GREAT BARRINGTON — Due to a little luck and much practice, Kato advanced to the finals in his martial arts contest. So, I drove the Auburn Speedster — slowly — to The Elm.

I been trying to get a reservation at the restaurant for several weeks. Staffing issues in the kitchen were the cause of many cancellations by the restaurant until this outing.

I was able to find a space large enough for the car on Railroad Street this weekday evening. Inside, three other tables of smartly dressed 30- and 40-somethings were dining, and the large bar was full early in the evening, only to empty out by 8 p.m. The exposed brick walls, subtle lighting and crisply dressed tables created a sophisticated environment.

I took a table for two, and taking advantage of Kato’s absence, sat back to the wall on the banquette, surveying the room. The waiter, with menu and water, arrived promptly.

Perusing the menu, I was reminded of the series of conversations between film director Martin Scorsese and New York-based author and sardonic commentator, Fran Lebowitz for the documentary series, “Pretend It’s a City.” The series takes its name from Lebowitz’s memorable line, she advises non-New Yorkers to “pretend it’s a city…” in order to get them to move from the middle of a packed sidewalk. And that is what you are advised to do, dear diner, to justify paying $8 for a basket of bread and truffle butter. This advice goes for the prices of other menu items, which we shall discuss in due course.

Yes, the atmosphere is very New York and the service, elegant food and demands of fair wages do mean higher prices than we would have seen several years ago. I have no quarrel there. But in the mind of this professional eater, if you ask New York prices, you should expect New York dining.

Thinking of my wallet and upcoming dining appointments I have promised faithful Kato, I chose the bread basket and the Castelfranco Salad to start, the aforementioned bread at $8 and salad clocking in at $17. For the main, I chose the Halibut, served with lentils, chorizo and currant relish for $39.

The bread basket arrived with two slices of focaccia and two of ciabatta with what can only be described as heavenly truffle honey butter. I considered eating a big dollop of it off the spoon, silky, truffly and sweet as it was. The bread, made in-house, was well wrought and ascended to greater heights with a thick slather of the butter.

I will wax poetic about the salad. It arrived beautifully sculpted on the plate, leaves glistening invitingly with tahini vinaigrette and garnished with pulverized spiced pistachios. The shaved fennel, endive and baby lettuce created a hideout for chunks of roquefort, which provided a taste and texture change from the crunch and tang of the other salad elements. This could be a meal.

Dining alone expedited the evening’s timeline, there being no scintillating conversation with Kato about the latest in defensive techniques or automobile restoration, so I was ready for my next course, and the waitstaff was attuned to my needs.

The halibut was a thing of beauty on the plate, sitting atop its bed of lentils and currant relish. The fish was just a touch beyond perfect, to the dry side, and quite heavily salted. I shared these observations with the manager, who was genuinely happy to hear feedback from diners. The lentils and currants were a beautiful mix, with the sweet pops from the fruit pulling together all of the tastes on the plate.

Were I to “pretend it’s a city,” on subsequent outings, I would be intrigued by the grilled octopus starter, served with fingerlings, salsa verde and pepper coulis, with its $27 price tag. Other equally compelling choices are charred beets with taleggio or Oysters Mignonette. For mains, if you would like to shoot the moon, order the ribeye. Duck with chard and sunchoke puree or the house made pasta with lamb ragu are equally satisfying. Splitting the chocolate cremeux for dessert is a good way to end the meal.

I made my way back to the Auburn Speedster, wishing Kato were at the wheel. As I drove into the night, wallet significantly lighter, I dreamed of our next meal.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

The Elm

20 Railroad St., Great Barrington

413-644-0146, theelmgb.com

Hours: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Price range: $17 – $27