Crossing the bridge for a great meal no longer means a trip to San Francisco. The destination is Vallejo, and the restaurant is WaterBarge. If you're already living north of the Benicia bridge, then hallelujah — great dining is right at hand.

Owners and partners Cheryl Stotler and John Coss have taken no shortcuts in turning the 25-year-old Remark's Harbor House into an impressive contemporary restaurant. From the handsome Tudor front to the playful DeBusk wire art and oil paintings by Robert Lunch, WaterBarge is classy without being fussy. Lunch's studio is on Mare Island, visible through the large windows from the back dining room, but each of WaterBarge's many rooms and niches offers distinctive dining. And the casual lounge, a polished remake of Remark's, complete with the original captain's chairs, offers nostalgia without schlock.

The real draw, however, is the food by Coss, formerly the executive chef of All Season's Cafe in Calistoga. His food is serious — bold and direct — but never heavy or pretentious.

Taking full advantage of the season, Coss blends the sweetness of ripe figs and heirloom tomatoes with pickled red onions, bitter frisée and pungent kalamata olives ($7). Dressed with balsamic and basil, the combination of flavors is explosive. I wouldn't have dared to put so many assertive elements together on one plate. Coss's courage is a virtue.

A special of steamed clams ($9.50) was another tip-off that a serious palate was at work. Instead of a watery broth that goes wasted, the clam juices arrive reduced and buttery, like a finished sauce. Surprisingly sweet, the sauce is flecked with chewy bits of salty pancetta — an intriguing contrast.

Snowy white and lightning-hot Chilean sea bass ($17.50) arrives sandwiched between a stewy-red ratatouille and a stack of steaklike onion rings. The presentation, complete with nervous green squiggles of basil aioli, is overwrought, but the Mediterranean flavors and crunchy onions all ring true.

It's not a wimpy menu. In fact, it's hard to imagine how Coss will make it any more robust for the winter, though a menu change is already under way. Double-cut pork chops ($16.50), braised lamb shank ($17), prawns served on risotto ($16), roasted half-chicken ($16) and a rich pasta loaded with duck confit and goat cheese ($14) should each fill even the emptiest stomach.

The Grilled New York BIG Steak is not the 3-inch thick monster our busboy intimated — with his thumb and forefinger — when we asked. But it was a serious steak, gristle-free and cooked to a perfect medium-rare. Still, the meat was the only ingredient where I questioned the quality. It was too lean, almost grainy in character. Tucked into a forkful of rich and truffle-scented mashed potatoes, however, one would hardly notice the flaw. The steak also comes with two fine sauces: an inky red-wine reduction below, and a slowly melting pat of butter, infused with tarragon and sweet, roasted shallots, on top.

Stotler, who manages the dining room, worked as Coss' pastry chef at All Season's Cafe, and also oversees the desserts here. Her sweets (all $6) have the same bold, simple style as the savory food. The vanilla-bean panna cotta is sublime — a cool custard brightened with summery mango and raspberry. A drizzle of dark chocolate, however, puts a damper on the party. It's too heavy for such light, bright flavors.

The asiago apple tart, on the other hand, is all of a piece. The warm pastry's cheesy perfume, a luscious filling, and an airy-creamy scoop of ice cream made with Calvados and crème fraîche, make for an inspired finish.

Part of what makes WaterBarge so attractive is that the food is both hip and accessible. There are just seven each of starters and entrees, and only four desserts. Everything is relatively straightforward, and you can easily find what you want. You don't feel intimidated.

Even the six dessert wines listed opposite the sweets don't seem too precious. And the wine list, which Stotler told me months ago would be the best in Solano County, is compact and friendly. The one-page list, designed by wine expert Daniel Dawson, puts groups of three to five wines into categories such as Very Aromatic Whites or Spicy, Rich, Strong Reds. Between the descriptions and more than a dozen glasses or half-bottles, you can easily choose a wine to match your food and mood.

The service, while entirely satisfactory, didn't quite match the snappy and relaxed concept of the food and ambience. Our waiter was a bit too intrusive, making assumptions when he shouldn't and sticking his pepper grinder over every dish he brought.

Finding a staff to match their standards has been a challenge for both Coss and Stotler. A delayed opening and rising starting costs (more than $600,000) were other challenges. Then, the economy took a dive. Then, two weeks after they opened, Coss broke his shoulder. Then, the tragedy in New York, and a plunge in business.

WaterBarge deserves a full crowd every night. Luckily, because of all the separate rooms, the restaurant has energy even when it's almost empty. And, once the nation's mood lifts and the word gets out about Coss' great food, it may be hard to find a seat.

Rating

Cuisine type
Californian

Style
Contemporary American

Reservations
Recommended

Attire
Casual to Dressy

Prices
Moderate

View
Harbor view

Outdoor dining