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By: AARON FLYNN COMMENTS
 
I WAS PREPARED for a long and painful mourning period. Vivo, a local Italian
joint and personal favorite, had just closed and I was already missing its addictive,
but apparently, not too lucrative, pizzas. But how soon we forget, especially
when the new restaurant to take over the space is so much better.
The remodeling took only a few weeks, but for anyone familiar with Komi’s
predecessor, it’s not a monumental change. The new look is subtle. The
bars near the back of the place and the front entrance are freshly tiled in
warm mosaics. The tables and chairs are tasteful, modern and clean, as is the
gourd-like water pitcher left on each table and the elegant silverware neatly
placed in an “X” at each place setting.
Perhaps the look is a bit Spartan. The empty cream-colored walls do seem to
stretch on and on, but the professional and friendly staff is as accommodating
as can be. Once the opening jitters wear off and things settle into a groove,
I’d be willing to bet the place will run like very friendly clockwork.
YOU WOULD NEVER think there was some green dabbler in the kitchen. From bread
and butter to cordials, it’s all inventive and masterfully prepared.
Little treats abound: a complimentary little mug of hot, creamy cauliflower
soup, some plump icy cold grapes tucked in with the bread, or perhaps a homemade
lollipop (we got pomegranate and a surprising basil) with your bill. It’s
a friendly, charming touch and, what’s more, it’s done with a unique
flare and a sensibility that’s all about quality.
On a low-calorie kick, I was tempted to skip appetizers and just eat light;
it felt like the right thing to do. Lucky for me, I had food critique responsibilities,
because the appetizers here just shouldn’t be missed.
The pastel-colored seafood napoleon — slices of melon, Asian pear, and
just a bit of light cool salmon — is refreshing and light. The toe crab
salad mixes seafood and fruit, which gives this little dish a much richer,
more powerful punch than you might imagine.
Even my least favorite of the appetizers, scallops and wasabi, warrants an
honorable mention. And its presentation, with lovely half shells perched on
shaved ice, rivals the architecture of a few area monuments.
The appetizers don’t ruin the rest of the meal by building up big expectations
that aren’t later met. Entrées run the gamut, from the simplest
cheese pizza to an excellent little fish number doused in a buttery lobster
reduction.
And those simple pizzas, just perfect for one, can get rather complicated
themselves, with toppings like grilled Bluefin tuna. Even the most traditional
of American favorites gets punched up with imaginative ingredients. The hanger
steak comes just lightly flavored with a cherry glaze, all with wonderful results.
Komi’s dessert menu kind of depresses me, not because anything was bad
but because I remember it so fondly. A person just should not feel that way
about a list of complex carbohydrates. Their cinnamon and sugar dusted donuts,
served with a rich little bowl of Mexican hot chocolate is the quintessential
comfort food. I was nearly set to concoct my own version the next morning for
a Sunday breakfast in bed.
There’s more, of course, including a marvelous chocolate and mint torte.
But why ruin all the surprises?
Appetizers range from $5 to $8; entrees from $11 to $19, and desserts are
$8.
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