2900

By MIKE PETERS / The Dallas Morning News

SMART STARTS: Roving hungrily over the 2900 appetizer list, we found a match made in heaven. First, sirloin grilled medium rare and crusted with five-spice powder and lovingly presented in a fan of slices alongside jicama slaw ($11). The foil was a pair of ripe avocado boats stuffed with sweet lobster meat ($14).

On other visits, we launched dinner with salads. A house salad of mixed greens ($7) seemed to dance in the lemon grass vinaigrette. And a superb tossing of mixed greens, walnuts and sliced pear ($11) similarly came to life in a dressing of chile-mango. An old favorite still pleases: warm Boston lettuce salad ($6), buttery chunks of grilled lettuce topped with fresh tomato, creamy Stilton cheese and an omigod apple-smoked bacon dressing.

Roasted red-pepper soup ($7) was a special on one visit, and this veggie course went down like velvet.

FRONT AND CENTER: Manchego-stuffed beef tenderloin ($25) was as good as ever. We ordered it medium rare and got a fine piece of meat that embraced the opulent Spanish cheese. A bed of spicy cheese grits mirrored the edge that the cilantro-cream sauce gave to the beef.

Lamb chops and salmon entrees showed the emotional gamut of the Mediterranean region, a heady swoon in the case of the lamb, and a lighthearted frolic for the salmon. Both were generously portioned; the lamb ($29) was sauced with a rich olive tapanade that hinted of both thyme and tarragon, while olives played in the shadows of the roasted fish ($23).

EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES: Specials most nights include two entrees, an appetizer, a soup and a dessert. Fillet of stingray (tender and buttery like scallops, we were assured) was offered one night, but our gang was uncharacteristically afeared and opted for the likes of a very satisfying sea bass ($27) instead. Regret lingers. Stingray? Who's ever had that?

The mysterious sea beast didn't reappear on two subsequent visits. But the entrees we had instead never disappointed. Even the goat-cheese ravioli ($18), simple only by comparison, lived up to the company of this menu. The closest we came to complaint was a collective gasp at the richness of the food. Poor us. Executive chef Mike Smith, who will be featured chef at a James Beard dinner later this year, clearly believes that butter and cream are the stuff culinary dreams are made of. No argument here.

SCENE OF INTRIGUE: The intimate dining room is dimly lighted, with graphic prints of European liqueur ads that pop even in the dark. It's almost too dark, since the beautiful presentation of most dishes is nearly lost. Servers dress in casual black, keeping them deftly in the background until they are at your elbow, but their attention is meticulous. All diners' eyes are drawn to the big window on the back wall, through which you can see chef Smith and his crew make art from food.

THAT'S SWEET: Dessert is cheerfully over the top here, too. Chocolate bombe ($8) includes rich chocolate cake, hazelnut ice cream and a peppered strawberry sauce that sounds weird, but you'll eat it too fast to figure it out. Less waddle-inducing but just as dreamy was a nightly special: a subtle brown-sugar tart packed with the Hawaiian crunch of macadamia nuts ($6).

CHEERS: The wine list is smart with plenty of offerings by the glass. We were a little unnerved by the wine list's My Three Sons chatter around the MacMurray Pinot Noir ($8.50 a glass), but we trusted the self-confidence of this establishment and weren't disappointed. Ports and cognacs will beckon from the back of the list after dinner, and we couldn't think of one reason to hold back; this food deserves a grand finish.

Published in The Dallas Morning News: 04.22.05

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