If someone asked me where, other than in private club dining rooms, the movers and shakers of Pittsburgh dine, the ready answer would be The Carlton. With a location that is only steps away from major law firms, banks and boardrooms and an interior of polished wood paneling and walls hung with colorful caricatures of Pittsburgh notables, The Carlton strongly transmits the atmosphere of other "power" restaurants in New York, Chicago or Washington, D.C.

Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Kevin Joyce, center, owner of The Carlton at One Mellon Bank Center, chats with customers during lunch. Click photo for larger image. The Carlton One Mellon Bank Center Downtown 412-391-4099 Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; dinner, 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 5-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Basics: A Pittsburgh institution for great service and an amazing wine list in a clubby atmosphere. The menu changes daily, and the noise level is comfortable. Prices: Appetizers, $4-$13; entrees, $10-$16 at lunch, $25-$37 at dinner; desserts, $6; wines, $7-$16 for a 5-ounce pour. Summary: Smoking in bar only; accessible; major credit cards accepted. Free parking in Mellon Center garage with validation. Free limousine service to Cultural District events.

The Carlton has been a Downtown fixture at One Mellon Center since the building opened in 1984. Kevin Joyce was active in creating and managing the restaurant from the beginning, though it wasn't until 1995 that he became owner.

The menu at The Carlton is an unusual blend of fine, age-old comfort food with new-age sauces. A hardwood grill in the kitchen allows the chef to turn out steakhouse-style prime cuts of beef, lamb and veal. Soups ($3.95) are consistently excellent and tend to be hearty. From Shellfish Chowder to Mushroom Bisque to Chicken Barley, the soups were all packed with flavor and texture and earned top marks.

You will be welcomed with a warm loaf of BreadWorks' fine sourdough bread and a pot of roasted red pepper-flavored butter. The appetizer menu is an homage to old Pittsburgh standbys. There are Fried Calamari ($9.95), Mussels ($9.95) and Jumbo Lump Crabcake ($12.95). Two more original offerings were somewhat disappointing. Stuffed Artichoke Trio ($9.95) looks like a winner on paper and makes an appealing presentation on the plate. Three baby artichokes are stuffed with three different artichoke-based fillings: artichoke ratatouille with black olive vinaigrette, crab-artichoke imperial with red pepper cream, and sausage-artichoke with tomato basil. The reality of this dish for me was that there were too many ingredients and flavors, resulting in the muddying of the overall effect on the palate. The Duck Spring Roll ($9.95), after one taste, was left on the plate -- the fried wrapper seemed to have been held under a heat lamp, making it more tough than crisp. Finally, The Carlton's crab cake is a blue-ribbon appetizer: The jumbo lump meat is sweet and moist and perfectly seasoned with a touch of Old Bay seasoning and served with a clean-tasting Dijon cream sauce.

The list of entrees changes daily but rarely varies from the core repertoire. Veal Portabello ($28.95) is a Carlton staple. Veal scaloppine with sliced mushrooms and capers in a buttery sauce are served with potatoes cooked two ways, some mashed and some thinly sliced, waffle-fashion, and fried. Seafood Wellington ($25.95) is a succulent combination of filet of sole, lobster, crab and herbed cheese cooked in puff pastry and fit for the famous British commanding general who conquered Napoleon Bonaparte's French army. The kitchen handles fish well. I particularly enjoyed Wild King Salmon ($32.95), which is mercifully left in an almost natural state with only a simple glaze of honey and mustard. The fish is grilled on a hardwood fire, which sears the exterior while also imparting flavor. Served with grilled asparagus and rice pilaf, this fish entree is a the perfect foil for a bottle of crisp sauvignon blanc wine. Oven-roasted Sea Bass ($33.95) is equally straightforward and perfectly prepared.

Speaking of wine, The Carlton is justifiably famous for its wine list: more than 450 wines from around the world, with an emphasis on California wineries. Joyce is passionate not only about his extensive inventory but also about his commitment to fair pricing. Rather than following the large mark-up policy in practice in most restaurants, Joyce has pioneered a minimal mark-up philosophy. Carlton diners are getting better wine values in addition to an amazing selection. The wine list is 51 pages. Each wine has a complete description of what to expect in the bottle, permitting even wine novices to make an educated choice.

For a true wine lover, perusing the Carlton list is unadulterated pleasure not unlike that of browsing through the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog! There are, of course, wines for all tastes and all budgets. I found an American chardonnay (Monterey County) for $18.49 and a burgundy chardonnay for $159.03. The most expensive bottle I saw was Opus One, 1998 ($218.29), a Napa Valley blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot grapes. The more affordable version of a California blend of traditional bordeaux grapes is Lyeth Sonoma, '02, for $31.29. Eighteen premium dinner wines and 17 dessert wines are available by the glass. Five-ounce pours range from $6.95 (Ste. Michelle Riesling) to $15.99 (Rodney Strong Reserve Cabernet '00). All wines are served in quality stemware.

Desserts are created by pastry chef Jeffrey Julin, who manages to produce 12 desserts daily that cover everything from the "comfort" category (Whiskey Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce, Carrot Cake) to French patisseries (Chocolate Almond Tart). All desserts are $6. There is an impressive list of ports, sherries and cognacs also available.

Joyce is to be congratulated for the consistently fine service in his restaurant. His wait staff are seasoned professionals. Some have been waiting tables at The Carlton for close to 20 years. In 21 years there have been only three executive chefs directing the kitchen staff. Mark Swomley, the current chef, has been at The Carlton for 10 years. This kind of staff loyalty is an indication of the quality of Joyce's management style.

The Carlton offers a unique service for its diners who are continuing to cultural events. The restaurant offers free door-to-door limousine service from the restaurant to and from any Cultural District venue.

Kevin Joyce and his Carlton Restaurant have become a Pittsburgh institution worthy of a Historic Landmark designation.