ArtBar

How do we find hidden gems? You can't just look under the radar. Sometimes the hiding place is behind a famous name, as is the case with ArtBar, in the shadow of the Sonesta's justly celebrated Dante bar-restaurant. Critics were likely scared off ArtBar by a negative preview in the BostonGlobe — forgetting Nadeau's law that the only restaurants that improve in response to reviews are those in big hotels. (Why? Because they are subsidized to support the hotel's image, and the hotel likely isn't going anywhere.) The current version of ArtBar, with executive chef Ryan Cyr, is an entirely delightful New American bistro, whether you want something as familiar as clam chowder ($8) with a perfect balance of bacon and seafood flavors, or as unusual as barley succotash (really a kind of crunchy risotto) on the innovative vegetarian entrée ($24). Cyr and his team could even start a trend with the four-bite, three-buck desserts they call "small bites, because a little goes a long way." Who really needs more than a triple-shot glass of tiramisu ($3), after all, when it is well-flavored and creamy?

Now about the name. There is art at ArtBar, large modern abstracts and such from the hotel's considerable collection, not to mention curated exhibits in the lobbies. But the TVs are not, alas, tuned into the Art Network or the Sculpture Channel. On our visit they were showing the Celtics and CNN. It says something about our times that you can spend $50 per plate on dinner with TVs, and perhaps even more that you no longer need sound to watch a CNN talk show. The topic is on the crawl, with subtitles identifying the Republican and Democrat talking heads. You don't have to be a lip reader to know what they are saying.

Fortunately, the food is less predictable. You might expect crusty Italian slices and others of Iggy-type cranberry-walnut bread on a Cambridge table; likewise that fine clam chowder, or even the richer pumpkin bisque ($8). But you wouldn't expect really fruity extra-virgin olive oil full of herbs and black pepper as a dip. And there is no predicting something like the pan-seared sea scallops ($14) over risotto with chanterelle mushrooms and braised oxtail (plus enough truffle oil to get through to a writer with the genetic inability to smell musk). It does not read anything like the inspired combination of vivid flavors that it is. Pair it with a Caesar salad ($8) topped with toasts spread with chopped artichoke and anchovies (nice lemony dressing on the side) and you have a light supper.

Entrées start with the familiar, such as fresh ziti with Bolognese sauce ($19), which could fool a child into eating pasta or comfort a gourmet with the subtleties of sausage and the extra-toothsome quality of the pasta tubes. Or you could order a Statler chicken breast ($24), just for the gravy, white polenta, and sautéed greens (my guess is chard, but it could be collards or Asian spinach), and not take much notice of the apple-sausage dressing or the boneless breast (except for that wing drumette sticking up that makes it a Statler cut) kept moist and tasty.

The chef really shows off with his vegetarian entrée, the "Vegetable Phyllo Assemblage." The issue with the meatless option in American restaurants has always been over what takes the protein spot. Cyr dodges that quandary with a long plate of three items, each of which is substantial enough to take center stage. What's actually in the middle is whipped feta cheese wrapped in an onion ring. The phyllo part is a big roll stuffed with cheese, mushrooms, greens, and some tomato. And the amazing part, as I mention, is the barley succotash, which is crunchy and full-flavored. I like that the vegetarian gets the most to eat.

An excellent codfish platter ($27) is overshadowed by a better one at City Table I'll tell you about next week, but features a good piece of fish with fingerling potatoes and the same sautéed greens.

The wine list is all over the place, and doesn't list vintage years, but everything we had by the glass was typical and good. Even the inexpensive Ironstone cabernet franc ($7/glass; $22/bottle) was a clean and fruity red without the excessive barnyard aromas this French grape can develop in California. Honig sauvignon blanc ($10; 31), a California-white answer to France struck a sweet spot between the newly mown hay of Sancerre and the tropic fruit of the New Zealand versions. Altos Las Hormigas, a basic Argentine malbec ($8; $25), came off much more structured than the cabernet franc. ArtBar makes a mild but effective decaf ($2.75).

I mentioned the cute, little dessert bites. For real dessert hounds, there is chocolate cake ($7), a tall piece of five-layer cake and frosting that might be too much. The vanilla crème brûlée ($7) had the courage of vanilla; sometimes the classics don't need another spin. Cranberry-apple tart ($7) was spiced like mincemeat in a thick, near-Linzer crust, with ginger gelato and a scatter of trail mix. This is a neat idea in need of some lighter pastry, I think.

Service at ArtBar sneaks up on you. Our waiter was accurate, and then anticipatory, and then a little bit of fun as we warmed to him. The décor is similar. The motto is "Art + Eat = Retreat". You don't really retreat in a lobby bar with glass walls, but the soft jazz and varied fabrics, pink granite tables, and art and good food do eventually cast their spell. You could go to Dante, but you don't want that much intensity. So here is ArtBar.