Kickshaw means “fancy food” or “delicacy,” and it’s an appropriate name for the creative new restaurant that opened Oct. 5 in the old Fitch’s Chophouse and Good Times space in Fitchburg.

The new owners, Kelli Keyzers and John Dobbins, have made some cosmetic changes, but the booths are still large and comfortable, and customers can sit at the bar or in two sunken lounge areas with TVs and leather furniture. It’s a beautiful space, and the red and brown color scheme, mood lighting and soft jazz combine to create a relaxing atmosphere.

Chef Colin Beaumier, a 2001 graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, has created a menu featuring American cuisine with global influences and premium, locally sourced ingredients. Service on three occasions has been surprisingly knowledgeable, friendly and competent for such a new restaurant.

On our initial visit, we tried to order the seafood stuffed calamari ($7) appetizer, but were told it was unavailable because the chef wasn’t happy with the squid’s quality. Instead, we went with the “Call Any Vegetable” ($8) dish, named for a Frank Zappa song, where Kickshaw takes the day’s locally grown vegetable, grills it and serves it with a dipping sauce. This night, it was a three-squash medley with baby carrots and a cup of vinaigrette. It was nice to have a healthy option and it was beautifully prepared, but had I known the little green squashes would be served with my entree, I would’ve tried a different appetizer.

The entrees were stunning both in taste and presentation, particularly the horseradish encrusted scallops ($20), four enormous scallops draped with two sauces and topped with small pieces of soft, dark rye bread. It was served with buckwheat spaetzle, green beans and the squash.

The leek-wrapped, ginger-braised Atlantic salmon ($15), was beautifully presented as well, though the fish, in an orange basil reduction, could have been more flavorful. It was served with green beans and curried coconut cornmeal fries, similar to fried polenta.

“This guy is good. This guy is really good,” my companion, whose birthday it was, said of the chef. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a satisfying meal. You savor every bite.”

The flaming wild berry clafoutis ($6), for dessert, was a minor disappointment, since it didn’t come flaming tableside, as promised. It was a cross between a cake and a giant scone, with embedded berries and caramelized sugar on top like a creme brulee. Whipped cream, mint and raspberries on the side livened it up.

A second visit was less successful, mainly because my vegetarian companion was disappointed with the menu’s only vegetarian entree, a homemade agnolotti pasta stuffed with herbed mascarpone cheese ($16). The plate held just four of the glorified ravioli, and the noodle — at least the one I ate — was hard along the edges. The pasta was swimming in a dull vegetable broth with mushrooms, tomatoes, bits of Swiss chard, and was topped with shaved pecorino cheese.

I tried the the beef duo ($26) from the special monthly menu, which featured six slices of medium rare rib-eye, and a kabob with six or so pieces of beef (this night a sirloin), undercooked potato and chanterelle mushrooms. Both types of grass-fed beef were well-seasoned and flavorful, but the meat on the skewer was much more tender and less gristly. The red wine jus, a veal reduction with rice wine, garlic and a hint of plum sauce, was exquisite, as were the gnocchi with horseradish sauce that came on the plate.

Surprisingly for a white tablecloth, fine-dining restaurant, Kickshaw has a fish fry on Friday nights. I liked the fried cod ($12.99) in its crisp, light batter. The baked cod, ($12.99) served in a white wine broth with capers on top, suffered the same overcooked blandness of similar baked cod experiments in the area. Two potato pancakes on the side seemed more like preformed hash brown patties.

A child’s cheese and tomato quesadilla ($7.95) came on a thick, whole-wheat tortilla with stewed tomatoes inside, which my daughter avoided, but was an admirable idea, anyway. It also came with a couple of the same squashes from our first visit, which definitely won’t fly with the 4-year-old set, no matter how good they are about eating their vegetables.

KICKSHAW

3 stars 

Address: 5957 McKee Road, Fitchburg

Phone: 442-9800

Kitchen hours: Every day 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Notes: Parking lot; wheelchair accessible; reservations accepted; no personal checks.

Website: eatkickshaw.com

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