Built for Comfort At Elegant Christopher Marks, American Favorites Are Reinvented by Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana Located in the heart of the theater district just across from the Warner, Christopher Marks is the phoenix that has risen from the ashes of the Sporting News Grill. Fresher and definitely more beautiful than its predecessor, Marks offers its guests a dining room of well-proportioned dining areas, dark wood-paneled walls, deep comfortable leather banquets, large tables, wide aisles, and subtle oil landscapes that induce the soothing atmosphere of the pastoral scenes they depict. And soothing is what executive chef Robert Polk had in mind when he developed Markís menu, which touts its offerings as "Great American Comfort Food, with a twist." Creations such as New England shepherdís pie and slow-roasted Texas barbecue pot roast may be related to the stuff of childhood, but they are hard to recognize. The shepherdís pie is a ragout of lobster, shrimp, mussels and crab topped with herbed potatoes ($28). Polkís deft handling of the freshest of seasonal ingredients takes the dishes from at-home standards to the level of culinary adventure. And itís definitely an adventure worth having. There are leanings on the menu suggestive of routine steak- or chophouse fareóthick cuts of meat, bare bones salad and family-size sides of standards such as mashed potatoes, fries and mushrooms. But what Polk does with meat and potatoes is anything but standard. Take for example his filet mignon au Poivre ($30). A substantial Black Angus filet, tender and perfectly cooked, was topped with a single large blue cheese ravioli and a cognac-veal stock reduction. The accompanying seared spinach and garlic and sautÈed exotic mushrooms make for such a delicious dish that we had to go back just to try it again to be sure it was that good. It was. Perhaps the only difficulty is the pasta that was rather tough, not al dente but slightly dried out. Another exceptional dish was the ginger-crusted pork chop ($19) and plum sauce served with caramelized red cabbage. Although the ingredients at first suggest an Asian theme to the dish, the total effect was quite different. The thick lean chop, cooked to slightly pink, was mild and the ginger coating was subtle, not spicy as fresh ginger dishes can be. Applewood bacon moved the dish in a more German direction, and the red cabbage and fried shoestring potatoes reinforced a more continental character of the dish. This blending of cuisines with a traditional American dish deliciously demonstrated Polkís creative talents and skill at handling ingredients. Fish and seafood are given equal importance on the menu. In addition to the unique shepherdís pie, the menu offered a number of other excellent choices. A halibut special ($22) for the evening was outstanding. A sizable grilled filet was served across a bed of sautÈed spinach resting on a corn pancake. Grilled fennel, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms and a cilantro vinaigrette rounded out the fish perfectly, making for a fresh summertime dish. The five-spiced tuna ($21.50), done in an orange-ginger sauce and served with bok choy, mushrooms and roasted peppers offered an alternative to the ubiquitous blackened or grilled tuna. One of the most creative fish dishes was the salmon salad, called tequila and lime salmon ($14). The thin slices of salmon, cured superbly in-house with tequila and lime, are served with a mound of chopped asparagus, shaved fresh fennel corn, red onion and mesclin dressed with a cilantro-ginger vinaigrette. There is little left of the sporting theme with which the restaurant opened almost two years, except perhaps the unobtrusive television in the bar area which on Thursday nights is turned way down to allow the gentle sounds of the Tammy Griffen Quartet to soothe the after-work crowd from 5:30 to 8:30. Griffenís Judy Garland-like voice was a delightful accompaniment for either the small plates menu or the regular menu, both of which are available in the bar and main dining areas. In an effort to give diners the option of both light snacks or a full meal, the small plates menu offered a sampling of tasting-size portions of some of the choices from the main menu as well as a number of traditional bar-food favorites. The Prince Edward Island mussels, steamed in a tomato-basil Pernod sauce ($7) are delightful, plump, juicy and sand free. The mini-rib eye plate included four tiny steak sandwiches served with grilled onions, peppers and mushroomsóperfect for little hands if you have any with you. Another very good choice was the barbecued shrimp, which comes as several jumbo shrimp nicely grilled and served with a cocktail sauce ($8). Best of all, the small plates are half price during happy hour, which is from 4 to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday. Christopher Marks accommodates theatergoers with a three-course fixed-price menu that is available both before and after the show. General manager Mark Pongonis has gone a step further to take the pressure off rushed pretheater diners, allowing them to chose the appetizers and main course from the set menu before the show and to return afterward for the desert and coffee from the menu. Despite the generous portions, you may still want to try one of chef Polkís deserts, but beware because generous is a theme here. The rustic apple-cinnamon waffle ($6) is an enormous concoction of stewed apples, cinnamon ice cream, caramel sauce, mounds of whipped cream and of course a crisp waffle. This is one you should share, although once you taste it you might not want to. The key lime napoleon ($6), with ginger-flavored phyllo pastry, layered with key lime filling and fresh blueberries, wasnít much like its namesake except in form, but is every bit as delicious and gives the welcome illusion of a light desert. Not so the chocolate molten cake ($6), which is a single-serving cakelet of dark chocolate served warm with a rich chocolate ice cream and crËmeí anglaise. Although itís a wise choice for a meal before or after the theater, thereís no need to wait for a show to try Christopher Marksóitís definitely worth the trip all on its own. With it special small plates menu and daily drink specials, itís the ideal place to stop to recharge after a tiring day at work, and judging by the number of celebrations on our visits, itís a good place for a party. Christopher Marks is at 1301 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, D.C. The telephone number is (202) 628-5939. The kitchen serves lunch and dinner. Dress is business casual and theater elegant. All major credit cards are accepted. Lunch is served Monday to Saturday 11:30 p.m. to 5. Dinner is served Monday to Saturday 5 to 10 p.m. Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana are the restaurant reviewers for The Washington Diplomat.