Fire is an in cinerary bistro, opened last summer by chef Douglas Katz in historic Shaker Square (216-921-fire, 13220 Shaker Square) and is convenient to commuter train service from downtown. Thirty-one-year-old Katz's talents have glowed previously at Cleveland's Moxie restaurant, Little Nell in Aspen, as well as for a time while fresh from the Culinary Institute, at the Boston Harbour Hotel.

The prices at Fire are in line with mid-west sensibilities, the ingredients are fresh, well selected, and generous enough when served. The décor is bare bones, vibrant and well conceived. But then again, the free-ranged Niman Ranch pork chop ($18) is soon bare-boned, like the décor, and delicious when, at meals conclusion, rerouted to the dishwasher.

Aromas and sizzles abound through the entire dining room, sort of haute tumult. Some comment that a table too close to the exposed kitchen may be too hot and too noisy. Factor that into your visit. Sweet basil fills the environs courtesy of a nearby entrée of rock shrimp in linguini pesto ($17). Lusty caramelized onions appear often in plate combinations and in soup ($5), again perfuming the room. Sit back and enjoy. Fresh baked baguette slices are presented to your table in a brown-paper bag. The small tables are decked out with colorful Fiesta-ware plates from a factory a couple of hours south of Cleveland.

Whimsy and cleverness works at Fire (note: a little cleverness goes a dangerously long way with some chefs). The Caesar salad ($6) is offered with a tray of silver spoons primed with ingredients such as capers, crumbled bacon, and egg. Ultimately, the salad is good, clever or not, as were the flank steak ($19), served with spicy black beans and flame seared corn salad, as well as the roast leg of lamb ($19), matched with a firmly textured ratatouille and a cloud-like cheese polenta on an earlier visit, another time lamb was offered as a sliced boneless rack fanned upon mushroom barley ($20). The confit, labeled simply as crispy duck with sweet potatoes ($23) was perfection. A cheese burger and fries ($14) further broke the ice at this non stuffy, but hot dining destination. Seafood was well represented and one should try the local trout ($19) served with lentils and bacon or the Atlantic cod ($19) atop a shallow pour of chowder laced with big clams.

The wine list, containing 24 wines by the glass, shows marvelous insight and pricing constraint. The Eyrie pinot gris ($27) from Oregon rather than the lake and the 1997 Chateau Plagnac ($26) demonstrate well suited wines for Fires cuisine. Wine is served in Riedel stemware.

Pastry chef Heather Haviland's desserts are to "fry" for, alas another fire allusion. Fire is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday and has introduced a weekend brunch.