Sunday, July 18, 2004

By Cody Kendall

There is both excitement and risk in a menu like Verve's, which takes on the challenge of offering French-accented new American food, some Asian dishes and prime steaks.

In other hands, it could be a recipe for disaster. But chef Edward Walsh demonstrates a mastery of whatever he offers, whether it's meaty Maryland crab cakes refined by a chive beurre blanc and lemon confit ($12) or down-home ginger-braised meaty pork ribs ($24), updated with an exhilarating Thai red curry barbeque sauce.

You'll be pleased with what you order, whether you choose by closing your eyes and pointing to something, or take time to judiciously ponder the possibilities.

Walsh, a longtime Verve employee who moved up through the ranks in the kitchen, presents so many interesting starters that you'll be tempted to make a meal of them. The prime petit filet mignon ($12) with duxelles and a red wine onion demi-glacé is very French-inspired and hearty. It's a contrast to the lightness of the artichoke and mushroom salad ($9), enlivened with goat cheese and a lemon garlic vinaigrette. The soup choices go the same way. The portobello mushroom ($7) with truffled oyster and shiitake mushrooms offers substance, while the gingered carrot and coconut ($7) with Thai basil is perfect for a hot summer day. Verve takes care of the crowd that likes things simple with a popular and well-produced Caesar salad topped by shaved Parmesan ($9) for starters, followed by steaks or chops. They come from John's Meat Market in Scotch Plains, a well-known purveyor. Verve has wisely nurtured that relationship. A 16-ounce rib-eye embodied all the adjectives one uses to describe a splendid steak - juicy, flavorful, tender and memorable.

Though purists won't need sauce, there is a choice of four available, covering a wide range of tastes. For those who want little to come between them and their steak, the classic demi-glacé fits the bills. The more assertive bleu d'Auvergne and hearty port onion compote add another dimension, while brandied au poivre serves anyone looking for a French touch.

Steak house-style side dishes include vanilla-spiked sweet potatoes ($5), which I considered an acquired taste that could easily double as dessert. Traditionalists will be happier with steak fries ($5) or garlic mashed potatoes ($5). Creamed spinach ($5) and herb-laced exotic mushrooms ($6) are other possibilities.

Seafood lovers are as well-served as carnivores. One of Walsh's signature dishes is Ahi tuna ($28) encrusted with sinus-clearing wasabi, while a hot and sour beet coulis runs interference. Seared Atlantic salmon ($24) is dressed up with spinach and a lively artichoke ragout.

Owner Rick St. Pierre has Maryland roots, so he offers Maryland crabs from now until the end of August. Crab lovers can also get their licks in with a piled-high lump crab salad ($11) spiked with shallots, mango and herbs.

Another alternative, the vegetarian offerings are far from ho-hum. Wild mushroom ravioli with truffled leek cream sauce ($22) might tempt even meat lovers.

Desserts by pastry chef Olie Salerno range from classic French, as in the crème brulée ($6), to updated seasonal fare, such as the pear tart with a fresh raspberry coulis, offering a refreshing and striking combination of flavors. For something more dramatic, there are the sauteed apples with apple brandy ice cream ($7). Sorbet and ice creams ($7), made in-house, are served in generous portions with ever-changing options; try the Frangelico and the chocolate cardamom when they're available. For those who don't want something sweet, the assorted cheese and seasonal fruit plate ($10) is the ticket.

Verve has a wine list in a broad range of prices, and enough wines by the glass to offer options for those who didn't want to indulge in an entire bottle.

We were well-served by our personable waiter, who made sure we got everything we needed in a timely fashion, yet was pleasantly unobtrusive. He knew the food and how to explain it, offering guidance and instruction where we requested it and keeping a close eye on our table so that the evening never lagged as each course arrived promptly.

Verve has two faces, each as attractive as the other. There's the landmark foyer bar, with its old- fashioned black and white tile floor, the spot that served Somerville's first legal drink after Prohibition. It's the kind of place where everyone could know your name in short order; a cozy, inviting space featuring live jazz and world music on Friday and Saturday nights.

The music is "a complement to the bar area, the way the flowers on the tables are in the dining room," said St. Pierre.

That room offers a real contrast to the bar's period piece aura. Done in restful neutral tones accented by white lights, it's a comfortable location for serious eating without distractions. Tables are nicely spaced, a key part of the atmosphere, indicating even before you sit down that dining is taken very seriously here.

Verve is an interesting place from the start to the finish of a meal, and beyond, should you elect to stay for the music. The restaurant began eight years ago with a winning formula, but it has refined its offerings so well that now, more than ever, it's worth a visit.