There was some confusion this past Fall when two restaurants with museum monikers announced their openings: Museum Park Cafe, located in the Parc Binz mixed-use development in the Museum District (see our snapshot here), and Bistro Menil (photo below), located on the Menil Collection campus. Both filled a void of higher-end eateries in the area. You just had to be sure to clearly communicate your dining destination with your dinner date.

This past Thursday afternoon, however, there was no confusion in our office as we carpooled to Bistro Menil for lunch, finally getting a first look for ourselves. The menu created by executive chef Greg Martin (Cafe Express, Cafe Annie, Taco Milagro)  features “European-inspired, American fare,” such as crisp duck confit, sausage and duck cassoulet, “Greek style” lamb chops and crabcakes, as well as an array of small bites, salads, pizzas and panini. And let’s not forget the 17 house-made desserts.

The restaurant’s interior, which is divided into three spaces, is modern and feels spacious. The wood table tops, ceiling and bar contribute a warm natural element to the space, while large wrap-around windows let in an abundance of natural light. Fabric art installations are on the walls  — they help to mitigate the sound — and an industrial light fixture hangs in the main dining room. The space is inviting, and the menu is intriguing.

For lunch we began with the popular eggplant French fries served with a potent aioli ($7, photo above). The slices of fried eggplant are salty and crunchy — we especially liked the skin-on pieces. If you’re like us and enjoy eggplant by itself, the dipping sauce might be unnecessary. But if you’re a dipper, the anchovy-smacked aioli packs a punch of salty flavor.

Ideal for yesterday’s chilly rain, the four-cheese panino served with a side of potato salad ($9) was a wonder. At first glance it might seem to be too much bread and too little cheese. In fact, thin layers of goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, soft ripened Italian cheese and parmesan melted smoothly between two slices of tender Slow Dough bread, making the mouth experience perfectly balanced. (Thank you, chef, for not making this take on a grilled cheese sandwich a big greasy fried mess, like some more-is-more kitchens do.) The only thing that would have made this better was a cup of tomato soup for dunking.

The arugula salad with crimini mushrooms and piave (an Italian cow’s milk cheese) dressed with lemon and EVOO ($9, photo above) was straightforward, exactly as you might expect. We added a single crabcake ($9) to the salad, and it became a filling lunch. Note to the kitchen: This salad would benefit from being served on a plate, rather than in a bowl, so that the baby arugula isn’t crushed or wilted by the warm crabcake.

Last, the crab and mushroom crepes were a surprisingly light interpretation of an indulgent dish. The portion is just right with a light coating of sauce, and the crab and mushroom filling is, indeed, the showcase of the dish.

As noted above, don’t skip dessert. These are certainly among the kitchen’s most successful efforts. (There’s continuous service at Bistro Menil, so you can drop by for a dessert and coffee pick-me-up in the middle of the afternoon.) Lemon curd tart with Italian meringue in a puff pastry shell ($10, photo below) is sweet and, more important, truly tangy. Chocolate-covered espresso cappuccino gelato ($6) is divinely rich but, again, with only a hint of sweetness. Bits of espresso bean shot through the gelato provide a nice bitter addition to the sweet and cream.

Since this was an editorial meeting over lunch, we skipped on wine. But when we visit next, perhaps for brunch, we will explore Bistro Menil’s list of cask wines. (It’s like keg beer, but for wine service.) The four whites and four reds from California, Oregon and Washington State can be ordered by the 1/4, 1/2 and full bottle. Want to take it with you? Pay a $6 deposit for a wine bottle (or beer growler), and the staff will cap your beverage so you can take the bottle to the nearby park for a picnic or even home. Return the container next time for a deposit refund or a refill.

Bistro Menil, 1513 West Alabama, 713-904-3537, bistromenil.com