LOOKING through the long glass wall that fronts the entrance of the restaurant, passers-by will be taken by the prettiness of the newly opened Blue. A dark blue ceiling -- from which are suspended a scattering of lighting fixtures with translucent glass shades in degrees of blue -- gives the large room a cozy feel, and focuses attention on a small glowing bar tucked into a far corner.
Occupying the ground floor of Berkeley College (with blue flags aflutter), the restaurant anchors one end of a quiet residential side street; yet the place is only a block or two away from the Galleria mall and the din of Mamaroneck Avenue. Blue has lots of potential.
A number of details in ambience and food preparation still require addressing. The lighting needs balance; very low and hard iron garden chairs could use padding; and a blinding glare from a street light should be blocked. And why not add sparkle by lighting all the candles in the room, not just those at the occupied tables?
In general, the kitchen needs some work in producing what the menu promises, especially the ''Asian Flair,'' which, as often as not, appeared as a little wasabi here or a dash of hot chili oil there. Missing ingredients kept some dishes from making the recommended list.
That being said, some appetizers were worth the price: at $13, four miniature crab cakes made up one of the better and most expensive choices from the table menu; the plump, savory little cakes were arranged around a pile of greens. Diners watching their wallets should know that prices of recited specials were not given, and they, too, seemed to cost $13. Diners will be more than pleased receiving four juicy seared sea scallops in cream sauce mingled with chips of wild mushroom. Not as welcome, however, were three huge partially shelled shrimp that were overcooked and badly charred; and the pile of bony ribs covered in a bland inky sauce called ''Asian.''
Lumpy tuna tartar needed much finer chopping, but the mix of minced vegetables, with a drizzle of honey soy sauce and surrounding dots of both spicy sauce and cooling mango sauce did much to bring the dish home. Delicious shredded vegetables formed the base filling for spring rolls; but the wraps of both fire cracker rolls (with chicken) and crab rolls were heavy and oily. Strips of tender smoky beef came poised atop ''mesculane'' greens of Thai beef salad, which seemed to be inappropriately dressed with mayonnaise. Poorly drained asparagus diluted flavor and thinned their creamy walnut lobster sauce.
Lean, creamy-fleshed black grouper took nicely to horseradish mashed potatoes; and carefully grilled salmon was also matched with mashed potatoes but textured with edamame beans. The availability of ramps and soft-shell crabs signals the arrival of spring, but here they were disappointing: the crabs were skinny and tough and undetectable ramps seemed replaced by unseasoned, undercooked bok choy.
Sweetness from plum and honey-soy sauce enhanced beautifully the gaminess of duck, although the meat was barely warm. Chicken, without the promised lemon grass, remained moist and delicious on its own.
Diners craving beef should skip filet mignon seasoned with old, sticky garlic and go for chewy but flavorful ''cowboy'' steak. Showered with wild mushrooms, the generous cut came sliced with the bone.
If dessert is a must, at $6, chocolate fondue surrounded by berries and banana was fun and a bargain. Never mind that the chocolate was pale and a mite thin. Berry napoleon was lost in mounds of whipped cream, and a server informed us that Thai chocolate cake was simply flourless chocolate cake.
For wine, choose one of the many affordable bottles rather than glasses of the unimpressive house wines. A menu of multicolored designer cocktails is offered as well.
It's hard to take seriously a restaurant that styles itself as a ''Nu American Restaurant with an Asian Flair'' and that serves ''braised leaks.'' Customers notice. Everything in this up and coming restaurant can use and deserves closer attention.
Blue
99 Church Street, White Plains.
(914 220-0000.
SATISFACTORY
Atmosphere -- Long window wall reveals a soaring hi-tech box of a room with a pleasant bar and a roomy lounge area on one side and a more formal if quirky dining area on the other. Lighting is unbalanced and noise level can be high. Outdoor dining in good weather at tables set on the broad sidewalk. Servers are sometimes uninformed. Municipal parking nearby.
Recommended dishes -- Scallops with mushroom sauce (special), crab cakes, duck breast, black grouper, broiled salmon, Cowboy steak, chocolate fondue.
Prices -- Lunch, small plates, $6 to $11; entrees, $11 to $17. Dinner, small plates, $6 to $13; entrees, $19 to $33.
Credit cards -- Major cards accepted.
Hours -- Lunch Mondays through Fridays, noon to 4 p.m. Dinner, Mondays through Fridays, 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturdays, 5 to 11 p.m.; Sundays, 1 to 9 p.m.
Reservations -- Accepted.
Wheelchair access -- Street level.
Review published: May 9, 2004
