Artfully Presented

Seared Ahi Salad ($17): snow peas, red onion, daikon
sprouts, red bell pepper, mint, sesame ginger dressing

Having been invited to lunch at Paul Martin's American Grill, I got the timing wrong.

Breakfast had been consumed only three hours earlier; the digestive system would have been unduly strained by a grilled specialty.

So I "settled" for a salad.

One of the gastronomic developments over the past 20 years: lighter, healthier fare that is more delicious, more artfully presented...and more expensive.

Judging from the menus at Paul Martin's and other restaurants, that's a trade-off that many diners in our area are willing to make.