I am always on the lookout for great service at the restaurants I visit, and when I find it, I think the people who make it happen should be praised. I recently enjoyed the Happy Hour menu in the cozy bar at Pranzo Italian Grill (540 Montezuma Ave., in Sanbusco Center) and encountered a young lady named Rose Oppedisano — one of the managers there — who displayed such skill and panache that it took our evening to a higher level. She was truly working the room: running food; checking on customers' needs; recommending dishes; and assisting our waiter in a way that made his already good service feel flawless.

How inspiring to see a hospitality professional take the job so seriously, and do it with a smile. I commend owner Michael O'Reilly for employing a quality staff to carry out his vision; in this crazy economy, Rose is a mighty asset to his business.

I am sure I was recognized, because samples of a few dishes from the bar menu were brought to our table "on the house." But as I tell folks who gripe that I am probably getting special treatment, I guarantee you, everyone within sight was benefiting from Rose's management expertise.

Happy Hour offerings (in the bar) include half-price tap beers, wines by the glass and discounted well spirits from 5 to 6 p.m., daily. There is also a special early-bird menu available from 5 to 5:45 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, and Sundays from noon to 9:30 p.m.

For oenophiles, check out Vino Sundays from noon to 9:30 p.m., when every bottle on the wine list is half-price. Call 984-2645 for details on these and other wallet-friendly deals at Pranzo.

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A few nights later, I was a guest of Chef Laurent Rea at O'Reilly's other restaurant, the O'Keeffe Café, for a special dinner featuring the cuisine of Périgord — a naturally pristine region of southwest France between the Loire Valley and the High Pyrénées mountains.

It wouldn't be a stretch to call Périgord a treasure trove of foie gras, truffles and duck — three ingredients that Alsace-born Rea knows quite well.

Paired with wines from the region, the four-course meal was a tour de force that showcased Rea's expert classic-French technique.

My palate took some readjusting. I had just spent two days teaching classes on New Mexican food, preparing regional fare packed with chiles, garlic and lard. It wasn't until the second course of baked salmon topped with a luscious porcini-mushroom purée that the menu's nuances began to cut through my overexcited taste buds, reminding me of the many subtle flavors found in classic French cuisine.

One particular wine pairing, a 2000 Mas Cal Demoura, Coteaux du Languedoc (a blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and a little Cinsault and Carignan grapes, aged for 18 months in oak), was one of those "smack you in the puss" reds that only a rich Sauce Perigourdine — diced truffles sautéed in butter with Madeira and reduced meat stock — could tame.

Dessert was a lovely, petite walnut tart served with prunes poached in Armagnac and served with FX O'Reilly Praline Ice Cream, the latter being a creation of the proprietor's son, John.

Rea had just returned from New York City, where he represented Santa Fe at a dinner hosted at the headquarters of Gourmet magazine by the Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta, with the purpose of tempting 50 meeting planners to bring groups to Santa Fe.

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O'Reilly is a busy man, and he recently added a catering company to his growing food-and-wine domain.

The Santa Fe Catering Company offers not only Italian cuisine, but French and continental cookery as well.

Oppedisano also looks after the party planning and coordination at the new venture, so you know you'll be in good hands. Details are available at www.santafecateringcompany.com.

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Still one of the prettiest restaurants in town, Geronimo, 724 Canyon Road (982-1500) has just started serving lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The menu looks wonderful. Goodies include New Mexico Chile & Honey Glazed Salmon; Duck Confit Hash with Lump Crab and Serrano Hollandaise (yum!); Mascarpone-Stuffed Brioche French Toast; and much, much more, all gently priced in the $12 to $15 range.

Lunch in your favorite restaurant is yet another way to tighten the belt without denying yourself some of your favorite chef's creations.

To share a tip or dish about the local food scene, send an e-mail to chefjohnnyvee@aol.com or call 505-699-3419.