Out of the darkness at the corner of Upperline and Prytania streets, a building the color of sunshine rises into the night.

Surrounded by lush foliage that recalls a Louisiana childhood - the dusky-sweet olives, palmettos, banana trees and a fragrant wall of blossoming Confederate jasmine - JoAnn Clevenger stands on the stoop laughing, her hair up in a swirl and her shoulders glittering with pins. She once fought the state for the right to sell flowers out of a cart in the French Quarter. Now they climb the walls of her restaurant.

 ''These,'' she said, pointing to the pink and white pentas, ''bring the butterflies.''  

Mother Nature knows a friend when she finds it. And so do legions of faithful diners, who have discovered in Upperline one of the most delightful, personal dining experiences in the city. The good feeling that envelopes this intimate restaurant has developed gradually over the 14 years since it was founded. As the dining area grew, as Clevenger's eclectic, whimsical art collection multiplied, the restaurant's succession of chefs have evolved a menu built for sophisticated comfort, dedicated to reflect local flavors in creative ways.

With current chef Richard Benz, a former chef at Gautreau's, a C.I.A. graduate and an alumni of Commander's Palace, the restaurant's kitchen has risen to the mission. Offering food that is at once familiar and original, from succulent roast duck to spicy bronzed catfish, each dish is a gem of heightened flavors, executed masterfully down to the details and delivered to the table by a wait staff with seamless grace.  

From crisply fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade to braised lamb shank with gremolata and tender sweet pecan pie - not to mention whole heads of roasted garlic in between - we sampled eight complete meals at Upperline. Hardly a bite was disappointing.  

Coming to Upperline is not like visiting one of those stuffy institutions of posh elegance. Neither is Upperline a trendy restaurant where the chef is just as likely to be off playing celebrity as he is to be in the kitchen. Coming to Upperline, rather, is like going to visit an eccentric aunt who is always there to greet you, and who will do anything to indulge a hearty appetite, to foster a little romance and to make you feel at home.  

''Our job is to enhance people's feeling about themselves after the hassles of the day,'' Clevenger said.

''They have to feel at ease, and not self-conscious. They have to relax.''  

She has taken pains to create an atmosphere that is fun, nostalgic and colorful, with a hodge-podge of local paintings that convey whimsy and magic alongside photos of favorite musicians and portraits of the restaurant's beloved late chef, Tom Cowman. The gray front room features an art deco bar backed by a long mahogany mirror, gorgeous flower arrangements and art deco chandeliers. The back rooms are painted the color of yellow butter, two cozy 120-year-old parlors separated by open cypress pocket doors and filled with square tables draped in layered linen.  

Clevenger likes to think that something in this busy decor will appeal to any sensibility. But what the senses will most unanimously embrace are the pleasures of Benz's kitchen.   What could be more comforting than delicious soup? Upperline takes it one step further by offering a trio, three espresso cups on one dish filled with wonderful distinct flavors - smoky chicken, duck and andouille gumbo, rich seafood with okra, and delicate asparagus bisque with crab dumplings.

The restaurant's signature appetizer brings together two favorites of Southern and New Orleans cooking, with tart fried green tomatoes lending their mildly acidic flesh to perfectly cooked shrimp remoulade. Moist fried oysters also benefit from the tangy rust-colored remoulade sauce alongside a pile of refreshing shredded celery root salad dressed in white French remoulade.

Like the gumbo, the duck and andouille etouffee with corn cakes begins with a rich, dark brown roux made with rendered duck fat. Sandwiched between three pairs of dollar-sized corn pancakes, sweet and spicy from bits of jalapeno mixed into the batter, the tiny chunks of duck and andouille were memorably tender.  

The three crispy sweetbreads served over polenta were also tender, perfectly matched next to a mound of sauteed mushrooms, red onions and Parmesan.

For a lighter beginning, any of Upperline's fresh mixed green salads will do, dressed in bright vinaigrettes of sherry or balsamic vinegar. I was, however, partial to those adorned with toasts covered in oozing cheese, either baked brie, with pecans and bacon, or the warm lemony goat cheese with slivers of wild mushroom.  

The hallmark of any good kitchen is the ability to find the freshest produce and highlight its flavors with simple preparations. This was done sublimely with steamed spears of asparagus, progressing from alabaster white at their base to deep green at the tips, and served as a side beneath a velvety light froth of bernaise.  

No matter the season, Upperline will serve whole heads of sweet roasted garlic that are perfect to smear on the chewy French bread - an indulgence that blossoms into a festival July.

Of the entrees, two spring menu specials (which perhaps will be retained as regulars), remain in my memory as vividly as the hour I ate them - the braised lamb shank and bronzed catfish with crawfish dynamite.

The lamb shank is a perfect bundle of tender meat braised for five hours in red wine, herbs, and vegetables, and arrives on an oval white plate atop a creamy saffron risotto with the long shank bone still protruding. One tug of a fork, and the meat falls off the bone. The dusting of gremolata, a fine mince of lemon zest, garlic and parsley, brings these deep, round flavors to a perfect bright point, like a shaft of light on the palate.  

The bronzed catfish, other local fishvarieties lost to the gill-net ban, is well spiced and seared crispy dark brown. Covered with a mildly spiced saute of crawfish tails, the fish sits on a crunchy maque choux bed of fresh-cut okra and roasted corn in a butter sauce turned fiery orange by Crystal hot sauce.  

Many of the regular menu's entrees are equally delicious. The beef tournedos was a memorably soft piece of meat. With its flavor already piqued by mushrooms sauteed in balsamic vinegar, the richness of warm Stilton cheese wrapped each bite in a melting embrace. The moist, slow-roasted duck was evenly cooked from breast to thigh, with its skin rendered to near crispness. A dip into either sauce - the dark, roasted garlic port, or the sweet ginger peach (I got both) - made it irresistible.  

Though perhaps out of place on this New Orleans flavored menu, Bombay shrimp curry is an old favorite at Upperline for good reason. It is nothing like the spicy versions one generally finds in Indian restaurants, but gently sweetened with coconut milk. The secret, though, lies in perfectly cooked shrimp and the side condiments of shredded coconut, raisins, slivered nuts and a pungent, tongue-twisting lime pickle sauce.

For true comfort food, there is calves liver smothered in onions with a sweet orange sage sauce - deemed especially tender by the liver aficionado at our table. And then there are the veal grillades with cheddar grits, a dark saucy dish that is interesting for its layers of texture - a cloud of gravy-soaked breading, the tender firm veal cutlet, the soft resilience of grits.  

Though nothing elaborate, Upperline's desserts are completely satisfying, featuring tender pecans on both the marvelous warm pecan pie and the dense bread pudding in caramel sauce. The flourless chocolate truffle cake will sate any chocoholic's desire. So will the bittersweet Belgian chocolate fondue, which was served with ripe red Louisiana strawberries so large, one took me five sweet bites to finish.

For something different, try the crumbled Stilton cheese with pecans alongside an Australian port called Yalumba that adds alcoholic sweetness to an aroma of toasted nuts.  

Our waiter proved an excellent guide in helping us navigate Upperline's manageable, yet interesting wine list. The house cabernet sauvignon, a 1994 Philippe-Lorraine from Napa was a fine, full-bodied wine, not to mention one of the list's most affordable selections. A 1995 pinot noir vin gris from Saintsbury, a Californian version of a typical Burgundy rose, was refreshing when chilled. With the narrow body of a white and some of the dry fruit and tannin of a red, it cut through the spice of my catfish and bolstered the curried shrimp.  

Service, in general, was outstanding and efficient, with teams delivering and clearing plates at once without getting in the way. It is not uncommon for Clevenger herself to lend a hand as she floats from table to table, offering opinions about everything from the evening specials to who's playing at Tipitina's.  

In fact, she is likely to hand you a couple of long lists on your way out of her favorite things to do and see in New Orleans, including favorite menu items at other local restaurants. That may seem odd, but Clevenger insists with her patented laugh, one that belies confidence in her own cheerful endeavor: ''I want people to have a good time every night.''

 

By CRAIG LaBAN
Times-Picayune restaurant critic