n the fickle, modish restaurant world, it’s easy to lose sight of the original concept of dining. From the restaurateur's perspective, the whole restaurant package is duly important, where the exterior, the interior, the food, everything works together; but some restaurateurs put so much emphasis on design that they lose sight of the food. Others put their culinary plates so high above everything else that it isn't affordable for us common folk.

Some don’t do either particularly well, yet have a great location and merely have to open their doors to guarantee steady business because the seats will fill regardless. Then there are the kinds of eateries that draw you back by striking a perfect balance between ambiance and food – and this is what you’ll find at the new Caffe Barney on Main Street.

Parked in a slot along a cozy string of table booths with my noshing-slash-debate partner Josh, we kicked off somewhat of an eat-a-thon with a R&B Sungod and a Red Truck Pale Ale, chosen from the extensive list of local microbreweries on tap (twelve!). Service came quickly in the form of a pleasant dark haired waitress who didn’t hover or forget us; we were soon digging into starters.

The spicy chicken peanut satay is a good and simple dish, with tender meat and the right amount of kick, though my personal preference for extra hot means the spice levels could have been picked up a notch. Josh ate everything on the plate, including the crunchy bed of noodles, which I’m sure was strictly decorative.

The pan-seared halibut cakes were passable, though the potato-to-fish ratio in the patties was bent slightly in the potato’s corner – I could have handled more fish in the dish, but served with a roasted red pepper aioli they were a fine maritime match for the beer. A major bonus for both meals was the accompaniment of pickled pearl onions, beets and carrots, which were crisp and tangy - perfect pre-dinner palate cleansers.