New kid on the block

Rhys is pissed. It's Friday, the day after the grand opening of his new bar/restaurant, Federal, a week after they were supposed to open, and he still hasn't gotten the go-ahead from the health department to serve food. "We've got food, we've got a chef," he tells me in a distinctive brogue, "but until we've got a bit of paper saying such and such, we can't serve it."

What he does have this night, though, is a decent crowd. The former bartender and proprietor of the James Joyce Pub who won't tell me his last name and is rumored to be "in his thirties" is finally seeing the project he's been working on since October open to the public. Some, like Brian, 31, read about it in the newspaper; others, like Delia, 30, just happened to be walking by. And although the friendly staff might not know what a Malibu Bay Breeze is, the bountiful wine list and endless selection of beers makes Federal the ideal location to kick back for an after-work drink.

During spring break, the kitchen opens at last, now missing only one important element: The much talked about chef, who won't officially start until next week. He's been designing the Federal menu while still working full-time at the Siena Hotel's Il Palio restaurant.

That's right; Federal isn't just another Irish Pub. Its starters, sides and sandwiches--designed to accommodate everything from business lunches to drunken binges--are more Mediterranean delicacy than deep-fried decadence. What else can you expect from a chef who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, lived in Italy for two years, worked at the New York restaurant I Trulli and most recently finished a five month stint at Il Palio?

The trademark opening item, the Federal salad, features layers of Bibb lettuce sprinkled with toasted almonds, red onions, goat cheese and a splash of red wine dressing. Unlike some other fancy salads, here, the garnish doesn't outdo the amazing, simple flavors of the ingredients.

The lunch menu includes a much raved about prosciutto and Serrano ham baguette, crab cakes accompanied by red and yellow pepper slaw, as well as various appetizers and other sandwiches, each priced under $7.

As for dinner, Moore admits that they're not yet set up to have a full-scale restaurant menu, and so has chosen to forgo entrées in favor of small plates and sandwiches, from $7 to $10. Standout items include a to-die-for Margherita pizza on a delicate puff-pastry crust and a smoked salmon sandwich served on sunflower wheat toast accompanied by a mixed green salad in spicy chipotle vinaigrette. A hummus and pita starter and roasted vegetable panini are hearty and good, but not quite as impressive.

For dessert, there's an airy chocolate mousse served with strawberries, an anything-but-ordinary raspberry coffee cake and the absolute best Crème Brulée I've ever tasted.

Each creative dish is beautifully plated, completing the utter incongruity of Moore's cuisine and Rhys's vintage beer advertisement décor. In some ways, though, it's a perfect merger. The standoffish proprietor and young, genuine chef each have something to bring to the table of this restaurant/bar/future hot spot/work-in-progress.

For now, Federal is a great, reasonably-priced lunch destination and the perfect place to share a drink with friends or dessert with a date. But Moore insists this is just the beginning. "I want to listen to customers, see what the clientele likes.... This is actually very simple stuff for me." He adds, "Simple, but good."

Here, here.