Jerry's Restaurant in Winnetka has brightened the North Shore dining scene since its opening earlier in the year.

Though popular with locals, the place, an offshoot of the neighboring catering-private party venue Corner Cooks, has the cachet of a destination restaurant. A lot has to do with the creative imprint of executive chef Larry Smith, whose impressive culinary CV includes stints at Chicago's Ritz Carlton, Le Bouchon, La Tour and Zinc Brasserie.

The restaurant is done up in soft tones and features an open kitchen. It seats 40 but the space could double when Corner Cooks isn't using it for a private event. Tables and the bar are granite-topped, and the food on its contemporary American menu is artfully presented. Ask your server about daily specials.

Dinner starts with a tasty multi-grain bread with a feta cheese accent.

The appetizer list abounds with tempting choices. Especially noteworthy was the crispy mozzarella ravioli with a fresh tomato basil salsa ($12 and big enough to share). The buffalo mozzarella complemented the crisp shell in which it was encased.

Other starters to consider included lobster risotto with aioli, chili shrimp with mango salsa, and the "soup shot of the moment" (red bean on a recent Saturday).

A popular a la carte composed salad on the menu stars beets with Parmigiano-Reggiano, walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette.

For a main course we chose seared duck breast accompanied by lentils in Madeira sauce -- a fine preparation, nicely executed. The kitchen handles fish with aplomb. Halibut, a special, was impeccably prepared and went well with shrimp etouffee and a pilaf of red beans and rice.

On the summer menu, entrees range from $17-$28, and you can find lamb chops with cucumber tzaziki and rosemary potatoes; ancho-crusted New York strip steak with fries; chicken curry with fragrant almond rice; Asian-grilled salmon with Szechwan vegetables, and sea bass in ginger broth with sweet chili and ginger fried rice.

Looking for a variety of tastes? Ask the server about ordering "small plates" for sharing.

The wine list, succinct yet diverse, favors California labels by the bottle or glass.

And by all means stick around for dessert. At our table, it was a tossup between the chocolate Napoleon and the apricot almond tart with praline ice cream. The tart won. Other intriguing contenders were gelato in a poppy-seed tuille with a drizzle of Limoncello.

Jerry's also brews a full-bodied, earthy Indonesian decaf, Sumatra Mandheling, from Link's Sweet Bean in Wilmette.

Thomas Witom is a local free-lance writer.