Henry's End, Brooklyn

Good dinner, nice service and atmosphere, great music -- early Nina Simone, Blue Trane-era Coltrane, very engaging stuff played at a volume that didn't preclude conversation.

Henry's End is a good place to go within walking distance of St. Ann's Warehouse. The long, narrow room with an open kitchen has a cozy, relaxed feel. Though the tables are close, I was comfortable. We were early, so the place wasn't crowded and I didn't overhear other people seated nearby.

Wines by the glass are posted on whiteboards around the restaurant, with five or six of each color. The chilly weather put me in the mood for a hearty red. I chose Uvaggio Barbera, which was a little rough and raw tasting. I may have sent it back if we weren't enjoying a bash-fest about people we know who send back everything all the time.

Two of us ordered Salmon Moroccan -- a rare grilled salmon fillet topped with a buttery herb and spice blend that included cumin, cayenne, cilantro, mint and green onions, flavorful but not overwhelming. The salmon itself was buttery-rich, with a wonderful silken texture. I loved it. And what's not to like about garlic mashed? Sugar snap peas arrived bright green and al dente, a nice textural contrast to the salmon and spuds. Both of us were in the clean plate club, though the salmon may have been a bit rare for Buck.

The Grumpy Diner ordered duck with zinfandel and blood orange glaze, a daily special. It was a boneless half duck, very tender and tasty. The sauce was tangier and far less sweet than is common in an orange glaze for duck. I had a couple of bites and liked it very much, though the Grumpy Diner said he preferred my pollo casero. Not that they're similar in any way.

Desserts were ok. Hard to complain about the quality, since I didn't order one myself, just had bitesies from my companions'. Persian lime pie was very tart and refreshing, though topped with canned whipped cream that I could have done without. The mud pie was exactly as described on the menu -- espresso and Kahlua laced coffee and chocolate ice cream in an Oreo crust with espresso fudge sauce -- but somehow way less interesting than it sounded.

I liked our waiter, he was smiling and pleasant, friendly without being intrusive or overly familiar. He did ask if we wanted change, which is a pet peeve of our friend the Bill-der. But he wasn't there, so we can just pretend it didn't happen.