With the long-awaited transformation of Wayland Square’s abandoned Newport Creamery into the swinging new East Side bistro called Red Stripe, restaurateur Jaime D’Oliveira has come full circle. The Creamery is where he started his career in the food game as a dishwasher. He returns triumphantly now with his own neighborhood eatery called Red Stripe.

Red Stripe’s décor and menu are about as far from the Creamery’s dowdy old-fashioned luncheonette style as you can get. The Stripe’s open kitchen is framed with sleek original artwork tiles that feature everything from knives and forks to photo portraits of Julia Childe and Jimmy Hendrix. The layout is open and breezy with lots of energetic noise and there’s just something about the atmosphere that encourages conviviality. The tables are fairly close and you find yourself asking your neighbor what they ordered and how they’re liking it. Even on a chilly Tuesday night, there was about a 15 to 20-minute wait for a table. If you’re on a schedule, you may want to make reservations.

The menu doesn’t fit any specific category. It’s "American-New England-European-bistro-family style" with a heavy dash of panache. The eclectic mix of starters is indicative: Escargot Bordelaise with bacon in a beef jus ($9); New England cod cake over baked beans with red cabbage "slaw"($7.50); fried whole belly clams in a spicy red pepper remoulade ($12); roasted tomato risotto with broccoli rabe ($10); a grilled Pizza Margherita ($10); and a cured salmon and goat cheese timbale ($7.50).

I chose the Shallot Tarte Tatin ($8), one of the less imposing sounding dishes to start. The tart crust was light and flakey and the filling of cooked shallots and bitter greens was subtly balanced with some crumbled blue cheese. And as I’d hoped, it was an appetizer, not a mini-meal in itself like some of the other first courses I saw being served.

My wife had a crispy duck roulade ($8.50). The dark, long-cooked duck meat was perfectly paired with a mixture of rocket greens and lingon berry chutney for a comforting autumnal flavor.

The autumn mood continued with my entrée, a special of the evening, venison in a tomato ragu sauce with paparadell pasta ribbons. As much as I loved the deep, home-cooked flavor, I could not finish it all but I gave it a noble try. (Many of the Red Stripe’s dishes are big enough for two, a growing trend, these days, and they’re happy to give you a take home bag.)

Jan’s entrée was the unusual combination of prosciutto-wrapped Cod Loin (do codfish really have "loins?") roasted on a cedar plank ($17.50). The crispy cod fish was very mild and mingled well with the smoky ham. It came with delicious red onion vinaigrette over some hearty tasting lentils.

One of their more popular entrées is the "Steak Frites" Grilled Hanger Steak and Frites ($18), a very ample piece of steak with gorgonzola butter or bordelaise butter. Other choices include grilled salmon served on a potato pancake with dill crème fraiche ($16): Portuguese Fisherman’s Stew ($17.50); cold-smoked grilled shredded Pork Tenderloin with sweet potato rosti, red cabbage slaw and apple sauce ($17); lavender-scented Brick Chicken ($15.50) over soft polenta with bitter greens and roasted shallots au jus; baked Rigatoni casserole ($13); braised Lamb Shoulder ($16.50) with couscous, tapenade and a mint drizzle; and stout-battered fish and chips ($12) with a pickled jalapeno sauce.

The Red Stripe also has an entire Moules & Frites menu featuring mussels served nine different ways from mariniere or Portuguese to Greque or Bill-bi (saffron and vermouth finished with cream). A $12.50 portion is more than ample for two and there are half portions for $7.50.

There’s also dinner sandwiches— a grilled open face hanger steak sandwich with onions and gorgonzola ($9); the Red Stripe Black Angus Burger ($8.50) with grilled red onion guacamole and havarti cheese; and the huge (and justly popular) Red Stripe Grilled Cheese which comes with procsciutto, roasted pear and basil and a bowl of oven roasted tomato soup or fries .

Finally, there are a couple of thoughtfully created "Dinners for Two." For $34, you get braised short ribs with a baby root vegetable and whipped potato; or for $36 you get an Indonesian style roasted whole fish with curried carrot stuffing, topped with pickled mango chutney and cool couscous salad.

Dessert (if you can manage one after the big meal you’ve probably just put away) includes things such as caramelized bananas tarte tatin ($7); an "All-American banana split" ($6); vanilla bean panna cotta ($7); and a Farmstead cheese platter with honeycomb and fruit compote ($11). I had their chocolate hazelnut mouse cake ($8), a triangle of hard chocolate that framed a soft chocolate mouse accompanied by a cone of chilled raspberry parfait. Jan finished with their seasonal fruit crisp/cobbler ($7), a crunchy granola dish topped with a dollop of white vanilla bean ice cream.

All in all, one has to say that D’Oliveira’s Red Stripe menu leaves no culinary button un-pushed. And I can’t think of a more delightful, friendly neighborhood atmosphere. Red Stripe is and should remain, one of the East Side’s dining treasures where no one leaves hungry or disappointed.

Red Stripe is open nightly for dinner from 5pm to 11pm and for lunch Monday through Friday 11:30am to 3pm (late lunch menu 3-5pm). Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday 9am to 3pm (late lunch menu 3-5pm). Reservations accepted by calling 437-6950. Red Stripe is wheelchair accessible and there are highchairs available. Red Stripe also accepts major credit cards Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover.