Beyond expectations

Lobster, oysters, caviar, steamers, duck, fish, steak and pasta comprise the spare shopping list. Fresh, silky poached lobster perched colorfully on a juicy slice of heirloom tomato, a fan of creamy avocado slices and a spear of crostini. The buttermilk dressing on a salad featuring thick slices of heirloom tomato, toasted pumpkin seeds and organic greens ($12) was delightfully rich, brightened with a pesto of local ramps. Hiding between the meat and creamy, addictive quinoa was a nest of dark green fava beans so perfect I feel breathless just remembering them. Cheese pannacotta ($7) featured a lovely combination of Marcona almonds, sea salt and wildflower honey. Of all the dishes that came to our table, I detected only one barely perceptible flaw, in a ceviche appetizer ($12) that felt like it had spent a minute too long in the bowl, developing a sharpness I associate with onion enzymes. Rodriguez owes his quick rise in the restaurant industry to an energetic personal charm and a contagious enthusiasm for entertaining. The well-windowed space above what was long The Metro nightclub, recently home to 28 Tables, is still the sexiest attic in Saratoga, with a dynamite two-tier patio and a downstairs nightclub. Food for four — with five appetizers, a salad, three entrees, a cheese plate, three desserts, four coffees and bottled water — was $219 before tax and tip.