream cheese filling, wrapped with crispy pancetta; Tasco Diavlo, a spicy seafood and crab spring roll; Potato Croquettes, Yukon Gold potato puffs stuffed with lamb, peas, goat cheese and mint with Dijon dipping sauce, and Grilled Sausage Skewers, grilled sausage, artichoke, sundried tomato and roasted red pepper, finished with balsamic reduction and toasted pecan pesto oil – all $4 each.

There is also a Stuffed Port Infused Pear, half of a fresh pear poached in port wine and filled with blue cheese and fig mousse, and XO Style Stuffed Mushrooms, stuffed with proscuitto, dried cranberries and goat cheese (both $5). There’s also a Boneless Beef Short Rib ($7), beef braised in apple-maple barbecue sauce served with a spot of Yukon Gold whipped potatoes and, our choice, Shrimp and Brie Crostinis ($6), brie cheese topped with grilled shrimp, fresh apple slices and ginger butter. It was a flavor pop in our mouth that was at once crispy, sweet, savory and creamy.

If you’re not in the mood for full meal, sit at the bar, order a glass of wine and graze.

For those who want appetizers, there are plenty of those from which to choose, too, and to share with friends.

Among them are Cranberry Apple Baked Brie ($11), with cranberry-apple chutney and baked in a flaky crust, served with fresh apple slices and toasted baguette bread; Chili Apricot Ginger Wings ($8), crispy chicken wings in a sweet chili-apricot-ginger glaze and served with sweet potato chips, and, our choice, the Middle Eastern Taster ($11), with hummus, cucumber taziki and tabouli, with olive, red onion and tomato tapenade, served with grilled naan.

Mrs. T for T liked the overwhelming lemon flavor of the hummus, but Mr. T for T prefers his with more garlic and less citrus. The taziki was good; the tapenade excellent, citrusy and salty, with bursts of fresh flavor; and the tabouli was satisfactory.

XO also has three soups on the menu every day – Sweet Potato Corn Chowder ($5), a version of New England corn chowder, with chunks of sweet potatoes and fresh corn; Grilled Chicken Black Bean and Vegetable Soup ($6), marinated grilled chicken, black beans and autumn vegetables in a hearty seasoned broth and Creamy Pumpkin Bisque ($6).

We had the bisque, and we’re still not over it. This was an amazing soup, almost more dessert than starter. The pumpkin was blended, spiced maple creme fraiche and fried sage. It was delicately sweet and spicy, and the creme fraiche swirled through made this taste like a cozy winter night in a cup.

Since we went earlier in the day, and since we had so much to sample, we shared an Apricot Chili Ginger Glazed Chicken Breast Sandwich ($7.95), which with its caramelized onions and smoked gouda served on a whole grain roll, sounded good and healthy, but we were not prepared for the big zing this sandwich delivered.

The glaze is just the right balance of bite and sweet, and the cheese gave it a smokiness that made this a kind of deconstructed barbecue chicken, with all the sweet, smoke and savory layered just right. Sandwiches come with a choice of three homemade sides: potato chips, pasta or potato salad. We chose the pasta, and found it too oily and heavy.

As you might have guessed, XO is as creative with its desserts as it is with the rest of the menu, with an emphasis on seasonal foods like the Baked Apple ($7), stuffed with toasted pecans, dried cranberries and brown sugar, in a flaky pastry shell with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, and Pumpkin Cheesecake ($7), with cider brandy sauce. And for the Europhiles among us, Cheese Selection XO ($12), a selection of soft and hard cheeses served with chutney and fresh, seasonal fruits with candied pecans.

The service at XO is as warm and friendly as the decor. This was an excellent dining experience and would be a great way to celebrate the holidays.

For more restaurant and dining reviews, visit www.encorebuzz.com. Similar reviews are posted each Thursday in a regular feature called Table for Two.

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