The restaurant is small, with a petite bar greeting you as you enter through the front door and a cozy dining room to the right. Behind the restaurant is a large patio which is open in nice weather and for special occasions.

Rachel our waitress showed us to a pleasant table by the window. Okay, so there's no view to be had in the alley outside, but the light was nice.

You can't get away the fact that this is a small restaurant, but it more than compensates with a cozy, sophisticated and friendly atmosphere. In many ways, this is an ideal spot for a couple wanting a quiet dinner for two or a bunch of friends who want to dine together in a secluded spot.

The menu is eclectic and defies easy categorization. The overarching theme seems to be sophisticated bistro style food with a spicy Southern thread running through the menu. I liked it a lot and found a number of interesting dishes among the appetizers, entrées and desserts. Eric plans to change the menu regularly, but there is certainly something for everyone on the current menu and regular diners should enjoy the challenge of trying to try everything.

Starting with a couple of appetizers we immediately got the conundrum part of the menu. We ordered Shrimp Culican and Maine Crabcake with Napa cabbage spring roll. The shrimps were wrapped in bacon and accompanied with the spicy chipotle butter. This dish was delicious and the flavor combination worked very well. The crabcake had a nice coarse texture and it too had a little spice. The addition of the freshly made spring rolls turned what could have been an ordinary dish into something special. Paired with these appetizers was SA Prum "Essence" Reisling and Indaba Sauvignon Blanc. Both wines worked well with their respective dishes and gave a hint of the effort that Eric has expended in developing a well-balanced menu and wine list combination.

We went on to enjoy Yellow Fin Tuna with three potato spring roll and ginger kaffir lime juice and Tamarind Pork Tenderloin with oven potatoes and an orange bourbon sauce. The tuna was excellent, but the three potato spring rolls were an absolute standout. Paired with the tuna, we tried Ninth Island Pinot Noir and for the tenderloin, Goats do Roam (and no my spell checker did not murder Cotes Du Rhone).

Dessert was Bananas Conundrum, chocolate crepes with sautéed bananas, chocolate ice cream and a toasted marshmallow. Just fantastic - we ate it all instantly! We also tried Saffron Panna Cotta, served with peach sorbet, amaretto and blackberry sauce. The panna cotta was smooth and creamy and perfectly matched the peach sorbet which was intensely flavored and tasted tasted fresh and naturally sweet. To acompany our dessert we enjoyed a glass of was Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui. This is a sparkling red dessert wine that was sweet and Aromatic with a hint of rose petals and raspberries. It went particularly well with both desserts.

Throughout our dinner we enjoyed friendly and relaxed service and genuinely appreciated the delights of such an intimate restaurant. In some ways it is more akin to eating in your own dining room than in a restaurant. Eric and Jennifer have created a charming atmosphere with a distinct menu and excellent wine list. Undoubtedly, this is the ideal spot for a quiet dinner for two or a small family celebration. You get the sense that you're being welcomed into somebody's home, the main difference being the standard of cooking.

So, no conundrum puns then. It is all very transparent, good food, good wine and good service, nothing even close to a riddle here.

Good wine list with over 50 bottles ranging from $20 to $120 a bottle.

The most expensive is a 1998 champagne, Poi Roger Brut from France.

There is a broad selection by the glass with about 14 different glasses ranging from $7 to $10.