Dexter’s Layers Tastes to Max

A funky, artsy little space about two miles south of downtown Laguna Beach has the potential to be one of Orange County’s most exciting dining spots. Dexter’s is the name.

The guy in the ponytail and baseball cap is chef Scott Savoy. You can hardly miss seeing him in this open kitchen, crammed as it is virtually on top of you and your 20-odd fellow diners. (That number does not include a cramped, five-stool counter rarely used.)

In many ways Dexter’s is the quintessential Laguna space (it’s a gallery; no, it’s a boutique; no, it’s a restaurant). The front is all glass, the interior about two-thirds kitchen, one-third elbow-to-elbow seating area. The low-ceilinged dining room is painted a light gray, embellished by one minimalist floral centerpiece on the kitchen counter, one large abstract painting on a side wall and (the most striking feature) a string of Diva lights cleverly suspended in mid air by shiny ball bearings on strings.

Most nights the sound system gently serves up funky jazz, though it is unlikely you will hear it above the chatter. Dexter’s is the ultimate conversation restaurant, an irony I find delicious, because the Dexter the place is named after happens to be a cat. Don’t bother walking in without a reservation.

Savoy--a veteran of Magic Island and Cafe Zoolu, among other places--is nothing if not adventurous, and he cooks with confidence. Now, if his cooking would just show some of that minimalist sensibility seen in the decor, this might be a sensational restaurant. As it is, I love the place but only some of the cooking.

A curious house salad, for instance, speaks volumes about what you can expect from the rest of the menu. It’s mesclun-- mixed baby greens--tossed with sauteed yellow bell peppers, a wondrous balsamic vinaigrette and green grapes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Atop the salad is a mound of goat cheese and a pile of candied walnuts, which end up confusing the palate.

There are redeeming appetizers, though. One is an international taco trio with three distinctive and well thought-out fillings: Greek lamb souvlakia, moo shu duck and Cajun blackened fish. The grilled vegetable terrine is worth trying too. It’s layers of shiitake mushrooms, red bell peppers and goat cheese (here the addition of goat cheese improves the dish) surrounded with lightly smoked eggplant slices.

Another good way to start is the smoked seafood plate: salmon, trout and mussels with exotic and intelligent condiments like creme fraiche , chips of fried lotus root and assorted chutneys. Of course, you could always just open the meal with the house olive bread, served with a savory spread ( tapenade ) made from olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

The best thing I’ve eaten here was offered as a special every night I visited, so there is a good chance you’ll be equally lucky. It’s lamb loin roasted in a coating of crushed pine nuts. The flavor combination is magical, probably the more so because the products Savoy uses are always top-notch, right down to the vegetables that accompany all main dishes. Another good entree is dry-aged New York steak, broiled and topped with a rich wild mushroom demi-glaze and served with garlic mashed potatoes.

The chef doesn’t do nearly as well with seafood. Most of the fish I’ve had here were overcooked, some overcomplicated, others bland. Shrimp tourkolimano , for instance, is an enormous, unappealing mound of prawns with too many flavorings: olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, Greek olives and Pernod liqueur, all served on two-color angel hair pasta tossed with vegetables. And one evening the special was fairly insipid ahi with fried Bermuda onions.

The Thai seafood stew just barely misses, though it’s a better bet than either of those. There is nothing particularly Thai about the dish except for its coconut milk-based broth--you can’t really taste Thai essentials lemon grass and galanga root--but it is a generous and tasty bowl of seafood (prawns, lobster, scallops and whatever fish, such as ahi and salmon in our case, the chef has on hand), with a couple of good pork won tons thrown in as a bonus.

Pass on the oversalted tofu veggie stir-fry. It consists of rice, soy sauce, more rice and more soy sauce, plus pea pods, shiitake, dried tofu, garlic and fried won ton skin. I realize this is Laguna, but come on, now.

Savoy worked as a pastry chef at his last gig, Cafe Zoolu, and that may explain why he is so good on desserts. Heading my list is the coconut-date rice pudding, almost like an Indian khir taken to a spiritual plane. It’s creamy boiled milk, finely shredded coconut and partly crystallized date pieces, making one of the best sweet courses I’ve tasted in a long time.

Savoy also makes a fine white chocolate fantasy cake with a frothy raspberry topping and a mean cheesecake of a light, creamy texture. About the only dessert that doesn’t work is his fried won ton skin Napoleon, a six-layer ziggurat filled with a thick fresh lemon curd and strawberries. Sure, it’s a dumb idea--impossible to cut, though beautiful to look at--and the won ton skins have zero flavor. Still, it’s a pleasant shock to find such a passion for originality.

Dexter’s is moderately expensive. Starters are $3.50 to $7. Entrees are $11.50 to $16.50.

* DEXTER’S

* 2892 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.

* (714) 497-8912.

* Dinner Tuesday through Sunday, 6 to 10 p.m; brunch Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

* MasterCard and Visa accepted.