The elegant Chenez offers classic French cuisine -- none of that American interpretation stuff -- complete with rich sauces, stunning presentations, service that pampers and prices to match.
Chenez is French to the nth degree, a tribute to that country's tradition of fine dining and the hospitality that goes with it. This small restaurant (it seats a total of 36 people in two rooms) is a labor of love for its Iranian owner, Joseph Jafarian, who has been in the hospitality business for two decades in California and Utah, where he managed Park City's Yarrow Hotel among other locations.

Tucked into a row of eateries and shops on the Marriott Summit Watch Plaza, Chenez looks rather ordinary. Even the interior, done in comfortable fabrics in neutral tones, is understated. But that's all part of the plan. The linen tablecloths, cushy upholstery and small paintings are just a backdrop for the main event, which is savoring seared foie gras with pears that have been poached in white wine, a bowl of lobster bisque or tender lamb loin napped with a minted bearnaise sauce.

With the economy faltering and terrorists lurking, dinner at Chenez feels like a time warp. It is Old World-style fine dining, a place where the owner himself shakes out your napkin and places it in your lap, helps you get settled in the chair and seems truly concerned that everything be absolutely perfect.

Chenez is pretty close to that, although a few things don't rate a 10: The escargot appetizer ($9) could benefit from more garlic, the dressing on the Nicoise salad ($9) needs less anchovy, and the squab is a ridiculously small bird for the price ($31), even if it does have foie gras in the stuffing. Another weakness: Our server wasn't familiar with some selections on the wine list.

Still, dinner at Chenez is a treat, mostly because chef Vincent Grass knows not only how to prepare French food, but how to present it.

Beef, even the best cut, isn't a natural visual masterpiece. But Grass' chateaubriand ($65 for two people) becomes a feast for the eyes with its colorful arrangement of vegetables -- tender pea pods, baby carrots, those cleverly carved potatoes and petite zucchini squash. Of course, the meat itself is incredible, meltingly tender and covered with a succulent wine sauce, and carved at the table by Jafarian himself.

Sauces are a hallmark of French cuisine, and Chenez doesn't disappoint. Seared scallops ($12) came with a light and lemony white butter sauce, studded with pine nuts, that had us all but licking the plate. And that foie gras ($14)! It is seared, then plated with a wine-infused pear in a splendidly flavored sauce, heavy with oil, that begs to be soaked up with the crusty house bread.

Soups are another French favorite, whether the classic onion topped with browned cheese ($6) or a velvety lobster bisque ($8). Choosing between them is difficult, as both are delicious.

The entree selection has good variety, from frog legs and sea bass to medallions of veal, beef filet with foie gras and pork tenderloin, all of them paired with foods that enhance their natural flavor. Pork is sliced and topped with thick wedges of braised apple ($26), while mint adds a distinctive undertone to the lamb's bearnaise ($28). All of them come with beautiful vegetables that make the plate a meal, although it would be a shame to pass on Chenez's salads, whether the winter greens with toasted walnuts, Roquefort and roasted pear ($8) or the simple plate of baby greens ($6).

Dessert is another foray into French classics, from a decadent chocolate souffle flavored with Godiva liqueur that must be ordered before the meal is finished ($14 for two) to a lovely creme caramel ($7).

No matter how low the Dow falls, there will always be a market for classic French cuisine and luxurious service. Chenez aims high and hits pretty close to the mark, which means it may be on the way to becoming a classic in its own right.