Franklin Southie

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We began with a dense-crumb white loaf in slices with a fiery white-bean dip. The current soup on offer is chilled asparagus with a porcini flan ($8). It's a magical potion, rich and cold enough to transmute the sweetness of asparagus into something that evokes chocolate milk. The flan has the granular texture of gefilte fish, though the flavor is more the musky aroma of truffle oil than the woodsy richness of porcini mushrooms. And then there is a fried-onion flag.

Small plates (or appetizers) are still a strongpoint, with the creativity bonus going to warm zucchini matchsticks with toasted almonds and pecorino ($8). Beneath impossibly large sheets of cheese with balsamic dribbles is all this healthful stuff, which, thanks to the toasted- almond flavor and the crunch of the julienned zucchini, tastes like potato sticks!

Hand-made potato gnocchi ($9) has just one twist: spicy lamb sausage that somehow still tastes Italian with the very light gnocchi, crunchy English peas, and a bit of tomato sauce. (If they'd cook the peas a little more, I'd order two of these as an entrée.) "Short Rib & Five Lilly Wontons" ($9) are served in a Chinese bamboo steamer, even though the four wontons are deep-fried. Beef is an unusual stuffing — if it's too weird, just go for the homemade apricot "duck sauce," a genuine if spicier improvement on the standard item. House-cured salmon-and-cucumber tartare ($10) makes visual fun with five beet crêpes. The salmon has a bit of smoke in the cure, I think, but I'm not mad for this dish.

Of three salads, the baby arugula and crimini combo ($8) was superb, with just enough dressing and a scallop of crumb-coated warm goat cheese. The mushrooms were extra superb; you won't mind that the accompanying "shallot jam" is not so different from cranberry sauce.

For entrées, the comfort-food choice is probably prime sirloin steak ($20), an amazing piece of marketing and a bargain— or a loss-leader. It's not huge, but the flavor is all there, with an unexpectedly ripe slice of beefsteak tomato in June. The popover with it on our night was overdone and dried out, and the Worcestershire gravy wasn't right with it. But this is as superior a steak entrée as some at double the price.

Creativity points for this round go to the grilled organic half chicken ($18), which is crusty on top, tender within, and mounted on cubes of potato in a curry-cumin-yogurt-coconut sauce that any Indian restaurant would be proud to serve. Pan-seared local cod ($19) may be slightly over-salted for a subtle fish, but again had a wonderful crust and a tender center, with quality sides of chive mashed potatoes and sautéed oyster mushrooms. Adobo-rubbed baby-back ribs ($17) are a lovely imitation of real barbecue, with a chipotle-like top that might be better as a four-way appetizer with drinks. Celeriac slaw was a nice foil for the spice, yet on its own tasted like shredded coconut.

Arriving early, I sipped at a "House old fashioned" ($9), having asked the bartender to make it with rye (Sazerac) instead of the usual bourbon (Maker's Mark). With the muddled orange slices and maraschino cherry at the bottom, I could sip a sour cocktail from the rim, or a sweet one from the straw. Both were excellent. Franklin Southie has only three taps going, but they are all interesting, and our bottle of Brancott Terraces "T" pinot noir ($45) was up with anything at the price from Oregon, as well as some light-year Burgundy. The wine list doesn't mention years, but the 2007 New Zealand spring vintage was ready to drink and had both vegetative and fruit bouquet in balance. This bottle would probably cost $55 to $60 under ordinary Boston-restaurant pricing models.

Franklin Southie has no desserts — none of the Franklin cafés do. They do have very good decaf coffee ($2), plus teas made loose-leaf in china pots that fit over the glasses ($3) — the best way to brew it.