“Eat local.” While this mantra typically refers to a philosophy of eating foods raised within 100 miles of your house, I am taking the liberty of adapting it to dining out—in this case, within five miles of your house. I am always excited to discover new local options, and Thirty-One Main (located in the space once housing Temptations deli and bakery) does not disappoint. Having opened just over a month ago, the full-service restaurant is a unique and welcome addition to the area. The owners have renovated the space, creating a vibrant atmosphere that lends itself to anything ranging from a casual night out for a beer to a celebratory group gathering.

A group of us went for an impromptu dinner on a Friday night, and were surprised to find the dining room more than half full, and most seats at the bar taken. Word has traveled fast. The host (and owner) brainstormed seating options for us, and we opted to combine two high-top tables adjacent to the bar area, creating ample seating for our group and a view of the entire restaurant. A long bar runs the length of the room, and offers a leisurely, spacious area to spend time and/or wait for a table. Flat-screen televisions at either end of the bar provide a diversion for single diners or those waiting for their parties to arrive. Large windows behind the bar provide street views, as do the restaurant’s storefront-style windows. The squash-colored walls and lighting create a warm space—as you walk or drive by, you will be drawn to come inside.

Interior of Thirty-One Main in Ayer. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)

The menu is diverse, mingling reliable comfort foods with more creative, bistro-type fare. For appetizers, we started with the fresh crab and smoked salmon with avocado and lime ($11), a colorful, generous portion of fish, nicely presented, with fresh-tasting ingredients. Grilled hanger steak on endive with horseradish cream ($9) paired perfectly-cooked beef with what were agreed to be ideal foils in both taste and texture. The baby shrimp burgers on brioche toast ($11) intrigued us, and arrived three-in-a-row on a long rectangular plate, with a dollop of slightly-too-sweet tartar sauce. The bite-size burgers themselves were quite tasty, but the buns seemed rather ordinary. Grilled polenta with roasted tomato sauce, corn and garlic ($7.50) delivered a striking contrast of simple flavors, colors, and textures, but could have been enhanced by a stronger emphasis on seasoning. The consensus among our group was that, in general, the chef could heighten the appeal of many of the dishes with a heavier hand on the seasoning shaker.

“All day specials” on the menu are just $7.50, and include items like meatloaf with mashed potato and gravy, fish and chips, and grilled chicken thighs with macaroni and cheese. Other main courses are moderately-priced and include pan-roasted cod ($18), roast pork with a mustard seed crust ($17), sirloin steak tips ($16.50), and grilled chili shrimp ($18.50). Each entrée was accompanied by one or two complementary side dishes. All the dishes were made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, and portion sizes, while adequate, led a few in our group to wonder if prices were a dollar or two higher than might be expected in this venue.

The wine list is not extensive, but certainly offers a variety of very reasonably priced options. Dessert choices were numerous, likely owing to Thirty-One Main’s affiliation with Sweet Sorcery Cakes, which shares the new space. Offerings were all satisfying, and included pistachio cake with white chocolate mousse, blueberry bread pudding with crème anglaise, grilled pineapple upside-down cake, and something fittingly named chocolate decadence.

The service on the night we dined was only slightly off, perhaps due in part to the steady stream of clientele that quickly filled the dining room to capacity not long after we arrived. Nothing was significant enough to detract from our first experience here. The wait staff was very friendly, attentive, and accommodating, but never overpowering.

Four weeks is not enough time for any restaurant to hit its ideal “operating rhythm” and Thirty-One Main’s proximity, interesting menu, and neighborhood atmosphere will keep patrons returning while they work out the minor kinks.

Comments? Recommendations? E-mail Mark Mikitarian, the Food Whisperer, at foodwhisperer@charter.net.