Like thousands of area residents, I feel a swell of civic pride when walking in the opulent lobby of the recently reopened Davenport Hotel.

It seems like some kind of miracle that this symbol of downtown Spokane's glory days marks its grand opening this weekend after decades of neglect and then years of restoration. It's as if this new, improved Davenport represents a fresh start for the city.

Like the Davenport of old, dining is a big draw. Just don't book a table at The Palm Court expecting a rehash of fare from the erstwhile Matador Room or Louis D's.

Chef Ian Wingate's approach is unabashedly contemporary. It's a cross-cultural blend of European and Asian cuisines, better known as fusion food.

Presentations are dramatic, with entrees stacked high on plates and topped with delicate threads of fried noodles and fresh pea vines. The menu focuses on quality ingredients, whether it's ono flown in from Hawaii or famed Hudson Valley foie gras used as an accent on the filet mignon.

Since it opened in July, I've eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Palm Court, with each meal besting the previous outing. While there's still room for improvement -- some servers are more attentive and polished than others, for instance -- The Palm Court is absolutely at home in this grand setting.

The dining room exudes a quiet elegance, which is a nice balance against the sumptuous splendor of the lobby. Tables hug the windows, and booths fill out the middle of the room. Everywhere are palms.

Against the neutral shades of the dining room, the rich details stand out dramatically: the embossed linen tablecloths, the gorgeous china (based on the original pattern), the single rose at each table.

Like thousands of area residents hungry for a taste of the city's newest special-occasion dining room, I had to endure serious rigmarole to get a dinner reservation, with frustrating rounds of phone tag. (They've since remedied this situation by having people manning the reservation line.)That first dinner revealed a staff still finding its feet. Even with reservations, we had to wait while they checked whether a table was available. (This actually has happened more than once, which seems odd with four hostesses on duty.)Once seated, we ordered the seared tuna appetizer and tried to get over the sticker shock after perusing the wine list. The list is a work in progress, but it would be nice to add some half bottles. And $12 for a glass of Canoe Ridge merlot? I don't think so. Better values include a French pinot noir for $7 and the Arbor Crest sauvignon blanc for $5.

The tuna appetizer was outstanding, crusted in black and white sesame seeds and served with a dipping sauce made from Dijon mustard and soy sauce. That intense combination reminded me of a fine steak sauce and gave the sashimi-grade tuna an almost beefy quality.

There was a considerable gap between the starter and the arrival of our entrees -- more than 30 minutes.

When the carefully constructed towers of food arrived, the results were mixed. My duck breast was chewy and my friend's steak, ordered rare, was definitely medium. Still, the generous filet was tender and flavorful. I loved the grilled portobello mushroom that the steak sat on. The lima-bean-size bits of foie gras seemed lost in the tangle of veggie garnishes, though.

Desserts are made in-house by pastry chef Karen Edwards, with a menu of ever-changing offerings.

I enjoyed a tiny Key lime tart, served with fresh raspberries and blackberries on the side, but wasn't sold on the chocolate creme brulee. That lacked the crackly sugar crust that distinguishes a brulee; it was more like a chocolate mousse. (Which I realize is a little like complaining that you won $50 instead of $100 in the office football pool.) Another dinner a month later was a big improvement. I went with a couple who remembered being wowed by the old Matador Room back in the 1960s. While our group struggled to get comfortable in a booth -- the fabric on the seats makes it impossible to slide in gracefully, and the depth of the table means the server can't reach those seated on the inside -- the eventual consensus was that the meal measured up to the surroundings.

Highlights of that leisurely dinner included the massive bone-in pork chop, which was tender and juicy and served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes; the excellent ahi tuna steak, seared medium rare and topped with a coconut curry sauce; an heirloom tomato salad that tasted garden fresh; a fine French onion soup; and a perfectly homey slab of Wingate's signature meatloaf, which he developed while at Moxie in Liberty Lake.

For dessert, I couldn't resist the homemade ice cream topped with huckleberry peach cobbler, which was so wonderfully rich I wished there had been more than the mere two tablespoons on top of the cobbler.

My favorite experience so far was lunch amid a roomful of older ladies who seemed to be indulging in an order of nostalgia.

With sunlight streaming in the leaded windows and lively conversation hanging in the air, the room seemed to buzz with spirited energy.

From our table in the corner of the room, I enjoyed watching the action in the open pantry, where one of the staff was intently focused on assembling salads and starters.

I split an order of crab cakes with a friend and also ordered a house salad with pears and blue cheese out of Point Reyes, Calif. That refreshing green salad was tossed with an apple cider vinaigrette, making for an enjoyable contrast of sweet, tart and savory.

The crab cakes were the star, though. Chock full of sweet crabmeat, the pair of golden cakes came with two sauces: a sweet pineapple and a spicy green curry. They were served on a bed of greens on a plate that was drizzled with a sticky-sweet balsamic vinegar reduction. It was a dazzling presentation that tasted as good as it looked.

Entree choices at lunch are mostly smaller portions of the dinner menu including the miso grilled chicken, macadamia-nut-crusted salmon and sea scallops.

At breakfast, choices range from traditional standbys such as oatmeal, bacon and eggs to French toast made with brioche. An omelet is stuffed with the previously raved-about crab cakes.

The orange souffle flapjacks were terrific, with a light texture and a citrusy flavor. They come with raspberry butter and maple syrup from Vermont.

There's also steak and eggs, but it's a filet of Black Angus beef. And the hash is made with duck. A heaping helping of this rich meat was tossed with chopped potatoes and sauteed wild chanterelle and shiitake mushrooms and finished in a dark demiglace. That's topped with a couple of perfectly poached eggs, making the dish a flawless, fun twist on the diner classic.

The Sunday brunch, which has moved into the Isabella Ballroom to accommodate the crowds, features an extravagant spread of seafood cocktails, lox and bagels, omelets made to order, carving stations and pastries.

There certainly has been no recent local opening more anticipated than that of the Davenport Hotel and its dining room. Naturally, that kind of buildup leads to lofty expectations. Some people are bound to be disappointed, especially if they are craving old-fashioned food.

I am thoroughly impressed with The Palm Court. I look forward to celebrating special occasions there, to doing lunch and to popping in for weekend breakfast.