Flanked by Chef Lorenzo Loseto (Zoom, Rain) and a groomed and slightly arrogant wait staff, George represents the vanguard in affordable Tapas-tampering. Plates and prices are small, while the room and service are wrapped in a fine dining package. Credit the owners with recognizing a singular opportunity and seizing it, even if one has to marvel at the lengths they were willing to take to maximize the impact of George’s place in local society. Most entrées hover around the $15 mark, making fine dining unbelievably affordable.

"Our Beef Tenderloin Salad," a waiter intoned one visit, "is the best in the city." I'm actually hard-pressed to come up with a counterclaim. This is a tidy, little salad, lacking the cloying blandness other versions possess: a tomato tartare topped smoked beef tenderloin with a light blanket of cheddar. Other salads are almost as good; a red romaine salad, a regular feature, is loaded with tendrils of Dungeness crabmeat along with a gentle but persuasive avocado presence. Other worthy starters include a plate of marinated artichokes topped with dabs of tomato mousse above a satin-smooth rosemary shortbread.

Loseto strays occasionally from the French idiom, often with delightful results. Among the second-course highlights an absolutely wonderful Citrus Braised Rabbit, perked up by chive salsa and white wine foam - perfectly crispy over richly flavoured and fork-tender meat. A chanterelle mushroom tart is as classic as it comes, with a side of candied lemon. Non-traditional duck confit ravioli offers plenty of lemon thyme pasta over red beet terrine, pulled together by a citrus-y but not cloying sauce.

The wine list abounds with moderately priced options, and the featured wine of the day is likely to be the best bargain of all. Desserts stick to the classics--a properly executed crème brulee with a layer of chocolate underneath the custard, and a soft lemon tart with whipped cream and raspberry sauce.

The dining room is warm and cozy; rough-sawn cedar beams, character chandeliers, well-worn wood floors with its wrought iron screens on windows add touches of Provence to an otherwise industrial space.