"Is it a bar or a restaurant? That's a question I'm asking myself more often these days with the opening of such places as Comstock Saloon, Hog & Rocks, Spoonbar in Healdsburg and, now, Bar Agricole.

While these spots distinguish themselves with cocktails, they don't hire just any ol' fry cook to handle kitchen chores. The menus are pared down so the diner has fewer choices, but the results can be exciting.

These places are leading a new trend of casual dining, but Bar Agricole, a restaurant that defines this emerging genre, is the most impressive.

The restaurant is set behind a sleek redwood fence on 11th Street, sharing the block with Slim's. The enclosed courtyard includes planters with herbs for the cocktails and outdoor seating for 36. It's truly an urban oasis." Michael Bauer