Rating:

The Gables at Chadds Ford has displayed truth in advertising with promises of homemade bread and desserts, fresh local produce and the option to bring your own wine with no corkage fee. The added bonus of a lovely outdoor patio and a friendly, knowledgeable server helped us further enjoy our visit.

We entered the converted farmhouse and were given the option of dining on the patio or inside the candlelit dining room. We chose to stay inside, although this Saturday evening was perfect weather, as evidenced by the fully occupied outdoor tables by the end of our meal.

We were pleased to find tables for four set with white tablecloths and cloth napkins. We relaxed into the padded metal seats as we browsed the wine list.

Our server asked if we wanted our wine opened or if we would prefer to start with cocktails. We decided to try a glass of dry Folonari pinot grigio ($7) and a draft of Troegs Sunshine Pils ($4.75) before our zinfandel.

The small but intriguing menu included “petit portions” of many entrees, which allowed us to sample more appetizers. The basket of thick slices of homemade white and black olive wheat breads, which arrived before we ordered, also made us appreciate the smaller sized entrées.

We decided to try the soup du jour ($7), a refreshing strawberry gazpacho of brilliant orange-red base with small pieces of strawberry, red and yellow peppers, basil, red onion and scallions with a kick of chili heat.

A special appetizer of crab avocado ceviche ($10) was served in a small martini glass with a spike of red tortilla chip. The lump crab was predominant over small pieces of avocado, scallions and red pepper with the tingle of lime, all perfectly balanced.

The green tea-cured salmon was an artistic display of red and golden beets in a checkerboard pattern topped with a rose of salmon strips alongside a handful of microgreens and cherry tomato halves.

We found it to be smoked and slightly salty, but very rich. The salad and beets tasted as fresh as they looked and were topped with a light drizzle of vinaigrette or drops of oil and shallots on the beets.

The petite portion of fish tacos ($13) brought three corn tortillas filled with tender fish, diced mango, scallions, cilantro, shredded lettuce and tomato with a drizzle of cilantro-lime crème fraiche.

We removed some of the creamy dressing and added the thin avocado slices and a squeeze of the lime wedges to the tacos — a perfect summer entrée.

The Carnivore couldn’t resist the strip steak special, ($36) which brought a good portion of thick boneless slices of meat cooked to order atop a mound of bacon mashed potatoes and cooked baby carrots.

An addictive apple chipotle sauce was a perfect accompaniment to the tender steak, but the mashed potatoes were too rich and slightly salty.

The desserts, such as passionfruit pie ($7), flourless chocolate amaretto cake ($8) and orange chiffon cake ($7) are homemade, so we had to try something.

Our server recommended the marbled vanilla and chocolate cheesecake ($8), which she described as different than the usual cheesecake since it’s made with Greek yogurt. We found it to be less sweet and recognized the yogurt tang, in contrast to the sweeter dark chocolate crumb crust.

Overall rating: The Gables at Chadds Fords gets 4 and one-half forks (out of 5) for great food and atmosphere.

The Dining Duo base their reviews on unannounced anonymous visits.

The Gables at Chadds Ford Location: 423 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford Phone Number: 610-388-7700 Cuisine: American/Continental Ambience: Upscale country

Hours: Lunch: Monday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Dinner: Monday 5:30 to 9 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday 5:30 to 10 p.m., Saturday 5:30 to 11 p.m., Sunday 5 to 9 p.m. Prices: Appetizers, soups $7 to $15; Entrées $13 to $36

Alcoholic Beverages: : Full bar Special Features: Bring your own wine; Outdoor seating Web site: www.thegablesatchaddsford.com