When we last visited chef Brian Bistrong in these pages, back in 2002, he was manning the kitchen at Citarella the Restaurant (now Joseph’s), where his laser-focused French-Asian creations reflected the masterful influence of David Bouley (Mr. Bistrong cut his teeth as chef de cuisine at Bouley Bakery). Now he’s taken the helm at the Harrison in TriBeCa as executive chef, replacing Joseph Campanaro, who is now cooking at Pace, also owned by Harrison partners Jimmy Bradley and Danny Abrams.

The shuffling of chefs makes for an interesting comparison, especially when you consider that the Harrison was chugging along beautifully under Mr. Campanaro, whose soulful, satisfying Italian-inspired fare struck a chord with diners from the moment the restaurant opened in the fall of 2001. Mr. Campanaro is, perhaps, still sentimentally attached to his first baby, as I spied him sitting at the bar one night recently dining solo on his night off from Pace. He couldn’t have looked more content to be there.

Mr. Bistrong has completely overhauled the menu with dishes that are decidedly more American than Mr. Campanaro’s, with a nod toward Italian technique. That’s how we got a perfectly poached baby calamari salad tossed with frisee, Serrano ham, and piquillo peppers ($10). It was familiar yet different enough to make me look down between bites to ponder what Mr. Bistrong was thinking when he came up with this tasty concoction. Indeed, it would seem the entire menu is written to be read slowly, lest you keep doing double-takes, as I did, when you see things like “corned beef of short ribs with sauerkraut and pear salad” ($12). The chubby, glazed ribs were rendered fork tender after a long brining, and the homemade sauerkraut was exceptional.

Other starters included a velvety mound of big eye tuna tartar – bless Mr. Bistrong for not calling it crudo! – tossed with green papaya, peanuts, and a refreshing splash of lime ($14). Ricotta cavatelli ($12), made using a hand-cranked pasta maker similar to my nonna’s, were cooked perfectly al dente then dressed with a judicious amount of sauce comprised of sweet braised rabbit, escarole, and mint. Crispy fried clams ($10), as long as French fries, were crisp, tender, and tangy, paired with a lemon-coriander aioli. Day-boat scallops about the size of mini marshmallows melted in my mouth, and the warm potato salad underneath them, dressed with horseradish sauce, was a head-clearing welcome for the senses ($14).

Main courses proved difficult to choose as they all sounded quite good. Given Mr. Bistrong’s reputation with fish at Citarella, I wasn’t surprised to find nearly every single one of his catches here exemplary. Juicy pan-roasted fluke with brussels sprouts ($24) was tender and aromatic, and earthy, too, by way of roasted chestnuts and a squash puree. Grilled striped bass ($25) was given a brilliant Mediterranean treatment of olives, potatoes, marinated onions, and a white anchovy sauce. Sauteed skate ($21) had an Eastern flavor with the accompaniment of clementines, shaved fennel, and fiery-sweet szanto paprika sauce; it was outstanding. The only fish hitch I encountered was with the plump piece of Chatham cod ($26), cooked perfectly, but placed atop a strange amalgam of braised red cabbage, crosnes (small white tubers), and hazelnut dressing; it tasted sour and out of balance.

I loved the rack of lamb with pickled eggplant ($32), roasted to a beautiful mahogany and splashed with a fragrant curry sauce that was excellent with the accompanying basmati rice. The beautiful, crimson-colored breast of duck ($28) was fabulous, paired with herbed spaetzle, apples, and a puree of turnips and dates. It also came with a delightful surprise: a luxurious lobe of seared foie gras off to the side. The “Crispy Chicken” was surprisingly great – I typically don’t order chicken anywhere, but our waiter insisted it was memorable – served with a fantastic black-trumpet puree, chanterelles, and cipollini onions. The prime New York shell steak with “melted” leeks ($32) was excellent, too, paired with a clever potatoprune gratin and salsify sauce.

Sides worth the splurge included a very good leek risotto with wild mushrooms and truffles ($12), brussels sprouts sauteed in brown butter with hazelnuts ($8), and braised bitter greens with lemon, chili, and garlic ($7).

A respectable page of cheeses, listed with their names, appellations, and brief descriptions, precedes the desserts. Cheeses are offered in flights of three ($10), five ($14), or seven ($18). Amidst classics such as a Reblochon from France and Riobiola Rochetta from Italy, you’ll find fabulous Americans, too, such as the Jasper Hill Dairy-Constant Bliss from Vermont.

Pastry chef Jeff Gerace’s desserts start right off with a bang: chocolate-filled beignets ($8) that are plump, crisp, and lightly sugared, and served with a cinnamon-quince sauce that balances their sweetness beautifully. Valrhona chocolate devil’s food cake ($8), layered with chocolate mousse, is as rich as it sounds, and paired with a perfectly bitter coffee ice cream. The vanilla-and-pear bread pudding with white-chocolate cream and pear consomme ($8) was great, too, but in the end I found myself wanting more beignets.

The Harrison, 355 Greenwich St. (at Harrison Street), 212-274-9310.