Much as I have praised the food, wine, and ambiance at Tamarine, I have never had great service there. Once it was downright neglectful, other times indifferent to decent. Well lunch today was another story altogether. There was something in our server’s manner that indicated she really cared about our experience. Partly it was the eye contact, partly the tone of voice. And she asked all the right questions at the right times. I was showing off the restaurant to a visiting colleague from Canada and she and the food made me look good.

As for the food, here’s the lowdown. We shared the mushroom soup, which would have fed four. Actually, I would have consumed all of it if there were not other food coming. The term “mushroom soup” does not come close to describing this aromatic, complex concoction of flavors and textures. We then shared the most utterly delicious sardines I have ever tasted. Grilled open-faced and served with little toasts they were ravishing. My companion tried the shaking beef, signature dish of Tamarine and the Slanted Door, and while it tasted great I found the beef chunks to be about twice as large as they should have been. My papaya salad with shredded beef was better. The beef was barbequed and a little chewy, a texture I enjoyed. The papaya was hidden in open view. The beef appeared to be served on a bed of shredded radish or similar, but that turned out to be the papaya itself, a green one shredded while still firm. A surprise and a treat at the same time. The brown rice and coconut rice we could not come close to finishing.

We did not order wine, because we had a long afternoon of work ahead of us. But I did notice two anomalies on the wine list. One was that there were no bottles of Grüner Veltliner on the list and no section for it, though there was at least one offered by the glass; my server said it was of course available by the bottle, though you would have had to guess at the price. I thought this nearly-ideal wine for Tamarine’s food warranted greater visibility. The other anomaly was the complete absence of a Chinon or any Loire-originated Cabernet Franc. Cab Franc is in my opinion the ideal red for this kind of food. They did have a Cab Franc section of the wine list but all three selections were in the Cabernet Sauvignon style, two I believe from Napa and one from France. Which you cannot afford: it’s Chateau Cheval Blanc, one of only two First Growth wines from St. Emilion in Bordeaux (and an interesting if minor digression in the movie Sideways). Cheval Blanc is 40-60% Cabernet Franc and nearly all the rest Merlot, and it could not be more different from a Chinon or Bourgeuil (not to mention six times the price). If you want that perfect matchup, go to Three Seasons.