Dining Out Review: Lemaire restaurant

If it were socially acceptable, I would have danced and skipped my way out of a recent dinner at the newly renovated Lemaire. Heck, I could have done a cartwheel or two.

Lemaire, the award-winning culinary crown jewel of The Jefferson Hotel, closed Jan. 1 after 23 years of being the restaurant in town for special-occasion formality and out-of-town-guest impressing.

On July 8, it reopened under the same name but with a new persona, one that shuns its once-stereotypical stuffiness and high prices in favor of a relaxed, contemporary space meant for everything from after-work noshing with friends to celebrating occasions as special as you choose to make them.

Lemaire's advertising campaign sums up its new personality perfectly: "Forget the pearls. This isn't your grandma's Lemaire anymore."

Wait, what was that? Oh yes, it's the collective uproar of the local protesters of change I hear. Yes, I realize the old Lemaire was a landmark, a bastion of fine dining, regalia and status. I also realize accepting change is hard, but stick with me here.

Rest assured, acclaimed executive chef Walter Bundy, a New England Cu-linary Institute graduate who once worked under Thomas Keller at Napa Valley's French Laundry, is still running the show, now with the help of sous chefs Bryan McClure and Chris Visger.

Wine director Ben Eubanks, a former front-of-the-house manager at Tribeca Grill in Manhattan who is enrolled in the Court of Master Sommeliers program, is still working his magic with, hands-down, one of the most diverse wine lists around.

We reveled in the 150 offerings ($18-$400) -- many listed under "Discoveries" where nothing is more than $30 a bottle -- as well as the wonderful selection of half-bottles and quartinos (one-and-a-half-glass pours). The idea is to mix, match and explore.

This is also Bundy's approach to his new menu, which is divided into sections -- small, raw, shell and main that allow diners to tailor their dining experiences. Share a variety of small plates or indulge in a traditional multicourse meal presented with flourish.

We chose to go the multicourse route after hearing our server detail the options, including specific techniques and executions, as well as how much of the menu's herbs are picked fresh from Bundy's garden across the street.

Our server, who offered articulate entrée descriptions and formal wine suggestions, exuded such friendliness that I considered asking her to join us. As the meal progressed, every staff member we encountered, from food runner to bartender, had the same welcoming demeanor.

What? Oh yes, you probably want to hear about the food as well, huh? In all honesty, my written descriptions, no matter how poetic, won't do Lemaire's menu justice. Every bite that crossed my lips was magic.

We couldn't narrow it down, so we gluttonously went with three starters: crispy ginger-crusted Virginia soft-shell crabs ($12), scallop ceviche ($10) and a special of Hanover tomatoes, house-made mozzarella and basil pesto ($11).

Served atop lemon couscous with watermelon and avocado coulis, the soft-shells were heaven. The acidic bite of the couscous balanced the breading's delicate infusion of ginger.

Served in a martini glass, the ceviche screamed of fresh cilantro, lime and jalapeños, its fervency tempered deftly by cubed avocado.

The green, yellow and red tomato slices were so vivid, I could have been lying in a garden, eating them right from the vine. The mozzarella provided the perfect canvas for the energetic punch of pesto.

Our entrées were also superb -- a Berkshire pork chop ($24) and herb-roasted halibut ($27). Served with decadently lethal mac'n' cheese and collards cooked within inches of pure bliss, the pork was juicy and coated with an addictive Coca-Cola barbecue glaze.

The halibut was perfectly cooked, but when combined with a Surry sausage, shrimp and corn succotash, it blew my mind. The flavors of accompanying fried green tomatoes and bell pepper purée married effortlessly.

We ended with blueberry soup ($7), something I would never think to order but am so glad I did. Dried granola laced with cranberry and pumpkin seeds added surprise texture to the piquant concoction enriched by a dollop of Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream.

If two people could be drunk on culinary bliss, drunk we were.

The new Lemaire has taken the accepted notion of fine dining in Richmond and blown it out of the water. Watch out, metropolitan dining capitals to our north: Lemaire has put Richmond on the map.

Freelance writer and graphic designer Dana Craig considers dessert the most important food group. The Times-Dispatch pays for the meals on her unannounced visits to restaurants. Contact her at .