At Dodsworth, You Can Dine Lightly but Well

Foodwise, the outlook is still black. What I mean is, the charcoal colored, spicy, seared fish that was introduced by Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme is still with us. No longer a startling innovation, “blackened” cooking has filtered down to the sort of restaurants that specialize in safe food.

One of these is the Dodsworth Bar and Grill in Pasadena, a nice, conventional, comfortable place that opened in February. The other night, two out of Dodsworth’s three specials were blackened, not to mention blackened red snapper on the regular menu.

Instead of Prudhomme’s original redfish, Dodsworth was searing orange roughy--and also prime rib. The roughy was as dark as a well-seasoned iron skillet, crisp on the outside and tender inside. The seasoning was a bit sedate, as one might expect in Pasadena, but with subsequent swallows warmed to a level that was satisfactory, yet inoffensive.

That plain, traditional restaurant salad of lettuce, tomatoes and croutons came first, or you could choose clam chowder or chicken-vegetable soup. The side dishes with the fish covered all bases----rice pilaf, baked potato, French fries, or, for the mildly trendy, angel hair pasta.

To someone with a taste for the exotic or nouvelle, Dodsworth’s menu might seem mundane, especially at lunch, when salads, omelets and sandwiches prevail. Yet one day I had an excellent pork tostada there. The slices of roast pork were laid against a sizable bed of romaine and red cabbage. The garnishes--cheese, salsa, guacamole and tortilla chips--were not unusual, but the arrangement was well done.

In an attempt to plumb the creative depths of the nighttime menu, I asked for veal scaloppine with fresh ginger and lime. The dish was subtle rather than wildly exciting, but it did have a nice Oriental flavor. And its accompaniments, garlic-flavored angel-hair pasta and simple vegetables, were harmonious.

My companions had whitefish and breast of chicken with delicate sauces, one of them made with leeks, the other with cream, wine and garlic. Oddly enough, both dishes came with fat baked potatoes that suited them neither in taste nor appearance.

Dodsworth is a large restaurant, and I don’t see why it doesn’t provide desserts from its own kitchen rather than buying them on the outside. Overly lush, fussy tortes and cakes don’t harmonize with the menu and lead those who want to watch their diets astray.

That brings up one of Dodsworth’s strong points. Here you can eat lightly but well. The dinner menu is sprinkled with broiled foods. The fish is fresh. Sauces are light and added with restraint. And plain vegetables accompany the entrees.

There is a decent selection of wines by the glass, and a decent wine list. One night, the waiter suggested I take a pre-chilled white wine rather than an unchilled Charles F. Shaw Napa Valley Fume Blanc that would have to go into an ice bucket. When I called out to “Chill the Shaw,” it sounded unexpectedly like an Iranian rebel cry. The raised voice was necessary because, except for six tables and the bar, the restaurant had been taken over by a Notre Dame Club meeting that resounded with speeches, applause and laughter.

The gathering was appropriate because Dodsworth has a clubby, university atmosphere. Done up in bricks and brass, stained glass, cafe curtains and hanging lamps, it calls to mind a country club or upscale faculty lounge. The proprietors are Nick and Walter Rasic, brothers who also operate Nikola’s on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Dodsworth Bar and Grill, 2 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. For reservations, call (818) 578-1344. Food served Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday to 11 p.m., Sunday from 4:30 to 10 p.m. Bar remains open later. Live jazz Thursday through Saturday nights from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Major credit cards accepted. Valet parking nearby. Dinner entrees range from $8.95 (fresh vegetable plate) to $17.75 (filet mignon).