Yet Ms. Badman, the chef, does not settle for clich s and standard preparations. The handsome wood bar in front and the professional greeting bespeak the comfort of a more expensive restaurant, yet the almost bare white walls make the dining room feel airy and streamlined. Wicker chairs are comfortable but informal. The tables are covered in white butcher paper, yet the napkins are linen. The menu, which changes weekly, is confined to a single sheet of yellow paper.
Main courses are similarly streamlined.
I loved panna cotta, whether flavored with vanilla and mango or strawberry, and a steamed chocolate pudding went brilliantly with rhubarb, but a tough slab of pastry topped with pecans and caramel offered little pleasure. Inside has its share of off-putting quirks. Handing out meager slices of bread with tongs seems jarring in an otherwise informal place, and too many preparations are served in huge, unwieldy bowls. Yet with such appealing guiding principles and many well-executed dishes, Inside is on the right track. If the economic future promises harsh medicine, Inside, at least, is a spoonful of honey.