The Biscayne-Wynwood-Design District area was teetering between gentrification chic and downright trendiness when the recession hit. But independent and personality-filled eating establishments soldier on in unexpected places.

METRO BISTRO

The sleekest and most gourmet restaurant you're likely to find at a carwash, Metro, on the revitalized stretch of Biscayne Boulevard's MiMo district, features graceful modernist decor and classy takes on what could be ordinary dishes, often with organic ingredients. Hedges and landscaping provide a surprising degree of refuge from street traffic, and service is attentive and friendly.

While appetizers, including salmon and beef carpaccio, and some entrees are on the pricey side (the 14-ounce organic strip steak hits $29), most main plates are under $20. You can combine taste and economy with a sandwich of ahi steak (sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna) on organic beer bread or grilled, free-range chicken on multigrain.

A burger made with grass-fed, organic filet mignon was large, juicy, tender and succulently beefy, served with crispy fries and mayonnaise, both house-made. Lamb T-bones were on the chewy side, but terrifically flavorful, set off by grilled tomatoes and a bright yogurt and cucumber sauce. A side of truffled polenta seemed small for the price.

Metro Bistro, 7010 Biscayne Blvd., Miami: appetizers and salads $9-$15, sandwiches $11-$13, entrees $14-$29 (most under $20), sides $5-$7, desserts $7-$9; wine and beer; 305-751-8756, www.metrobistromiami.com.

LOST & FOUND SALOON

In the heart of Wynwood, Lost & Found boasts fresh food and a friendly vibe worth sampling on nights other than the second Saturday of the month, when it's packed with people looking for scarce nourishment during Wynwood Gallery Walk.

The narrow space's cowboy decor, with rough wooden bar and tables inside and out, seems an odd choice for this gritty Latino neighborhood now dotted with galleries, but it makes for a cozy atmosphere.

The food is an upscale, healthier take on Tex-Mex and Southwestern, with a nice selection of wines and beers. Appetizers include a tofu sampler with pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes, as well as the usual nachos and cheese quesadillas, and there are vegetarian entrees like grilled and marinated portobello mushrooms or eggplant.

Chipotle-seared mahi mahi features delectably fresh fish, grilled asparagus and equally fresh pico de gallo. A chipotle tofu sandwich with melted cheese was succulent if a little bland -- spices tend to be on the surface here.

Find bargains during the ''Giddy-Up'' Happy Hour, when not only wine and beer but food is discounted about 40 percent, with $3 tacos, $5 sandwiches and $5 desserts including giant, melt-in-your-mouth cookies a la mode.

Lost & Found Saloon, 185 NW 36th St., Miami: appetizers $5.75-$9.75; salads $3.50-$9.25; tacos, burritos and sandwiches $4.75-$8.50; entrees $9.25-$17.25; wine and beer; happy hour 4-7 p.m. weeknights, 5-10 p.m. Sunday; 305-576-1008, www.thelostandfoundsaloon-miami.com.

KAFA CAFE

This family-style place in an old railroad station on a funky corner on the southern edge of the Design District is shielded from Northeast Second Avenue traffic by palms and bougainvillea. It's a destination for economical Ethiopian fare for those left yearning after the departure of the pricey Sheba restaurant.

Platters of chicken, beef or lamb, prepared with spicy red chile berbere sauce or milder lentil or herb seasonings, all are served with two vegetarian dishes. Everything is soft and stewy, meant to be scooped up with spongy, pancake-like injera bread.

Two combination platters, each with two meat and two vegetarian dishes, came family-style on a huge plate, ample for two or three people. Most flavorful were spicy dishes like Yemirsir Wot (spicy red lentils), Kei Wot (beef cubes in red pepper sauce) and Doro Wot (chicken in berbere sauce). Some of the (hard to identify) vegetarian dishes were slightly sour, but you can enjoy a wealth of flavors and ample food for not much money here.

Kafa Café, 3535 NE Second Ave., Miami: appetizers $5-$8; poultry, beef and lamb platters $10-$14; vegetarian dishes $8; combination platters $15; wine and beer; 305-438-0114, www.kafamidtown.com.

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