There's a new face in the neighborhood, and the neighbors are checking it out. Park Place Grille has replaced J. Elliott's at the north end of Hope Street, and chef-owner Susan Hand, formerly of the Plaza Grille, has set ambitious goals for her eatery. Half of the week, she serves an upscale gourmet menu during dinner hours. On the weekdays, she offers an extensive lunch menu of salads, sandwiches, and pastas, and on weekends, a broad-based brunch.

Perhaps it's the excess of the season that turned us away from Hand's seductive descriptions of grilled tenderloins of lamb, pork, or beef, and pan-seared tuna or salmon ($17.95-$21.95). Or perhaps our curiosity was simply greater about lunch and brunch, in a spot that has always been such a popular meeting place for East Side residents. From our experience on two recent visits and that of nearby diners, the reviews are mixed, primarily because the staff and/or management are still somewhat inexperienced.

Not that the waitstaff isn't friendly. They definitely are. But customers shouldn't be served weak and bottom-of-the-pot coffee when the menu touts "freshly brewed coffee" and "six different brews daily." And a place that's open for Sunday brunch shouldn't run out of OJ by 10 a.m. These basics can make or break a loyal following.

On the positive side, Park Place makes a mean Hollandaise for their Benedicts and Neptunes, the latter with poached salmon ($8.95). They offer portobello hash as well as the corned beef variety ($4.50 for a side); the Belgian waffles are light and tasty ($3.95 plain, $4.50 multigrain, $7.25 with toppings); and the breakfast burrito has smoked pepper turkey tucked in with its scrambled eggs and jack cheese ($7.25). Bill could have used more salsa on the latter, but I was fine with my Neptune. The red bliss home fries were somewhat crisp on Bill's plate, but not at all on mine, leading us to wonder, "What makes them home fries if they're not browned or crisped-up a bit?"

Our lunches were more memorable at this BYOB establishment. We both chose pasta dishes that are represented on the dinner menu, and a mesclun salad with raspberry vinaigrette, also on the dinner menu. The salad ($8.95) was generous and tossed with dollops of goat cheese, a handful of fresh raspberries and another of pecans. The vinaigrette was thick, and I would have liked a bit more of it, but the salad as a whole was fine.

Bill, ever the fan of anything smoky-flavored, ordered the pumpkin ravioli in a hazelnut cream, with prosciutto, golden raisins, and toasted pine nuts ($9.95). The five plump ravioli were nicely complemented by the latter threesome, and the sauce was a knock-out. Even sans prosciutto, the sauce tasted smoky from the hazelnut and set off the pureed pumpkin very nicely.

I chose the penne with marinara sauce, grilled chicken and grilled vegetables ($8.95). Though I'm fussy about marinara sauce, I loved this one: heavy on the tomatoes but not acidic or bland. The chicken and vegetables were OK, but they tasted (and looked) as though they'd been sauteed and then thrown on the grill just long enough to get striped, not long enough to actually absorb any of the flavor. Grilled bread accompanied both pastas, and this was similarly marked in color but not taste. I understood our waitress to say that Hand wasn't in the kitchen at this particular lunch, but that's where the oversight comes in. Whoever's in the midday kitchen should cook with the same kind of finesse that Hand utilizes in the evening.

The sandwich menu is extensive and most lunchtime diners seemed overwhelmed by the large portions, from a turkey club with cranberry chutney ($8.95), on which the sliced turkey looked over three inches high, to a grilled portobello with pesto, fruit chutney, and goat cheese ($7.95) that was also only half-eaten before the diner surrendered to her over-sated condition. Sandwiches ($6.95-$8.95) are served on a variety of breads, including English muffins and bagels, with a special au jus beef sandwich on garlic French bread. All sandwiches come with a choice of roasted red potatoes, baby greens, or wild rice salad.

The interior of Park Place Grille is bright and light, with large windows all along the street side, under a cheery blue-and-white striped awning. Tables are a light wood; walls are white. Currently there's an exhibit of photographs of nearby Lippitt Park hanging on two walls. It's a cheery place, with a cheery waitstaff. But they must be trained on the little things: fresh-brewed coffee, glasses of water, extra silverware if it gets cleared after the first course. The basics. These will keep the neighbors (and the rest of us) coming back for more.

Issue Date: December 21 - 27, 2001