Bistro by Numbers

Bistro Ten 18 is a step up from the overpriced restaurants on Broadway, both in menu selections and in ambience. Although the black-and-white harlequin pattern on the walls can look daunting when seen from outside, the prices are less threatening than many would imagine. Portions are generous, and service is affable; the fireplace in the back of the room sets the mood for a perfect date. This is not a place geared solely to the permanent adult Morningsider but a wonderful eatery with a great beer and wine selection that any college student can appreciate and afford.

The Lump Crab Cakes ($8.50), my favorite of all the appetizers, encapsulate warm, mushy chunks of crabmeat in a crispy crust. These round cakes are accompanied by sour cream and a light pineapple salsa that complimente the slightly fishy essence perfectly, and although they are fried, they are not at all greasy.

The Spinach Salad ($7.50) is also tasty, but only for the blue cheese aficionado. The spinach leaves, interspersed with roasted red and yellow pepper slices and slivered almonds, are slathered in a creamy blue cheese dressing that can overpower the delicate zest of the roughage. But it is a filling and pungent dish, and like all of the salads at Ten18, it can be enlarged into a main course if your heart so desires. True to the theme of the restaurant, these selections prove that the menu is not overly sophisticated, but the ingredients are handled carefully to add a new slant to dishes that might otherwise seem typical.

The entrees are much the same. My Seared Salmon ($15) was in many ways similar to salmon that I've eaten at other venues, but the fact that it was encrusted in sesame seeds and infused with orange-ginger butter made it a memorable plate. The fish was tender and moist, yet not too undercooked on the inside as is often the case. The sides of white rice and sauteed vegetables add an Asian flare and increase the distinctiveness of the well-rounded menu. As a lover of seafood, I'm always partial to well-prepared fish, but this was one of the finest samples of salmon I've ever tasted.

Overall, Bistro Ten 18 proved an exceptional dining experience. Service was at once professional, helpful, and genial, and the atmosphere romantic yet comfortable. The food was a pure delight, especially when our desserts arrived and we passed them around. They were all superb, but the Warm Blackberry Cobbler ($8) with vanilla ice cream literally took the cake. It is not to be missed, just like this new addition to our neighborhood.