It's Tuesday night, and a chilly rain falls on an odd little spur of Connecticut Avenue south of I Street - home to chef Todd Gray's Equinox restaurant. Because of the weather and the day of the week, I figure the scene inside will be Deadsville. I should have known better. A soft glow of candles banishes the dark chill outside. As the enticing kitchen smells waft toward me, I see that far from the desolation row I expected, every table is full.

This is what Equinox has become since its tepid opening roughly three years ago. It has evolved into an inviting (albeit expensive) restaurant, which has brought the warmth of a mom-and-pop operation to the heart of downtown.

Mom and Pop in this case are che Gray and his wife Ellen, both Washington area natives, who have a feel for the pulse of the capital. Gray's resume is impressive: four years with French chef Robert Grault at D.C.'s distinguished La Colline and seven years with Piedmontese wunderkind Roberto Donna at Galileo, where he worked his way up from saucier to chef de cuisine.

Although Gray is grounded in classic European cooking, the influence of his many boyhood forays to the Chesapeake Bay is much in evidence on my most recent visit. Jumbo lump crab cakes-with young arugula salad, roasted red peppers and lemon butter-are spot on. The cakes are held together with decidedly European cubed brioche and Gray's own "New Bay" seasoning, with a nice peppery heat that could have come from the Santa Fe-inspired Red Sage restaurant several blocks away. Another opener, the traditional panzanella toast, pays homage to Galileo, but the tomatoes are locally sourced Heirlooms, and the cucumbers and olives add a modern American note.

Main courses change seasonally at Equinox. Tonight, Carolina grouper filet is served country-style on autumn squash with leeks, hazelnut butter and crispy okra. Cooked to moist perfection, it bursts with natural juices and plays agreeably against the harvest vegetables. Roast Pennsylvania lamb is another delight. The dish-which includes the elegant French rib cut and the down-home slice of herb-crusted leg-is garnished with Rappahannock black-eyed peas, braised leeks and oven-dried tomatoes. It's a perfect match with a Pinot Noir from Equinox's excellent by-the-glass selection.

Pastry chef Lisa Scruggs's desserts are a franchise within the franchise. On a previous visit, I stretched out my enjoyment with her golden plum galette with vanilla ice cream and port wine sauce, but tonight the lighter but intensely flavored sorbet provides a perfectly sweet ending.

Equinox. Dinner entries: $22-$31. 818 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-331-8118.

Copyright 2003, Washington Flyer Magazine & Travel Guide.