Chef-owner Sonya Cote, who formerly cooked at East Side Show Room, claims that here she is doing only “ food she really likes to eat.” Apparently, a lot of other people like her casual small-plates menu too. A lunchtime visit resulted in a generous spread of house-cured salmon (kissed with brown sugar and dill) sided by a fennel and carrot slaw. A friend was extremely happy with a peppery pork pâté and goat cheese sandwich on divine brioche-like bread. Although an order of near-molten mac and cheese needed a tad more salt to round out the flavor, there were no problems at all with a slice of country-style cornmeal and olive oil cake with bits of candied fig tucked inside. It’s hard to even remember the former occupant, Gene’s Poboys, when you’re gazing at the spic-and-span room with its crisp black-and-white wallpaper and old-fashioned cabinets. (5/12)