Starland, Expanding in Its Orbit

A cafe faces two challenges in the quest to become a successful neighborhood hangout: It must devise a format broad enough to accommodate both generation and food-culture gaps yet narrow enough to be sustained, and it must continue to evolve without seeming to change. Which also means that, unlike a vanity restaurant run by a big-name chef, a neighborhood joint depends more on its personality than on purely culinary expertise.

Starland Cafe, which was one of the first establishments to open in what is now a fairly substantial restaurant strip in the Palisades (pride of place going to Listrani's), has held on for a decade, thanks to its family-friendly style, staunch support of longtime local musicians (the name tips its hat to the Starland Vocal Band, of which co-owner Bill Danoff was one-quarter) and moderately priced comfort-food menus, which have evolved unobtrusively and within its capacities. And although the words "healthful" and "updated" have always been in the kitchen's vocabulary, they are subtle, supporting adjectives, backed by market produce and free-range poultry.

Since February, Starland has had a new chef, Matthew Anderson, who at 27 has worked in several high-profile restaurants in the Washington area (the Tabard Inn, Zola, Oval Room, the Rail Stop in The Plains, Va.). Under the watch of co-owner Joan Danoff, Anderson is gradually reworking the menu, keeping some old standards (crab-artichoke dip, parmesan-crusted fried mozzarella, burgers and mini-burgers) while incorporating more local fresh produce and two specials, a "home style special" and a "chef's daily offering." Home style is somewhat loosely defined -- one night it was New Zealand lamb chops and another a generous pork chop, while the chef's daily special was a whole pan-roasted rainbow trout with mashed potatoes -- but they're usually good bets. The trout, for example -- which was perfectly cooked, its skin crisp and its flesh moist, and which had been nicely boned -- was sided with a large portion of steamed fresh spinach in addition to the potatoes, all for $17. (A dish of braised lamb, another chef's special, was not recommended as highly by staffers, a fact that earns them extra credit for trustworthiness.)

Among appetizers, the best are the barbecued quail -- not actually barbecued, happily, but grilled and with the sauce on the side -- and the grilled salmon over a small tangle of soba noodles whose Asian vinaigrette is also admirable for not being soy heavy.

The longtime bar favorite crab-artichoke dip is a pretty good version, a ramekin of not-too-creamy, not-too-cheesy dip with a good dozen slices of French bread. (It might have been better served had one night's dry bread been run under the broiler.) The mozzarella patties are about as well made as that's possible, the breading crisp and the fresh cheese soft. The calamari is tempura-light and the meat also tender, but the salsa verde needs a little more oomph to counterpunch the heavier garlic aioli dip.

There are dishes that, although seeming routine, are good tests of a kitchen's performance, among them roast chicken and french fries. (Jeffrey and Sally Buben claim to have eaten roast chicken in France every day for a summer before opening Bistro Bis to try to get it down correctly.) Starland's roast half-chicken is very moist, and the pan juices blend into a tasty, light sauce; the skin could have been a little crisper, but it was very nearly there. And the fries, which come with the very tender onglet (hanger steak) as well as with burgers, are at least B-plus -- hot, tender and not greasy, and with an unusually long plate life.

Meatloaf is a somewhat unusual version (also pointed out by the waitress), sauced with a wild mushroom gravy rather than tomato sauce, and with a hint of porky swagger that grows on you. The Portobello "burger" with goat cheese is a fine version, on a toasted seed roll and with sautéed red onion.

Sides are substantial: sautéed spinach, warm potato salad (a large baking potato's worth of slices drizzled with a warm mustard vinaigrette), restrained garlic mashed potatoes and, in cooler weather, roasted root veggies, now replaced by just-blanched fresh peas with mint.

However, there is still work to be done. Anderson is, as one might say, a modern man in the kitchen -- he clearly enjoys good olive oil -- but in as many layers as it may appear in a meal -- from bread dip to salad dressing, oil-soaked croutons to veggie toss and so on -- it can be deadening to the palate. He's admirably careful with salt but a little too cautious in replacing it with herbs or acids. And he can be too cautious in attempting not to overcook vegetables, a matter of instinc t as much as practice.

The grilled asparagus and shiitake salad, for instance, though an attractive combination of ingredients (marinated mushrooms, aged goat cheese, arugula and Banyuls vinaigrette) needs both rearranging and rebalancing. The arugula, fresh and tart, was overdressed, or rather the vinaigrette was over-oily, and the large leaves required either a knife or chipmunk cheeks. The shiitakes, which are sliced so neatly as to be almost minced and which provided part of the much needed vinegar, were hidden at the bottom of the pile; the goat cheese cubes were too small and scant to add enough dark tones; and the oily croutons, cut to the same dice, were almost impossible to fork up. And again, though the asparagus tips were whole, the stems had been sliced as small as scallions.

House-made fettuccini is extremely light and served with asparagus (in more manageable spears this time), blanched snow and spring peas, but swirling it in the pleasantly light cream sauce rather than pouring the sauce over it would prevent the dread clump syndrome. And a hint of basil or a surprise of nutmeg wouldn't hurt, either.

Although the eponymous band may have retired, many old friends -- Danoff's old SVB partner Jon Carroll and Mike Cotter, Mary Ann Redmond, Mack Bailey, Side by Side and Whop Frazier -- still perform, usually on Friday nights. The cafe is also the current home of longtime Glen Echo jazz fixture Brooks Tegler, whose quartet plays every Sunday from 5:30 to 8:30.

Like a good neighborhood hangout, Starland has both kid-friendly and parent-pampering specials (half-price wine on Mondays, half-price burgers on Wednesdays, happy-hour Fridays). The wine list is reasonably long, and long on reason; nothing reaches the $40 mark, and few top the mid-$30s. While not showy, it does have some less common pleasures, such as the Cline Old Vine Mourvedre and special wines of the week available by the glass or as flight tastings, from such favorites as Bonny Doon (Big House White, Vin Gris de Cigare and Le Cigare Volant). And more extra credit: Diners get free refills of iced tea and coffee.

Starland Cafe 5125 MacArthur Blvd. NW 202-244-9396 Prices: Appetizers $6.50-$8.50; entrees $13.95-$18.95 Kitchen hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30-2:30 and 5-9:30; Friday 11:30-2:30 and 5-10; Saturday 5-10 Wheelchair access: Not accessible