DINING OUT:MINX is a delectable addition

I’ll confess — I was scared of MINX. Zooming down the freeway past the former Rusty Pelican location, those billowing flags and banners brought to mind a Pirates of the Caribbean meets Cirque de Soleil-themed dining affair that made me keep my foot on the accelerator.

I was so wrong. A recent lunch visit proved that there is no reason to fear. In fact, there is every reason to rejoice about this new MINX in our midst. From the first step through the enormous glass doors, thoughtful details caught my eye.

Lighting features resemble fanciful origami creations. Floor-to-ceiling windows reveal the Glendale skyline, as well as a patio area with an outdoor bar and several pillowed, draped banquette seating areas.

On the tables, openwork beaded placemats, roly-poly water glasses, sleek stemware and woven stainless-steel bread baskets stylishly reflect the light. I’ll bet the room is stunning at night.

Appetizer prices begin at $2 — that’s right. Two bucks. Admittedly, that will get you two mini-skewers, each threaded with three bites of meat, but flavorful bites they are. The filet mignon with Korean barbecue sauce ($4) is gingery and nibble-tender. Chicken Tikka Masala ($2) is infused with mouth-warming spices.

For less that $20, you could try every “Fusion Robata” dish on the menu. MINX “Lunch Boxes” intrigued me. A half-dozen options, from pork tenderloin ($16) to vegetarian ($17), are presented on large, square platters. The idea is a riff on Japanese bento box lunches (or school cafeterias) with individual compartments holding different components of the meal.

My vegetarian lunch box was gorgeous, with a perfectly dressed, just-snipped baby green salad with walnuts in one corner, and a ramekin of mushroom and Humboldt Fog souffle (with a bread pudding texture and big flavor) in another.

Another quadrant boasted a cunning little mug of terrific tomato soup, nestled next to two “toast finger” panini strips, made with Taleggio cheese and roasted asparagus. The soup’s deeply roasted, smoky flavor was remarkable, and the fabulous sandwich strips were perfectly shaped for dipping.

A little shortcake with berry coulis occupied the fourth quarter of the plate, and was the perfect sweet bite to round out the meal. I’m planning my next visit soon, to try the rest of the lunch boxes, although it will be a struggle not to order this one again.

Other lunch tempters include a whopping Kobe Burger with caramelized onions, bacon and two cheeses, with roasted-garlic mayonnaise ($13). This is a huge mound of flavor on a ciabatta bun, and while the description may seem to contain too many competing elements, it works … and so do the Truffle-Parmesan fries that accompany the sandwiches. Consider sharing this burger, or scheduling an after-lunch snooze.

There’s a large bar and dance floor in one corner of the restaurant, and a tempting lounge menu, with a mini burger sampler ($16) and chips n’ dip with gaufrette potatoes and caviar ($8).

Chef Joseph Antonishek is the creative palate responsible for the menu, and his resumé is impressive. Time in the kitchens of Jean George Vongerichten, Bobby Flay and Charlie Palmer, among others, has clearly influenced his culinary vision, but he is making it his own at Minx. I look forward to a return visit to check out dinner and the view.