A sleek new sign, KarenJane Wine Bar and Restaurant, bears the name of the owner, who also owned the former Brumby's. But Karen Gladstone has morphed more than the name: A new chef, new menu and expanded wine list add up to a makeover that is akin to a new restaurant.

Why all the fuss?

"We were so far away from Brumby's that we were just confusing everyone," says Gladstone, who operates KarenJane with the help of her husband, Paul. "We don't do breakfast, there are no morning pastries and no coffee to go."

It has been that way for nearly two years, when Gladstone began Brumby's metamorphosis from a bakery/deli into a full-fledged restaurant. But Brumby's had so long been a popular morning spot for the University of Utah crowd that vanquishing its ghost proved more difficult than memorizing the Odyssey Cliff Notes.

KarenJane still caters to its academic neighbors, with an eclectic menu intended to appeal to diverse tastes. But the emphasis now is on lunch and dinner (a brunch menu is offered on weekends), with evening meals that include salad and dessert at affordable prices.

While the service is inconsistent, the food is mostly delicious and well-prepared, made with quality ingredients that show concern about freshness and presentation. Chef Tom Vanderbeek has good credentials (former executive chef at Picasso in Park City and at Oasis) and enough range to pull off a midsize menu that includes everything from roast chicken and mashed potatoes to a gingered tofu stir-fry.

Pastry chef Disa Cuellar is just as versatile, pulling off buttery chocolate cake and fabulous rye rolls with equal aplomb.

One thing Gladstone hasn't changed much is the look of her restaurant. KarenJane still has a lovely patio, comfortable at dinner but warm for lunch on a summer day. Inside, the bilevel space still sports the same whimsical paint job, with white clouds floating on a blue background and food-related sayings scripted across the wall. (Example: a Turkish proverb that holds "Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love.")

Diners who see "wine bar" on the sign may expect more from KarenJane's wine list than it delivers. It has variety (23 reds and 16 whites or blush wines, 14 of them offered by the glass), but nearly all of them are relatively inexpensive California vintages. While the selection isn't inspired, it is more than enough to complement this casual menu.

(The sign takes advantage of a recent change in Utah law. Last year, a federal court struck down the portion of Utah's liquor law that prohibited restaurants and clubs from advertising liquor, on the grounds it infringed on free speech.)

Dinner offers a selection of appetizers, including bruschetta, marinated shrimp or a steamed artichoke; salads (one with beets and goat cheese was a good mix of flavors but didn't have nearly enough beets); and entrees ranging from a hamburger to falafel (a Middle Eastern specialty made from ground chickpeas) served with pita bread ($11.95). Together with the house salad (a plate of fresh mixed greens dressed with vinegar and a tasty olive oil) and one of Cuellar's pastries, the nicely seasoned falafel was a generous amount of food. (Diners who don't want to eat their dessert are welcome to take it home.)

Roast chicken is another good bet: tender white meat, sliced and served with a potent rosemary sauce, delicious mashed potatoes and green beans cooked to perfect crisp-tender ($16.95).

The specials are worth trying, at least if Vanderbeek's seared ahi tuna is any indication: a reasonably sized fillet, complemented by a chunky tomato sauce flavored with pancetta and basil ($17.95). It, too, came with mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked haricots verts (green beans).

In addition to falafel, vegetarians will appreciate the tofu dish, with its colorful assortment of vegetables and spicy ginger sauce, served over white rice ($13.95). The skimpy serving of rice wasn't enough to stand up to the sauce (we asked for more and got it in good time), but that was only one of several problems we encountered during one visit to KarenJane. The pork tenderloin, which comes with well-seasoned rice and green beans, was cooked past done, and the sliced white bread was stale. Our server, who confessed to knowing nothing about wine, kept disappearing only to be replaced by one or two other people. It was a Monday, so the meltdown may have been a convergence of the chef's night off, the server's night to train and the aftermath of a busy weekend.

Happily, two subsequent visits came off without a hitch, with good service and food, including a brunch omelette with mushrooms, tomatoes and cheese and wonderful fried potatoes ($9.50) and a chicken and blue cheese sandwich flavored with succulent marinated sundried tomatoes ($7). Gladstone says foccacia bread is her customers' overwhelming choice for this sandwich, but it can easily overpower the filling.

Gladstone has a good idea, with her full-service menu, new name and new chef. Except for a scarcity of parking, the location is convenient for university folk and people who work downtown. All that is missing is the consistency every good restaurant prizes.