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The Bistro at Adams Farm opened in October. It is a cozy, smallish place that has already attracted a loyal neighborhood following if conversations around the bar are any indication. Deep red walls line the primary dining area, dark gray in a smaller section toward the rear. The bar flanks to the right.

Over 20 wines are provided by the glass, along with artisan beers. The wines I recognized were all reasonably priced. The ones that exceeded my range of experience proved enjoyable as well. We received enthusiastic and knowledgeable recommendations, and small tastes were easily acquired. If you have been a restaurant regular in Greensboro, chances are you will recognize some of the service personnel.

Baguette-style bread is served warm but soft, with only a moderate crust. The flavor is pretty much white bread. Good olive oil is augmented with dried herbs and pepper.

Cajun Crab Dip ($8.50) bears lots of lumps in a spicy-hot preparation, with room temperature pita wedges dusted with smoked paprika. Our serving was slightly erratic in temperature (warm in places, hot in others).

Five medium-sized shrimp, de-veined and tender, make up a portion of Grilled Shrimp ($9), their flavor elegantly enhanced by white truffle thyme butter. Fried asparagus with cream sauce struck me as unusual when I read the menu, but the crunchy texture won me over.

The kitchen might consider a larger portion of this asparagus as a side or a separate starter; it's a strong enough performance to stand on its own. Although I enjoyed the flavors, I would have been happier with a bit larger portion of shrimp.

A Duck Confit Salad ($10) places tender duck, fat trimmed away, among chilled soba noodles, augmented by clipped green onions, dabs of raspberry compote, and a soy-ginger dressing/sauce.

Grilled Caesar Salad ($7) presents two halves of Romaine lettuce, split, lightly touched by the grill, ladled with a house made Caesar dressing, plus red onion, fresh croutons, and Roma tomatoes. This is visually attractive and very tasty.

Venturing into the entrees, I was especially taken with the fried Chicken Breast ($17). I have always thought that a professional chef's rendition of classic Southern fried chicken belonged on the menu in fine dining restaurants, and The Bistro's version fulfills my longing. The vegetables that accompany it show originality, too — shredded Brussels sprouts in a coconut-cream sauce, over spaghetti squash with a honey maple glaze.

Swai ($19) is a whitefish, similar to tilapia, with a texture similar to catfish. Most of the flavor in this preparation comes from blackening spices. This is served over jalapeno and crab polenta topped with mango relish and Cajun hollandaise sauce.

Three large, thick Scallops ($23) had been pan-seared expertly, joined by warm couscous plus black Kalamata olives laced with balsamic syrup and a lemon chive cream sauce. I rated the accompanying haricot vert (small green beans) in the fabulous category — tempura treated, fried crisp, yet tender.

Crab Cakes ($24) hosted lots of lumps, served over creamed chive potato hash. A black mole sauce is almost chocolatey, a flavor that, to my taste, did not match the crab very well. A Roma tomato and corn salsa rounds out the presentation.

Tender Yellowfin Tuna ($24) — no gristle — is seared rare, placed adjacent to soba and cucumber noodles in a sweet and spicy sauce. A jalapeno and pineapple relish created a sweetish foil to the Asian treatment.

A rub of red curry and coffee, plus a dash of red-eye gravy, add complexity to the full beef flavor of a New York Strip ($25), appropriately firm, but utterly without gristle — quality throughout. I found this very interesting. My wife, who usually prefers other cuts, termed it the one Strip for which she would return. This is presented next to red chili corn bread pudding with roasted corn and shallots, along with a side of spinach. A balsamic syrup swirl decorated the plate.

We tried two desserts. The kitchen's interpretation of Banana Split ($7) stacks a sliced banana, coated with caramelized brown sugar, crème brulee style, over ice cream. Then it is covered with chocolate syrup, walnuts, and maraschino cherries.

Stewed Berries and Capers ($9) sounds incongruous, but the peppercorns add salty contrast to the predominant sweetness of blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries, all served in a martini glass ladled with fresh whipped cream.

Like most area restaurants these days, The Bistro is running featured items on weeknights. Tuesdays are tapas nights, Wednesdays offer half priced wines by the glass, and Thursdays feature $5 martinis.

Chef-proprietor Kristina Fuller previously cooked at The Undercurrent and Table 16 as well as The Painted Plate Catering. Rhonda Fuller, her mother and restaurant partner, is a former mortgage banker who also hosted at Grappa Grille.

I like the ambience and the personnel at The Bistro, and I enjoyed the food, too. I consider it a fairly moderately priced fine dining experience, especially welcome in this neighborhood.

John Batchelor is a freelance contributor who has been reviewing restaurants for more than 20 years. You can reach him at P.O. Box 20848, Greensboro, NC 27420 or e-mail john.e.batchelor@gmail.com.