Bashan

KUSHI oysters from British Columbia arrive teetering on a pedestal of salt crystals with a lithe apple mignonette (a vinegar-based dipping sauce) on the side. A trio of seared scallops caramelized to look like toasted marshmallows huddles to one side of a rectangular white plate, pencil-thin grilled green onions draped in a curve around them, and a lash of brilliant red wine sauce punches up the contrast. A wicked bite of grilled calamari with minced red bell pepper nestles in the hollow of a Chinese porcelain soup spoon.

Providence, you're thinking, or Water Grill. Possibly Paperfish, Joachim Splichal's brand new seafood restaurant. You'd be wrong. Instead of one of these restaurant behemoths from a celebrated chef, this is a small, family-run restaurant in Glendale called Bashan and opened in early September by chef Nadav Bashan, 33, and his wife, Romy, 31.

The setting couldn't be more modest, yet Israeli-born Bashan, former executive chef of Michael's in Santa Monica and was sous chef under Michael Cimarusti at Providence, is turning out polished contemporary cooking from a minuscule kitchen. He limits his menu to a handful of appetizers and half a dozen main courses, with one or two specials a night. The restaurant is open only at dinner, six nights a week. Whenever it's open, chef Bashan is cooking, with Romy at the front of the house.

-S. Irene Virbila