The quasi-Caribbean menu includes dishes like cinnamon-rubbed loin of pork with candied squash and corn cakes; African spiced shrimp with tabbouleh; and black sesame crusted tuna with wheat berry, guava and lime glaze.

Recommended dishes Three-cheese quesadilla, backfin crab cakes, stuffed mushrooms, grilled spiced shrimp, pan-seared duck breast, lemon tart, apple strudel.

Typical of J. D.'s Jekyll and Hyde ups and downs were roasted spiced shrimp on wilted lettuce ($6.95).

Now, lentils accompany all kinds of appetizers and entrees, from spiced shrimp to pan-fried pork chops to quail.

Current appetizers include African spiced shrimp with tabbouleh and tomato chutney; calamari tempura with garlic and red pepper sauce; and yellow split pea soup served with garlic toast.

There are also flatbread pizzas, a new breakfast menu and main courses like spiced shrimp with tomato jam and a lamb shank with couscous.

Not wanting to overwhelm delicately flavored greens with the spiced shrimp, I used a mixture of arugula and lettuce, with a generous amount of mint, and dressed it with olive oil and lemon juice.

There was an abundance of large, pan-blackened, zippily spiced shrimp but not a single scallop sighted.

Over the scent of candle wax, under the fragrance of the single rose, was the rich, ripe aroma of spiced shrimp.

Among commendable starters were hot spiced shrimp, with a zingy horseradish-zapped dip, and steamed mussels oreganato.