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Lisa Hawley formerly operated a formal, upscale Southern Roots in downtown High Point. The move to Jamestown has created a casual ambience in keeping with the new location's structure. It was previously unoccupied for a decade and is now operated in partnership with Mary Ragsdale, a member of one of Jamestown's historic families.

In the dining room, a white ceiling looks down on beige walls decorated with white plates. A white brick fireplace occupies one side. Coarse fabric dividers and lamp shades separate a large interior into smaller sections. Tabletops are different colors of marble, granite or wood. An open kitchen faces the bar. A brick patio provides alfresco seating.

This place feels more like Jamestown, Calif., than Jamestown, N.C.

Hawley's devotion to local ingredients and fresh vegetables places Southern Roots in a special niche. She can be spied in the early morning loading carts at the farmers' market. Pickups from area farms unload at the restaurant in the afternoon.

One section of the menu offers eight salads. Granny Smith Apple Salad ($8) features crisp, tart apple slices over mixed organic leaf lettuces, noteworthy for freshness, along with brie and spiced pecans, dressed in a delightful dressing based on pureed apples.

Avocado Crab Salad ($12) inserts lump crab meat into an avocado (these flavors marry well with each other) with artichoke hearts, capers, tomatoes and herbs in a bed of spinach and leaf lettuces. Olive oil and fresh lemon juice create a predominantly citrus flavor.

We had no quarrels with the ingredients in a Grilled Romaine Salad ($9), but conversation around the table held that the large head had not spent enough time on heat to elicit the smoky effect that characterizes the best renditions of this creative dish. Shaved Parmesan cheese and tomatoes, along with a buttermilk-chive dressing, completed the presentation.

A Tomato and Mozzarella Stack ($9) uses German Johnsons, abundant with real tomato flavor and juice, augmented with fresh basil and thyme, dressed in balsamic vinaigrette.

Fried Green Tomatoes ($6) are firm, crisp and tart, accented with a sharp remoulade.

A Quesadilla ($10) encloses natural chicken breast and spinach, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses and spicy hot chili peppers, enhanced by a smoky tomato salsa.

Although the portion size is certainly sufficient for an entrée, my table ordered an Okra Pizza ($9) to share as part of a first round.

As much as any other, this dish showcases the fresh flavors that exemplify Southern Roots: caramelized onions and roasted tomatoes in mozzarella cheese, with okra, sliced lengthwise, on top.

Servers describe the day's selection of seafood entrees, wild caught in most cases. Tuna Coated With Sesame Seeds ($24) exhibits a deep red interior, lightly seared, with no gristle, made slightly sweet from a sauce of mirin (a rice wine), soy, cilantro and garlic, served with deep-fried bokchoy and jasmine rice.

Blackberry Grouper ($24) exhibits a light, pleasant smoky flavor from the grill and a tender, pure, white interior; the sweetness from the blackberry sauce actually worked very well with the slightly nutty flavor of the fish.

Large Seared Scallops ($26) are lightly browned, their interior buttery-tender. Catfish ($16) arrives in an unusually large portion, coated with cornmeal crust, fried light and crisp, pleasantly accented with a caper-lime tartar sauce.

Other entrees are listed on the menu. Meats and fowl are always steroid-free, organic when feasible. Dried herbs are rubbed into the skin of a Chicken Breast ($14), stuffed with blue cheese, cream cheese, spring onions and fresh herbs.

The Meatloaf ($11) is becoming legendary. It contains no fillers, just black angus beef and green peppers, served crumbled and dabbed with a bit of ketchup.

Two sides are normally included with entreés, unless particular vegetables are matched to an entrée special. I have sampled collard greens, lima beans, cheese grits, okra, corn, eggplant fries and sweet potato fries (the latter two also available as starters). Prepared Southern-style but with a light touch, these are unequivocally the best vegetables I have had in the Triad.

My party shared one dessert. Bread Pudding ($6) oozes flavor from a Jack Daniels whiskey and caramel sauce.

Food arrives on different colored plates, heated when appropriate. Servers know the food very well, and they are able to keep up with who ordered what, as well as payment arrangements.

The chef is Johnny Chandler. He has been with Southern Roots for eight years, harkening back to the original location. He learned his craft from Jimmy Noble, starting at the original Noble's as a dishwasher when he was 15 years old.

I have one misgiving. This place is seriously noisy. Conversations tend to rise to shouts, which exacerbates the problem. I was advised that ceiling tiles have been ordered and may have been installed by the time this review appears, which may help.

That concern notwithstanding, Southern Roots easily regains its status on my personal favorites list.

I like it even better than the original, in fact, because of lower prices.

John Batchelor is a freelance contributor who has been reviewing restaurants for more than 20 years. Write to him at P.O. Box 20848, Greensboro, NC 27420, or send e-mail to john.e.batchelor@gmail.com. To find his recent columns online, visit www.go triad.com and click on dining.