SLIDESHOW

Ambiance Bar & Grill has the ambiance part down cold -- contemporary hues, rich artwork and sultry music moodily envelopes the turn-of-the-century roots of this new Jackson Ward restaurant.

You can't miss the bar aspect either. Stately, floor-to-ceiling amber-colored woodwork occupies one entire wall. With its newly arrived liquor license, it's easy to imagine sipping away the hours in cool comfort.And the grill portion? Well, you can't ignore the wonderful aromas wafting from Ambiance's tiny kitchen.

If all the bases are covered, then where are the customers?

This was the question I couldn't shake as we walked out into the warm night air, our stomachs strained to painfully wonderful degrees.

Ambiance's First Street location isn't quite within the realm of Broad Street's restaurant and art gallery renaissance, but this shouldn't be an excuse. The addictive scents of Ambiance's corned beef hash, chicken and waffles, and turkey wings act as aromatic advertising blocks away.

Bad service can't be the answer either. During our visit, the two employees couldn't have been friendlier -- chatting casually as we perused the menu, tripping over themselves to ensure our entrees were served piping hot, even cutting extra-large pieces of cake for our to-go treat.

Had the restaurant been filled, however, I can't see two people handling everyone with the same care we experienced. Hopefully, when business warrants more hands on deck, Ambiance's friendly factor won't decrease.

Maybe they just need help getting the word out. As we were leaving, our server called after us, "Come back and see us, and make sure you tell your friends."

Well, consider this me telling my friends.

Ambiance's menu explains, "We feature contemporary cuisine presenting food for the Richmond locals." To me, this translates to tried-and-true, homemade comfort food.Breakfast includes fried bologna ($5.25) and fish cakes ($6.50). Lunch covers everything from a bacon cheeseburger ($6.25) to lasagna ($7.50). Dinner boasts oxtail ($11).

Appetizers are not served, but with 12 filling sides, such as home fries, sweet corn and pancakes, you won't miss them.

I couldn't resist trying one of Ambiance's signature dishes: fried chicken and waffles ($8.50 during dinner). Four wings, fried to a perfectly greaseless, golden brown, were moist on the inside and addictively crispy on the outside.

The waffle, which I could smell the minute it hit the waffle iron, was fluffy enough to soak up plenty of maple syrup but wasn't so overwhelming as to kill the delicate savory-sweet balance I adore.

The side of cabbage, boiled within inches of its life (just as it should be), was loaded with just enough butter to give it a hint of sweetness.

In my book good fried fish is an art form. If the oil's too hot, the fish's center is undercooked. If the oil's too cold, the breading soaks up too much of it. And don't even get me started on pin bones.

None of the above at Ambiance. The golden brown planks ($9) were flaky yet firm without any unnecessary greasiness. Sides of homemade mac'n' cheese (alive with sharp cheddar tanginess) and collard greens (a vinegary answer to the fish's buttery finish) couldn't have been better.

Wash all this down with Ambiance's sweet tea ($1.50) -- and I mean sweet -- and you'll be leaning back in your chair for a much-needed stretch of defeat, just as I did.

Despite this, we couldn't pass up the red velvet and Chocolate Ambiance cakes ($4 each) displayed so temptingly in glass-covered platters on the bar. Moist, rich and tooth-achingly sweet, they were all we could ask for.

Good food, great atmosphere and an undercurrent of chill energy, Ambiance is on my hot list. But like at any new restaurant, the staff probably needs more customers stopping in before the groove that so solidly makes up Ambiance's vibe translates to a seamless dining experience all around. So, get cracking, and stop in.