Sonam's tapas concept often better in theory

SONAM IS "manos" spelled backward and, frankly, when I heard that, my first impression of this South Street BYOB was that it would be much too cute and over-thought. Even the restaurant's concept of "Asian Tapas" and "Global Dim Sum" screams, "Let's be different just to be different."

OK, a critic has to keep an open mind and, sometimes, eat her words.

Chef-owner Ben Byruch and designer Naomi Stein have created a clean, contemporary space that sets the scene for the food. There are surprising little touches, from the natural feel of the Vietnamese wood chopsticks to the clean lines of the barware.

If you like meat and threes (a hearty entree with sides), then the burgeoning tapas and small plate fad is going to seem endless to you. But, if you like a taste of this, a taste of that, then Sonam has an interesting mix.

It's hard to pull off a menu with so many varied elements, and some are more successful than others.

Leading the pack was Hamachi Nachos ($7). These four small bites were the winner of the evening. Raw Yellow Tail fish perched on flour tortilla chips with an avocado puree accented with a drizzle of Pico de Gallo oil.

Micro greens added a brightness to the plate and the palate.

Perhaps more than any others, this dish demonstrates what Byruch is trying to pull off here. Most diners have experienced Yellow Tail as sushi. And Americans get nachos - isn't that the signature dish of the Super Bowl? The drizzle of his Pico de Gallo oil is the unexpected surprise by Byruch.

Cheesesteak Terrine ($12), which on the menu reads like a train wreck waiting to happen (Cheesesteak Mousse, Shaved Filet, Fried Onion, Mushrooms, Provolone Whiz, Fire Roasted Tomato Ketchup and Hot PepperDuxelle), was actually a tasting favorite.

I have long argued that the cheesesteak sandwich is bad meat on inferior bread with faux cheese, and any attempts to upscale are doomed by its original mistakes. Not so here. If only Pat's and Geno's tasted so good. And all of us wanted to take a vat of the ketchup home.

I also like that the chef did a riff on the real sandwich of Philadelphia - the Roast Pork in his Italian Egg Roll ($8).

The Monk in a Blanket ($10) was a nice surprise. Prosciutto-wrapped monkfish was enhanced by chunks of port butter that you scoop up and melt on the warm fish. This butter should be X-rated. Very seductive.

Steak Yakitori ($8) is a twist on a Japanese fast food. Byruch replaces traditional chicken with cubes of strip steak with an Asian marinade.

Black and white sesame seeds add texture. Thin strips of marinated cucumber "noodles" cleanse the palate. This works, but doesn't quite have impact. Perhaps a streak of Mexican Red Chile sauce would add visual interest and flavor.

The concept of the Chops and Chips ($12) exceeds the execution. There's a little Goldilocks going on here. I've had these on several visits and each time there's something not quite perfect - the tempura batter is too thin, then it's too thick and doughy, or the lamb chop is overcooked, then undercooked. And, I even got one that was overcooked and stone cold. But once it was "just right" and it was wonderful.

The rich remoulade sauce works well with the lamb. So, I hope the kitchen can work on this so it stays on the menu, although I'd ditch the accompanying sweet-potato fries. It's impossible to get anything but soggy sweet-potato fries. And dousing them with malt vinegar only makes them soggier.

Another dish that was good in theory but needed better execution was the Open-face Ravioli ($7). Here, chorizo sausage and olive pesto marry perfectly, but the ravioli texture was too doughy. Get the pasta cooked correctly and this will be a fabulous dish.

After all that sampling, desserts are really unnecessary, but if you have a sweet tooth, you can have sugar fusion as well.

The Banana Tortilla ($7) was OK - nothing to write home about. Chocolate gelato with pork rinds ($5) was a little too weird. While my tasters and I tried to make believe the pork rinds were Rice Krispies crunch, well, what can I say?

But, the Pot de Creme with white chocolate sauce ($8) was the dessert special and it is, indeed, special. A rich chocolate pot de creme doesn't need to be embellished, but the white chocolate sauce excels in its excess.

Service is knowledgeable and fun. I think the red Chuck Taylor shoes they wear are a little over the top. Honestly, as long as my waiter is shod, I don't really care what's on the feet. Nor do I want to focus too much attention in that direction.

So, what's missing? Vegetables! I'm not a health nut, but I admit I was feeling the need for one of my five-a-day. My tasters and I tooled around the corner to Mustard Green Restaurant for a plate of - mustard greens! I guess that was a little global fusion of our own. *