If I had to name my favorite restaurant in Portland, if not the entire state of Maine, my answer wouldn’t rest on one singular, truncated candidate. That would place an unnecessary limitation on a whole world of dining options presided over by some very talented Maine chefs.

I think it’s obvious to many that over the course of this column, which sadly is offered only occasionally now, my favorite haunts are culled from a predictable list: Fore Street, Primo, Francine Bistro, Back Bay Grill, Caiola’s, Five-Fifty Five, Cinque Terre, Hugo’s, Provence and many more restaurants around the state where I’ve had very consistently excellent meals.

So that brings me to Evangeline, the latest venture by Portland chef Erik Desjarlais, whose prior establishment Bandol would have stayed on my favorites list if it was still in operation.

Bandol adorned this city with unequivocal gastronomic achievement, bejeweled with culinary sparkle unmatched by others. It was a critical success but was probably too precious and too refined for the logistics of Portland standards. It helps when restaurants like Bandol exist in larger metropolitan areas with million-plus populations.

But Portland is what it does best being a tiny city with a populace less than most large towns and a sensibility that likes to keep it simple. It’s any wonder at all that the city supports such a superb and ambitious restaurant scene. Alas, Bandol or even the wonderful Hugo’s are relegatd to reside like $2 million condos consigned in a city that more comfortably embraces affordable housing.

I often said to Erik that he should go to Boston or New York where a larger audience would prevail.

So we should be grateful and relieved that he’s chosen to stay in Portland and conjured up Evangeline, a culinary nexus of pure pleasure.

The restaurant debuted on April 11th and two weeks later, when I was there, it was rammed by a crowd of familiar faces, a mix of local mavens and would-be swells. No other restaurant that I’ve been to in the city seemed to have lured such a devoted clientele so quickly and so completely.

Erik’s concept was to create a French bistro. And he has done that beautifully.

In the truest sense of an overused term Evangline has charm.

It’s sophisticated without being hard. It’s utterly comfortable without being haphazard. All too many Maine restaurants cough up happenstance décor to effect casual airs and the result is pure splatter. Here Evangeline sooths and coddles at the behest of delicious food.

Which means one can arrive in evening wear or casual garb and feel perfectly comfortable. What annoys me most is how some people descend on fine dining scenes looking no better than bums off the street. Sneakers and baseball caps belong in a stadium.

The restaurant is located in the space formerly occupied by Uffa. While the latter espoused a more humble décor, the room also lends itself to being spruced up as it is now. The space is dramatic and striking with its high ceilings and glass front overlooking Congress and State streets.

The room has 30 seats, with 10 more at the bar, just large enough to be interesting yet manageable. The chairs are comfortable and the tables, with crisp white tablecloths in the main section of the room, are well spaced and roomy; on the far side is whimsical red banquette seating opposite the bar.

Even in its early stages the kitchen is in high gear. The service was warm, proficient and friendly, and the kitchen kept up a good pace, getting the impeccable food to the table in a timely sequence.

The menu is pure bistro. First courses include roasted marrow bones, charcuterie, steak tartare, escargot, salmon en papillote and calf’s brain made into fritters.

Entrees include such dishes as cod filet, blanquette de veau, chicken moutarde, steak frites, seared duck breast paired with a leg confit, whole roasted fish or double cut pork chop with collards and honey glazed parsnips. Prices are extremely reasonable. Appetizers start at $6 for scallops and run up to $11 for charcuterie; most starters fall into the middle range of $7 to $9.

Entrees start at $19, most staying around $20-$22, except for the double cut pork chop for two at $33. Desserts are all $7 and include a pineapple financier, cheesecake with passion fruit, lemon tart in a hazelnut crust and a chocolate orange mousse.

I loved my meal. I began with the scallops as my first course. They were beautifully and artfully served in an urchin roe emulsion, seared and embellished with an orange glazed Belgian endive and fennel. My main course was the duck--perfectly seared breast, paired with a leg confit, which was as decadent as candy, served over a gossamer celeriac puree. For dessert I had the pineapple financier; the cake was perfectly done and the buttermilk ice cream accompaniment was outrageously good.

At these prices, and with such quality and care, the menu offers one of the fairest tariffs in town.

What’s also very appealing is the wine list because for every full bottle offered on the list one can opt for a half bottle: meaning that a full bottle is opened, and half is poured into a carafe. Generally a carafe of excellent wine—whether European or American--is in the $20 to $30 range and full bottles double that. There is a full bar, which has become immediately popular for dining too.

This is probably one of the most appealing Portland restaurants to open in some time. It seamlessly joins the ranks of other highly regarded establishments in town. Evangeline continues the trend flawlessly.

Evangeline, 190 State Street, 207-791-2800

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