Quick Bites (5)

For its 10th anniversary, Salmon Dave's has gone upscale. Track lighting, carpet and tablecloths, plus candles and decorative wine bottles as centerpieces, lend the dining room a more soothing atmosphere, somewhat at odds with the bar area's old-time saloon feel. The new menu and expanded wine list, like the decor, emphasize sophistication and presentation (the menu now recommends wines to complement certain dishes). Prices have notched up, making it tougher to eat cheap at Salmon Dave's, even for lunch. We ordered the $9 sandwich, soup and salad combo and were surprised to get a tiny salmon-cake mini-sandwich. But it was good, and that day's soup, the tomato bisque with bleu cheese, was first-rate.

At dinner, the restaurant's signature lobster bisque ($5), made with real cream, tasted soft and buttery. The calamari ($8), with a tangy, nutty Asian barbecue sauce on it, arrived in a fun bamboo steamer basket. We chose one of the many variations on Salmon Dave's signature fish, the fire-grilled ginger soy salmon ($19), which balanced perfectly between the tastes of the salmon and the marinade. We thought the seafood lo mein ($17) could use some of that subtlety; the soy overwhelmed the dish and made it too salty for our tastes — but then again, we overheard another customer rave about it at lunch.

At the new Salmon Dave's, you may not get the biggest fish for your buck, but for surprising flavors and presentation, it's worth checking out its new personality.

Salmon Dave's Pacific Grille, 19015 Old Lake Road, Rocky River, (440) 331-2739. Hours: Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m., Fri and Sat 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m., Sun. 4 - 10:30 p.m. A,DS,M,V.