Energized by our starters, T ordered a glass of red wine, and we anxiously awaited the main course.

I ordered a blue-cheese burger, medium-rare, with sweet-potato fries. T chose the fish special, pompano with slaw and hush puppies.

It wasn’t long before the kitchen’s stainless steel doors swung open, and three servers emerged with hands filled with plates.

We were thrilled—everything looked wonderful. The burger was cooked exactly right, and the condiments were terrific. I cut my burger in half, and it was heaven. There is nothing like a gourmet burger on these cool, fall Saturdays.

Now there was something on my plate that I usually would not touch: a pickle. But this wasn’t your ordinary pickle. It was a fresh, crisp dill pickle with just a hint of sweetness.

I told the server how great the pickle tasted, and she said that it was their specialty. You can order a jar upon request. Who knew?

T’s fish was great, and of course I had to taste. The hush puppies were light and flavorful, accompanied by red cabbage slaw and a fresh, tangy caper rémoulade.

Executive Chef Alan Martin has a lot to be proud of. He’s made Standard Bistro a great local find.