THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED eVe

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED eVe Restaurant Review:

The simple, casual feel of the stone table-accented and high-ceilinged décor in husband-and-wife Christopher and Veronica Laramie's 28-seat Berkeley restaurant belies the advanced intricacy of the pair's cuisine. Guests select two savory courses for a prix-fixe meal, with the option to add as many additional savory or sweet courses as desired à la carte. The menu changes frequently according to seasonality of produce, but certain favorites tend to linger for longer. A chestnut soup enhanced with hints of bitter chocolate, green apple and cayenne pepper seemed strange on paper but revelatory on the spoon, a good example of how the Laramies' seemingly unlikely flavor combinations take flight. A tender steak, decorated with a complex labyrinth of micro-greens and pomegranate arils, demonstrates a delicate hand with meat. Desserts include dense dark chocolate cake spiked with cubes of citrus and chili --- ideal for those who've saved up enough room; if not, swipes of an amped-up cheese plate with goat Brie, spiced bread, prunes and hazelnuts fit the bill. With a few exceptions, most of the wine here is under $50 a bottle (and glasses $16 and under) from a small but focused international list. Flanked by a quaint rose garden, eVe's back patio has its own little bar and special menu of cheese platters and house-cured meats.