Chef John Tesar has officially upped the ante of lunch time dining choices. His restaurant Spoon Bar & Kitchen, now serving lunch, has a sexy seaside appeal that draws you in and tantalizes your senses.

Stopping in recently after being invited to try out the lunch addition, I knew this was to be like no lunch I’d had before. A modern spin on the power lunches of yesteryear, Spoon is serving up chic plates that are wallet and palate friendly. With a heavy focus on providing the freshest ingredients from the land and the spotlighted sea, Tesar has masterfully created a lunch set that will leave you craving a return visit.

We sat at the kitchen counter, a personal favorite spot of mine if the restaurant can accommodate. The action behind the bar is an orchestrated line up of chefs whose tasks are shifting and precisely maneuvered. So really, do yourself a favor and grab a seat at the counter to see how Tesar at the helm conducts his team.

After passing on wine, beer and cocktails presented on an iPad, our first tastes arrived. A selection of fresh oysters with a house mignonette and cocktail came to the counter. Sweet, salty at all the right angles, the sea was at the tip of our tastebuds in full delicious glory. Next, a Pounded big-eye tuna and foie gras tourchon ala Eric Ripert. A Tesar spin on a classic that noted all the right flavor profiles one desires from a dish like this. A Razor clam tartare followed with caviar and shaved chives, a perfectly executed and prepared plate that had us craving more.

Larger plates sampled included Jumbo lump crab, potato gnocchi & black truffle essence pasta entree that we found ourselves dipping the freshly baked prosciutto baguette into. Yum! The real winner in my book and perfect for lunch any day is the Lobster and Pork Belly “Knuckle” Sandwich served with frites tossed in salsa verde and an heirloom tomato salad. Bite after bite, sweet and salty pork and savory lobster with crispy butter lettuce on a fresh toasted bun. Tesar, Tesar, Tesar. *bows* This is a terrific sandwich, that won’t have me “pleading the fifth“.

Dessert was had as well, of course. Pastry Chef David Collier has a hotel kitchen background but has left that behind for perfected sweets that make you swoon. A Yuzu Fennel parfait, candied fennel, yuzu fennel sorbet was on the lighter side and suited us just fine on this warm summer day. The table favorite was Chocolate ganache & crisp dehydrated chocolate mousse with caramel crémeux and a Caramelia ice cream. ‘Spoon’ful after spoonful. This chocolate heaven played sweet harp noises to signal a lunch well done.

You need to come to Spoon for lunch, not tomorrow, next week or once a year. Today, my friends. Today.