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The Yancey House is this year's winner in the casual dining division of the Best Dish N.C. competition, sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Our State magazine.

Three judges (I was one) rate unidentified menu submissions from all the restaurants entered. The top 10 are named finalists, and their identities are revealed; then the judges dine (anonymously) at each restaurant. The award is based on the total number of points assigned from all three judges.

Yancey House chef-proprietor Lucindy Willis has named her personal Web site theliterarychef.com, a reflection of her pre-chef life. She has a doctorate in English with a specialty in 19th-century English literature. She has taught at Elon, UNCG and N.C. State. She and her husband and co-proprietor, Michael, met in Louisiana, where they formerly lived. In addition to managing the business, he makes most of the desserts, as well as quite a bit of the furniture.

The restaurant, which opened in November 2005, is housed in the original Bartlett Yancey home, constructed about 1807. Seating is provided in several rooms, upstairs as well as down, separating guests into groups that are small enough to allow conversation and reduce noise.

Wines have been selected with an eye toward value. We enjoyed each one.

In addition to vegetables harvested from the restaurant's own gardens, almost all other ingredients are supplied from North Carolina producers, most nearby. Chefs in the Triad tend to provide variations on a similar theme, based on ingredients sourced from the same wholesalers. Lucindy Willis is composing her own theme, albeit shared to some extent by a small number of other restaurants that exemplify the farm-to-fork movement.

A chilled Gazpacho ($5), for example, virtually explodes with flavors from fresh Sun Gold, German Johnson, Brandywine and Better Boy tomatoes, joined by red, green and yellow bell peppers plus finely diced cucumbers and green onions, following an initial peppery impact. The taste finishes with a touch of Absolut vodka (the soup also is available without alcohol). This is served in a martini glass with a spiral stem on a white plate, lending bright visual impact.

The restaurant considers Crab Cakes ($10/two 3-ounce cakes) a signature dish. N.C. lump crabmeat joins bits of bell peppers, green onions and flecks of fresh parsley and tarragon, all held together by incantation. They are coated with panko bread crumbs and lightly pan-fried in a blend of olive oil and butter. The resulting texture is a noteworthy experience in itself. Lemon aioli and fresh basil leaves complete a crab cake flavor journey that I rank among the top two in my personal experience.

The first impact from Bruschetta ($7.95) emerges from fresh basil in the walnut pesto, followed by luscious goat cheese and Sun Gold tomatoes, all placed on ciabatta toasts. Fried Oysters ($8.50) exhibit a light touch, moist and tender, within a crisp crust that conveys the flavor of yellow cornmeal and yellow corn flour with a touch of Creole seasonings. A homemade remoulade is unusual and quite wonderful -- I would characterize it as an onion relish.

The Yancey House Best Dish entrée was Isabella's Summertime Chicken ($26). This is based on a large, natural breast, which arrived at the table remarkably hot and retained warmth throughout the meal. A blend of Sleepy Goat Farm feta cheese, green onions and garlic coats the exterior, and Sun Gold tomatoes, avocado, thick applewood smoked bacon and three large shrimp, deveined and grilled, are arrayed atop. The assembly is surrounded by beurre blanc sauce.

A Ploughman's Dinner ($13) on the evening we tried it consisted of a beef brisket, seared then braised for 18 hours -- infinitely tender and deeply flavorful, joined by mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, yellow squash casserole and vinegar-accented cole slaw. A hearty meal at a great price.

But I was not quite as enamored with a Grilled Angus Beef Ribeye ($23/8 ounces, $28/12 ounces). This is not steakhouse meat, and that carries both positive as well as negative implications. Flavor is good, a function of local, all-natural beef, and prices remain earth-bound rather than stratospheric. But judicious trimming is required to avoid moderate levels of gristle and fat.

Crabby Cat ($23) stuffs a North Carolina catfish filet with spinach, crabmeat, celery, onions and panko bread crumbs. Mushrooms cover the top, and a lemon meuniere sauce surrounds the assembly. Cedar Plank Salmon ($21) displays a light crust, glazed with honey and pickled ginger. The flavor from wild Norwegian salmon picks up a subtle effect from wood roasting.

Peach Trio ($10) interprets North Carolina peaches three ways. Peches au Vin are sliced and grilled, then served in a glass of Delta Dawn sweet wine from Iron Gate Winery in Mebane. Homemade peach ice cream flanks rich, moist Peach Upside Down Cake, a mellifluous combination. Bread Pudding ($6) is based on sweet potato rolls, oozing Jack Daniels whiskey sauce -- an experience worth the drive all by itself. Toasted coconut and almonds grace the top of Amaretto ice cream ($6) scoops.

The combination of value, historic ambience and a personal cuisine make a Yancey House meal a special experience.

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 send e-mail to john.e.batchelor@gmail.com.