Change Is Good Penn Quarterís Poste Renovates Exterior, Hires New Chef Weland by Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana The understated sign outside the carriageway portal on 8th Street in the historic Penn Quarter gives little indication of the experience awaiting diners who venture down the austere entrance way to the Tariff Building, the former mail sorting room of the Old General Post Office and current home of Poste restaurant. During seasonable weather, the large, recently renovated and landscaped courtyard softens the exterior view and welcomes outdoor diners. With the weather changing, the exterior is a bit more formidable, but that changes as soon as you enter the building. No sign of the original functional nature of the building remains. Noted architectural design firm Adamstein & Demetriou transformed the interior into a casual and comfortable gathering place dominated by strong linear flow from the bar to the parallel rows of booth-like seating and soothing neutral earth tones. The recent introduction of custom-designed tableware by noted glass artist Tim Tate adds a new dimension to Posteís presentation. This fall has seen major changes at Poste. From the completion of the exterior renovations to the 150-year-old structure to the introduction of chef Robert Weland and a new management team, Poste seems poised to realize its potential as a prime destination dining spot in the city. Weland, a talented young graduate of the Culinary Institute of America who has developed his skill rapidly in kitchens in France and major East Coast cities, has redesigned Posteís menu. Like so many of his contemporaries, his approach focuses on the link between his craft and sustainable local resources in developing his modern American cuisine. Working with regional farmers he has developed a menu that relies on the best available local and regional ingredients. Fresh seafood, meats and produce are equally present. Poste confines the menu to a manageable number of regular items and specials, concentrating on creative combinations, preparation and presentation. Some are simple, such as the kumamoto oysters ($2.50 each) served with an apple mint gelee. Others are more complex. The novel soft-shell crab and tuna tartare duo ($15) was one of the more visually striking offerings. Fine tracings of avocado coulis link the perfectly pan-fried crab and a cylinder of sliced tuna filled with chopped tuna, cucumber and seasoned crushed ice. On a recent evening Weland offered a particularly tantalizing special appetizer of house-cured gravlox ($10) on a crispy pancake of finely shredded potato finished with crËme fraiche and domestic caviar that deserves a place among his regular offerings. At Poste, the fish main courses are an excellent choice. The Arctic char ($24), served over white corn grits with black trumpet mushrooms and a splash of mushroom froth, is well preparedóthe skin seared until just crisp. Wild striped bass is similarly prepared ($27) but served with signature champ potatoes (Yukon potatoes mashed with butter and green onions) and an egg poached in red wine, an unexpected but effective element that brought to mind a favorite kipper and poached egg breakfast. Equally at home with the routine, Weland kicks traditional favorites up a notch. The pan-roasted Amish chicken ($19) was perfectly crisp on the outside, moist and tender inside. It was paired with a rich chanterelle mushroom risotto laden with fresh peas, zucchini and sweet pea shoots. Unexpectedly, the dish arrived with a batter fried-zucchini blossom stuffed with parmesan and mascarpone cheeses, a special treat. Weland has created several equally effective vegetarian options. The ricotta and nettle ravioli ($16), rich and mild, was served in a sweet corn broth with popcorn shoots and a potent salt-roasted torpedo onion that gave the dish a stronger character. A summer vegetable trio ($17) of tomato salad, fennel, wild mushrooms, baby squash and carrots worked equally well as a main course or a side for the table. The risotto and champ potatoes are available as sides along with excellent truffle frites. Desserts at Poste were as creative as the rest of the menu would lead you to expect. In keeping with a seasonal theme, the menu recently offered a fall pear strudel ($7) and warm fresh donuts with hot cider and apple butter, a dish so atmospheric that you could close your eyes and almost smell Shenandoah Valley apple country in the fall. The roasted figs ($7) were an unusual and interesting option. Discs of hard caramel crust are layered with a faintly sweet yogurt cream and sprinkled with toasted fall spices. Itís a prime choice for fig lovers. (Figs appear several places on the menu and are used to particularly good effect in the arugula salad ($7), where they are paired with mint, basil and parmesan shavings.) For those wanting a sweeter dessert, the chocolate three ways ($7) and the vanilla bean crËme brulee ($7) are both good choices. Service, while always agreeable, has reportedly become more consistent under the new management than in the past, although some inconsistencies remain. A new beverage manager, part of the new management team, has developed a seasonal bar and wine list to complement Welandís creations. A midweek late evening visit to Poste found the bar crowded and the tables mostly full, suggesting that the recent changes have begun to make themselves felt. Poste Moderne Brasserie is located at 555 8th St., NW. The telephone number is (202) 783-6060. Poste is open for breakfast Monday through Friday, 7 to 10 a.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.; for lunch Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday noon to 4 p.m.; for dinner Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10:30 p.m., Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. The bar is open daily from 11:30 a.m. until closing. Dress is urban casual. Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana are the restaurant reviewers for the Washington Diplomat.