The Making of a Greenfield Hill Cult Following

Fairfield's dining scene has been thirsting for a culinary deviation from the rest of the primarily Italian and Asian-fusion joints budding around town. Bonda, which could easily be transplanted to the East Village in New York City, is the slaking answer. With its chic, contemporary furnishings and, for Fairfield, a rather Promethean spread of ethnic-mottled dishes, the top-drawer residents are gathering. A cult following is inevitable.

But Bonda isn't new to the Connecticut scene. In early April, Jamie Cooper, the restaurant's owner, closed Bonda's original Westport doors due to economic lulls. He uprooted Bonda's  identity, and transferred it to the same space in Fairfield where La Colline Verte and then Fraiche used to call their own.

It's always a venture to open a restaurant where two previous restaurants shuttered their windows. To some, two failures in the same building is a dreadful harbinger. But Cooper's infusion of Spanish, Peranakan, Moroccan and a general Mediterranean flair is a concept that, until now, Fairfield hasn't experienced, and by all means should flourish.

You'll find a basket of crostini and a roasted tomato and caper spread that swoops down upon your table with your arrival. The gentleman at the next table over is disappointed there is no actual bread basket. But this is a step up, this is exciting, new; he will get used to it.

Cooper's salad of hearts of palm and ripe, creamy avocado is a plate of exoticism. Slices of radish and pearl-hued jicama, the tuber from Mexico, are tousled in, joined by the crunch of toasted quinoa grains. Buttery macadamia nuts add richness, passionfruit vinaigrette uplifts with its tropical sweetness.

Soak in the energy of the room, the blazing burnt orange painted walls, the vintage Spanish posters, the excitement wafting about that this is Fairfield's newest gem. And do this over the starter of pan-seared diver scallops, fleshy and unctuous, with roasted cauliflower, raisins and a funky anchovy-caper vinaigrette that will transport you to Morocco and back.

Or if all that's too exotic, the tomato bisque is soothing, simple and velvety, rich with roasted tomato essence.

The restaurant itself airs on the smaller side, boasting only 13 tables in the main dining room, with a satellite room for overflow just around the corner. And considering the tables are spaced closely together, your actual confinement is well concealed, so long as your neighboring diners aren't intrusive with their sometimes tippling voices.

Entrees, too, offer a lattice of cultural variety. The coriander-crusted chicken glints with Southeast Asian distinction. Our waiter pours the Laksa broth atop the succulent meat, tableside.

"The perfume," he says smiling, motioning at the rising steam, wafting from the bowl.

Then it hits, a plume of toasted coconut, Kaffir lime zest and Thai curry spirals upward, enveloping our noses with its alluring fragrance.

But not every dish is as favorable. While the concept of lamb tortillas seemed promising - hands-on, stuff your own mini-tortillas to your liking - the lamb filling itself fell short on flavor. Despite the positive contributions from the accompanying pickled red onions, lime-scented black beans and thick chunks of avocado, even those condiments couldn't carry the weight of the almost-vapid lamb.

There is also an appetizer that seems conspicuously out of place: a wedge of iceberg lettuce simply dressed with blue cheese and Russian dressings. Isn't that a dish served at Joe's American Bar and Grill down the road? Here, it's about as uncomfortable a fit as a vegetarian walking into a raw-steak bar. Perhaps it's simply a safehaven, a dish for the less exotically inclined.

Having only been open for a couple of months now, Bonda is doing well. Tables are full, the regular customers are beginning to be defined, and any lingering traces of opening day nerves are unseen. But that all makes sense, considering Cooper has done this restaurant before. Only this time the restaurant's roots are becoming more deeply set in vogue, a cult in the making.

BONDA

75 Hillside Rd, Fairfield, CT; (203) 292-9555 www.bondarestaurant.com

ATMOSPHERE: Chic-contemporary with traces of warm rusticity.

SOUND LEVEL: Energetically conversational, voices abound.

RECOMMENDED DISHES: Tomato bisque, hearts of palm salad, pan-seared diver scallops, coriander chicken.

WINE LIST: The selection of wines-by-the-glass is underwhelming, consisting of only three whites ($8 to $10/glass), one sparkler ($11 a glass) and three reds ($9 to $11 a glass.) I enjoyed the Kingston Family Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2007 and gave it 88 pts. My tasting notes: Aromas and flavors of ruby grapefruit, white peach, grass and sweet pea made vibrant with citrusy acidity. The clean finish lingers with a touch of mineral.

Bottles are available ranging from $24 to $140, with some decent values.

PRICE RANGE: Appetizers, $7 to $14; Entrees, $18 to $28.

Hours: Dinner, Tuesday to Thursday, 5 to 9:30 p.m; Friday to Saturday 5 to 10:30 p.m.

RESERVATIONS: Call (203) 292-9555.

CREDIT CARDS: All major cards.