I FOUND Chiboust the old-fashioned way, through a tiny advertisement in a local magazine promising a bistro, wine bar, bakery and confectionery all in one. After a fourth visit to this sweet-natured newcomer, I found myself scouting advertisements in a real estate agency's window next door, thinking it would be nice to live within walking distance.
Chiboust, which enjoys a plum spot on Main Street here, is named for the Frenchman who created the gateau Saint-Honore, with its halo of caramelized sugar. The owner, Jill Rose, a former pastry chef at Lespinasse in Manhattan and Washington, appears to have hired a small army of culinary school graduates to follow in Chiboust's footsteps and to execute the appealing Mediterranean-inspired menu. There are kinks, to be sure, most notably in service, but the glories outweigh the pitfalls.
The stark, serene interior has all the hipster elements in place -- exposed brick, steel girders, white tulips -- but votive candles and low hanging wood beams have a humbling effect. In the front third of the restaurant, pastries and candies dazzle behind glass; a wine bar divides the storefront from the diminutive dining area in the rear. There's a distinctly urban air about the place; not everyone looks as if they have to get home to relieve the baby sitter.
The service, amateurish and snail-paced, is a sticking point. One night, six of us shared four menus, waited 20 minutes for water to arrive and squirmed as the bottle of wine we had ordered sat for 10 minutes in plain sight before the cork was pulled (all the while, a bus person blithely folded napkins in the corner). On another night, to unintended comic effect, our waiter offered freshly ground pepper as we were finishing our meal.
Flawless starters included a silken foie gras terrine sharpened with balsamic vinegar and white truffle essence; delicate gravlax; and petite, briny mussels in a fragrant wine broth. I twice ordered the beet salad, with its warm goat cheese croquette and pretty bunches of mâche. Best of all was a charcuterie plate, featuring piquant salami, chicken liver pâté studded with pistachios, and a subtly spiced pâté de campagne.
On the flip side, a plain dinner salad was marred by oversalting, and a clumsy galette of root vegetables was too rustic by half.
Entrees showed a light touch, and the heartier offerings were gracefully portioned. A deceptively simple plate of grilled sea bass with olives, onions, fennel, lemon and olive oil seemed to capture the Chiboust aesthetic. Bouillabaisse was beautifully composed, built around fresh yellowtail snapper and a heady rouille. Crackly duck confit with creamy white beans and garlic sausage was delicious; so was the tender lamb shank, jazzed up with candied lemon rind. Liver paillards in a red-wine demiglace and caramelized onions could almost make a liver eater out of me.
Falling short were a salmon fillet served with an astringent vinaigrette and far too many lentils, and a fine rib steak undermined by limp frites.
The well-priced wine list is quirky but enticing, designed with food in mind. For white, try the fruit-packed 2002 Voyager Estate sauvignon blanc-semillon blend ($39), or the tart 2002 Simi sauvignon blanc ($33). For red, go with the robust 2001 Rockpile Red zinfandel from Rosenblum ($66), or the easy drinking 2001 Indian Wells merlot from St. Michelle ($40).
Ms. Rose's signature dessert (called a ''chiboust'') is a many-splendored thing, a molded confection of passionfruit custard, almond cream, white chocolate curls and papaya jam on a cashew crust. Blue ribbons go to the Valrhona chocolate cake, and the lovely tarts: puckery rhubarb and apple, lemon meringue and pear with frangipane.
As we slipped on our coats, Ms. Rose offered samples of dark, milk and white chocolate clusters, like Rice Krispies treats after an extreme makeover. No question, I'd be back for more.
Chiboust
14 Main Street, Tarrytown, (914)703-6550.
VERY GOOD
ATMOSPHERE -- The somewhat stark interior feels like a suburban approximation of industrial chic, but it doesn't get in the way of enjoyment of the fine bistro food. Earnest but inadequate service.
RECOMMENDED DISHES -- Beet salad, steamed mussels, foie gras terrine, gravlax, charcuterie plate, liver and onions, bouillabaisse, lamb shank, duck confit cassoulet, grilled sea bass, ''Chiboust'' pastry, Valrhona chocolate cake, assorted tarts.
WINE LIST -- Short, inspired, and reasonably priced.
HOURS -- Lunch daily, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner daily, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. (to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays). Closed Tuesdays.
PRICES -- Lunch: soup, $6.50; quiche, salads and sandwiches, $8 to $14; entrees, $9 to $15. Dinner: appetizers, $7 to $16; entrees, $19 to $26. Desserts, $4.75.
CREDIT CARDS -- All major.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS -- Through front door.
Review published: April 4, 2004.
