The Gossiping Gourmet:

It is the dream of every creative chef to have his own restaurant where he is in complete control and can express his culinary vision. In the case of the Lido Deck Restaurant & Wine Bar in the Lido Marina Village, there is a dynamic duo at the helm of this small, pierside bistro — chef Don Schoenburg and his wife, pastry chef Christi Carter. They also have a wine bar next door with its own small plates menu. Both are tucked away in the village right by the water, with a deck overlooking the bay or a humongous wedding boat docked in front, depending on whether or not the bridal party is out to sea.

We were seated in a big white leather booth in the small dining area where the wall of sliding doors was open to the three tables out on the deck. Our interesting view was of the interior of one of these glass enclosed matrimonial vessels with its myriad lights. Unless it’s a warm evening, the open room gets a bit chilly, so dress for the occasion.

The menu is an updated version of classic French bistro food married to California cuisine. As in every French restaurant, there is a prix-fixe menu, which is always a bargain. Schoenburg offers three courses with a choice of two starters, three entrées and any of Christi’s desserts for $38 or $55 with wine pairings.

Elle selected the prix-fixe, which began with a lovely baby arugula salad with sweet medjool dates, crunchy Marcona almonds and citrusy orange supremes, all bathed in a light and sparking Meyer lemon vinaigrette.

Terry ordered a la carte, a duck confit salad with mixed greens, pine nuts and golden raisins in sherry vinaigrette. The shredded duck and the cherry tomatoes were warmed first, then tossed with the salad. The duck was tender and flavorful, and the mélange was quite delicious with its nice combination of texture and tastes.

For her second course, Terry had the sweetbreads. This appetizer portion came with three sweetbreads. Each crispy round sat on a little mound of smooth, delicate celeriac puree. One was adorned with decorative white truffle foam with just a hint of truffle flavor. The interior of the sweetbreads was creamy and subtle, while the addition of peppery watercress and little crunchy bits of pancetta provided punctuation to make an altogether satisfying dish.

The three entrée choices on the prix-fixe menu were wahoo, pork porterhouse and duck breast. Elle ordered the duck breast rare, although it is less tender that way, but the chef obliged, even though he normally cooks it medium rare. It was one of the best we’ve had in recent memory and also the largest portion. Seared and nicely seasoned, the thin, juicy slices were served on a bed of tiny little cubes of caramelized pear and sautéed endive. Both had a subtle taste, one sweet and the other slightly bitter. The crowning glory was a deeply flavored port wine glaze.

Our attentive waiter, Marco, recommended the medjool date cake, saying it was Christi’s specialty, as well it should be, because it was absolutely scrumptious. This caramel-flavored cake is reminiscent of sticky toffee pudding (if that helps you any). The moist light cake is made with puréed dates that add sweetness and depth of flavor. Paired with a luscious, caramel black pepper sauce and toffee ice cream with bits of crunchy toffee, this dessert is a standout.

Less impressive were the profiteroles, cream puffs filled with house-made espresso ice cream. The puffs were too dense, and the accompanying chocolate sauce somehow didn’t quite work.

There are so few restaurants these days where there is this much attention to detail. Foodies will be excited by dishes like the elk burger, a house specialty with remoulade, caramelized onion, braised lamb belly, wild boar bacon, tres leches cheese and duck egg, but everyone will enjoy this beautifully prepared food.

The Lido Deck Restaurant & Wine Bar

Where: 3420 Via Oporto, Newport Beach

When: Lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; brunch 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday; dinner 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday

Prices: Appetizers $8 to $18; entrées $15 to $32; desserts $8

Wine: Bottles $26 to $120; half bottles $20 to $36; by the glass $7 to $14; corkage fee $10

Information: (949) 673-9500 or www.thelidodeckrestaurant.com

ELLE HARROW and TERRY MARKOWITZ owned A La Carte for 20 years and can be reached at [email protected] .