o dovetail is to come together harmoniously; an act that NYC patrons will no doubt be experiencing at the appropriately-named Upper West Side hot spot. Dovetail owner and chef, John Fraser, formerly of Compass and Snack Taverna, clearly has way of keeping diners’ taste buds awake and alive; he currently does this with a well-crafted menu that is an attention-grabber from top to bottom.

Tricky to find, the restaurant is cryptically identified with an easy-to-miss glass door with a subtle "Dovetail" announcing its presence. With Richard Bloch behind the design, the townhouse setting is simple enough, with pastel colorings mixing with exposed brick. The effect is comforting enough, sophisticated with a smattering of woods and earth tones.

The Euro-fused American menu, in line with Frazer's less-is-more aesthetic, is terse. Most of the time, the ingredients do the talking. We started with clam chowder. In a series of events that was entirely new to me, this turned out to be a thick, creamy soup that was poured into a bowl of clams, chorizo, and potatoes, thus rendering it clam chowder. It was satisfying, if unusually assembled.

The Brussels sprout leaves with pears, Serrano ham, cauliflower, sunflower seeds, and some sort of truffle-y mayonnaise were an unexpectedly delicious find. The sweetness of the pears and saltiness of the Serrano were beautifully matched. Diminutive and tender, I think that Brussels sprout leaves are poised to be the next great baby salad green; you heard it here first.

The pistachio-crusted duck with endive, celery root, and truffles was declared edible perfection. The meat was cooked to just-right consistency, its flavor lent additional depth by the earthy accompaniments.