THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Fugaise

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Fugaise Restaurant Review:

Put together an intimate dining room (and a tiny, twinkly bar), a small and seasonally focused menu, attentive service and a well-chosen wine list, and the results add up to Fugaise. Chef-owner Don Saunders cooks with authority and finesse. Case in point: nicely seared scallops brushed with a tarragon aïoli and finished with a dainty crown of glistening salmon roe; gnocchi dressed with veal sweetbreads; succulent roast duck with hints of smoked paprika; and quick-seared sea bass surrounded by a pool of gently flavored mussel broth. Don't skip dessert, which could mean an elegant maple-kissed panna cotta topped with poached Minnesota apples. Moreover, Saunders presents a well-chosen cheese plate. The wine list is noteworthy for its eccentric, food-friendly choices, and service is attentive and gracious. The restaurant flies so far under the radar that it's not as busy as it deserves to be, so don't expect a lively dining room. The upside is that the restaurant is one of the city's most engaging settings for an intimate conversation.