EDWARDIAN SPLENDOR IN NEW HAVEN, by Barbara C. White

“When you dine at Robert Henry’s, wear your best clothes; the restaurant’s elegance deserves to be honored. Skip lunch; the food is of a quality that demands the keenest of appetites. And bring your checkbook; excellence at this level doesn’t come cheap.

The august building at 1032 Chapel St. is a New Haven landmark. Formerly known as Sherman’s Tavern, it is just across from the green and is said to have been built on the site of a historic meeting between Roger Sherman and George Washington. The present building was for years a club for New Haven’s most affluent businessmen. The exterior is discreet but opulent, identified only by a well-polished nameplate over the door.

Inside, and up a few marble stairs, the huge room with high ceilings and massive, dark columns is the epitome of Edwardian splendor. Grace is added by the curved, circular stained-glass windows glowing with green and blue Pre-Raphaelite patterns.

Chairs are commodious and comfortable at Robert Henry’s, and tables are generously sized. Tablecloths and napkins are of heavy linen, and stemware is glistening and fragile. The majestic high ceilings, innocent of acoustical tile, give back a low, echoing hum of voices.

After we had ordered, there appeared before each of us, compliments of the house, a plate with two small rounds of chicken mousse, garnished with a touch of what looked like pimiento and a bit of green. A prelude, our waiter told us and it was pretty to look at as it was delicious.

The menu wastes no time establishing the creativity of the chef. Belon oysters, small and tangy, are wrapped in spinach, tucked into ravioli and served with a Sauterne sauce softening their assertive flavor. A tartare contrasts thin slices of tuna with sweetly smoked salmon, topping the with a dill sauce and adding a touch of cucumber salad and blinis.

Scallops in a light tomato fondue nestle in a tartlet, complemented by a mild basil sauce. Mussels, duck confit and crab receive equally imaginative treatment. Prices on first courses run from $6.50 to $8.50.

There was no lobster soup the night of our visit, but there was a remarkable consomme of foie gras, a double-strength broth with bits of the creamy-textured duck liver that tasted like a glorified pate, and shreds of green and golden, just-crunchy vegetables. Soups are $5.50.

Bread deserves a word on its own. The rolls are indubitably fresh-baked, big crusty beauties that prompted a reorder. Salads are ordered separately; the green salad boasts a truffle vinaigrette dressing.

Main courses sound simple enough: fish, veal, beef, lamb, duck — a total of nine choices. It’s their preparation that makes them distinctive. The now-traditional nouvelle cuisine has evolved here to create light but exquisitely sauced dishes, with carefully-chosen garnishes of colorful vegetables and pasta.

A radish crust covers the poached Norwegian salmon — sounds unlikely but it works — and the fish served on a bed of snow peas with a sour cream sauce. Spit-roasted lamb, served just pink, comes with a basil sauce and accompaniment of fresh goat’s cheese ravioli.

Roast peppered duck is served in slices and is remarkably lean without being in the least dry. A ginger sauce comes with this one, along with appropriately colorful vegetables.

Of the four dishes sampled, only the baked golden bass was something of a disappointment. The fish was undistinguished and a bit on the mushy side, but the shredded summer squash beneath it, dressed with a warm tomato vinaigrette, was unique.

Main courses are priced between $19.50 and $27.

If you’re still with us — and we had definitely slowed down by this time — you can choose from an octet of desserts. We can recommend the Paradis cake, triple-layered with chocolate and orange mousse touched with Grand Mariner and topped with orange cream sauce. We were lucky that the night’s special was a mixture of fresh strawberries and raspberries topped with a cassis sauce. There is also a selection of pastries and such goodies as a hazelnut dacquoise and a pear and brioche tartan. Desserts are around $5.

Predictably, the wine list is as carefully chosen as is the food, and in a corresponding price range.

Jo McKenzie, who was a partner at the Copper Beach in Ivoryton when that restaurant reached the top rating for Connecticut, is the proprietor at Robert Henry’s. Once more, it looks as though she has found the magic formula; the restaurant’s reputation is already challenging the best in the state.