A Review of Gifford's, in Kent The look of Gifford's, which opened for business in Kent in February, sends a clear signal that this is a different kind of restaurant from its predecessor, the long-running Doc's Trattoria. The co-owners, Michael Moriarty and James Neunzig, had the interior redesigned with vibrant blocks of color that evoke the work of the artist Josef Albers. As co-owners of a specialty food store, J.P. Gifford Market and Catering Company (around the corner on North Main Street), Mr. Moriarty and Mr. Neunzig would seem to have the right pedigree for operating an upscale, white-tablecloth restaurant. The focus is on New American cuisine. Mr. Neunzig is also the chef - he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and previously worked at the Mayflower Inn in Washington, Conn., and the West Street Grill in Litchfield - and his attention to detail is evident in his reliance on high-end provisioners like Black Pearl, Mountain Products Smokehouse, Compart Duroc pork and FreeBird chicken. His FreeBird chicken, by the way, represents one of Gifford's great bargains, at $23: a half bird roasted to a golden brown. Sometimes, as in a Tuscan burrata appetizer, the details - paper-thin strips of pesto-dotted zucchini, sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and accompanied by leaves of arugula - are more winning than the main component, a bland sphere of ice-cold mozzarella, stuffed with cheese and cream. Other times, as with Thai spring rolls, the primary attraction - three crispy wonton-wrapped cigars filled with ground pork, appealingly seasoned, gyoza-like, with ginger, garlic, soy and a whiff of lemon grass - eclipses a sidekick, a somewhat glutinous peanut-based dipping sauce. More often than not, Gifford's gets it just right. Pecan-crusted oysters, for instance, were deftly flash-fried so that the nutty outer layer was crunchy, while the interior remained juicy and barely cooked. A squiggle of Aleppo pepper aioli added just enough pizazz, and a salsa of pineapple, red and orange peppers, vinegar and a dash of lime juice was a refreshing touch. A dozen Connecticut-harvested clams, plump and steamed to perfection, were marred only by a trace of grit. The buttery broth was augmented by well-trimmed snippets of bacon, caramelized onion and thyme, with ale contributing just a hint of bitterness. And Italian sausage risotto, another appetizer, which combined diced sausage, fresh tomatoes, bits of roasted fennel, onion and plenty of Parmesan, was sublime. Risotto also figured as a sidekick to a couple of entrees, pan-roasted halibut and Black Pearl salmon. The version that was paired with the firm, somewhat dry halibut (a special) was delicious, oozing with Gouda and Romano, its grains of arborio rice studded with matchsticks of zucchini and summer squash. By contrast, the salmon fillet (with a moist, almost buttery consistency) rested on a hamburger-size risotto cake, its crispy, deep-fried shell containing a seductively runny interior. Filling out the salmon plate was an unusual, and excellent, tapenade of bright green, coarsely chopped Castelvetrano olives, fresh tomatoes, garlic and wilted spinach, lightly anointed with truffle oil. Sea scallops, attractively browned and appropriately undercooked, also featured wilted spinach, although its scant presence was easily overshadowed by the entree's authentically Indian dal, seasoned with garlic, ginger, cumin, tomato and just the right amount of pepper. Moroccan-spiced lamb loin, on the other hand, was disappointing, the underseasoned, overcooked meat being only partly redeemed by a side of tangy cilantro-lime chermoula sauce. Grilled prime New York strip steak and chili-spiced pork chop (a special) were far more to my liking. Both were juicy, tender and expertly charbroiled. The steak, overloaded with creamy goat cheese and roasted onions, came with a superb, house-made dipping sauce (Worcestershire, red wine, tomato and veal stock, with a hint of clove and tamarind), while the pork, beautifully branded with grill marks, was more simply presented with asparagus spears and roasted red potatoes spiked with rosemary and thyme. With the exception of a rather dense, dry chocolate truffle torte, the desserts we tried were excellent. Mascarpone cheesecake, on a graham cracker crust, was firm but fluffy, with a pleasing suggestion of sourness. A first-rate pastry crust served as the base for the lemon-lime tart, which had a curdy filling with a sharp citric tang. Sticky toffee pudding was sweeter, its sponge-cake-like texture well saturated with a savory butterscotch-tinged toffee sauce. And like the Albers-inspired décor, the warm bread pudding, its buttery layers of brioche surrounded by a pool of molten caramel, was very nearly a work of art. Gifford's 9 Maple Street (Route 341) Kent (860) 592-0262 jpgifford.com THE SPACE White-tablecloth restaurant with a vibrant color scheme spread over three dining rooms seating a total of 76; an awning-sheltered terrace accommodates 40 more in good weather. THE CROWD Mostly mature couples and small groups of friends. No children on my visits. Amiable, professional service. THE BAR Semicircular, eight-seat counter, separated from the main dining room by a waist-high barrier. List of more than 50 wines by the bottle, $26 to $105, with Italy, France, Spain and California well represented; 19 wines by the glass, from $7 to $13. Beers include eight on draft, $5 to $6, and about a dozen by the bottle, including several craft beers and Belgian imports ($4.50 to $13, for a half-liter bottle of smoked imperial stout from Iceland). THE BILL Appetizers, $8 to $15; salads, $11 to $13; main courses, $21 to $38; desserts, $7 to $9. WHAT WE LIKED Sweet Italian sausage risotto, pecan-crusted fried oysters, steamed clams, Thai mango salad, grilled New York strip steak, chili-spiced pork chop (special), pan-roasted sea scallops, pan-roasted skate (special), oven-roasted salmon; sticky toffee pudding, mascarpone cheesecake, chocolate chip cookies, warm bread pudding. IF YOU GO Wednesday through Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 4 to 8 p.m. Reservations suggested, especially on weekends; limited parking in front, but plenty of spaces in the adjacent lot and around the corner on North Main Street.