Although the Hotpoint American Bistro will mark its third anniversary next week, fans were already spreading the word within three weeks of the restaurant's debut. It has just a dozen or so tables and accommodates only 75 diners a night. Chef and proprietor Jim Reardon -- who cooks every entrée himself -- says they often turn away twice that number, but getting in will be a little easier when the bistro opens for lunch in early December.

Sitting down, I found that one of the most impressed customers was a woman at an adjoining table. She volunteered that she had indulged in each of the 21 main dishes on the menu and proceeded to tout several. The bistro's tables are close together, and when we'd been here before, two couples also piped up about their favorites. (If this were universal practice, we critics would be tempted to put away our pads and pens and just enjoy the meal.)

It's an intimate little place. Diners are arranged closely enough that they could drape an arm over a neighbor after becoming pals (see above). The décor is highlighted by yellow walls with sand texture, intriguing photographs by local photographers Stephen and Julia Brigidi, and fresh flowers on each table -- white rose buds on ours. The wine list is short and well chosen.

Reardon opened Hotpoint as a labor of love typical of a sous-chef who finally gets to call the shots at his own place. He had been second in command at Clarke Cooke House and Café Nuovo before serving as head chef at Raphael Bar-Risto -- all places on the shortlist of top area restaurants. He's learned to do things with innovation and very well, sometimes in the same dish -- actual, recognizable anchovies in the Caesar salad, for example, and a touch of saffron in the clam chowder.

The latter is no longer a daily offering, unfortunately. It has been replaced by a popular occasional special that was promoted to the regular menu: lobster bisque ($4.25/$5.49). Rich-flavored, with a hint of brandy, it was enjoyed by Johnnie, but I found it too salty. I suppose that made it a good complement for the rosette of soft, unsalted butter that came (in a crock -- always a nice touch) with fresh and unusually delicious Italian bread.

At Hotpoint, there isn't an appetizer menu as such, but rather a list of "Soups, Salads & Light Fare." Two of our table of four had salads, the baby spinach version and another of yellow tomatoes and mixed greens (each $8.89). The former contained ripe pear slices, pecans and lots of chunks of blue cheese. An interesting kitchen decision was to use walnuts for the tomato salad, to let a stronger taste punch through the dressing.

Blue cheese is such a favored ingredient for Reardon that you can get it melted over French fries ($4.99). It worked with more subtlety, with just a breath of background, in the polenta that came with the sea scallops ($18.99). Our companion found the seared and pepper-coated scallops overwhelmed by the spice, which took over the delicate taste of the mollusks even more than the green-peppercorn sauce beneath them.

Pepper is apparently another signature ingredient here, since it decorated the rim of Johnnie's plate of (homemade) spinach rigatoni with goat cheese and chicken ($16.99). It was good and hearty with garlic, enough so that she wasn't overly disappointed that she'd actually ordered the four-cheese pasta, which also contained spinach rigatoni.

The remaining two entrées were superb. Wild mushroom risotto ($14.99), dense with flavor, packed with bits of vegetables, spicy with a glaze of black beans and, yes, pepper. My "chicken stack" ($18.99) ended up being my favorite dish on the table, although most of the others still elicited a twinge of plate envy. The entrée featured two flattened breast filets accompanied by a pair of smoky portobello caps, plus layers of caramelized onions, and what I took to be chèvre. Asparagus and green beans were placed next to the tantalizing pile of flavors.

Since we were heading to the theater, we didn't have time for their kitchen-made desserts ($6-$8), which include flourless chocolate torte with raspberry coulis and a pumpkin crème brûlée. I once had a fine raspberry version here of the latter, its caramelized sugar as delicate as glaze-ice, so I suspect the autumn version would be a winner. If I return to find out, it'll probably be on a Tuesday, when menu items under $17 are only $12, and those over that price are $15. Needless to say, I'll make my reservation a week ahead.

Bill Rodriguez can be reached at billrod@reporters.net.

Issue Date: November 9 - 15, 2001