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Food by Beth Weisberg Just like an echo is a close imitation of something already done, Echo Restaurant and Lounge is reminiscent of Timbu, an earlier incarnation in the same space. The same décor, a similar menu and familiar faces waiting the tables. I liked Timbu and I like Echo, but there's a note or two of discord in the resonance. First, the space. It's a long, narrow room with a two-storey ceiling. The non-smoking section is on the lower level by the door, the upper level (accessible only by stairs) leads back to a cool blue-tiled bar with high white chairs . The kitchen lies just beyond, visible through the order window as you make your way to the rear of the building where the washrooms are. I like the moss green walls, the dark cherry wood tables, the exposed brick that gets a bronze glow from some well placed lighting. But it takes work to get comfortable in this arrangement, even with a tea light gleaming on the tabletop and genuinely nice waiters. Maybe it's the way you feel somewhat lost when you enter, not knowing where to move next. Or maybe it's that no matter how friendly the staff is, being looked down on from the top level as they move to welcome you does not make you feel welcome. But the food, which they call California fusion cuisine, is good. We started with a few appetizers ($4.95 to $7.95). The Harlem ribs ($7.95) have a richer flavour than many places. The serving of a half-dozen ribs comes with a few spoonfuls of a gently spicy tomato sauce, a container of creamy ranch dip, a scattering of lettuce, and carrot and celery sticks. These were good ribs, though chewier than we would have liked. The chicken quesadilla ($7.95) was thick with tender pieces of chicken, hearty amounts of cheese and the surprising addition of cooked onions, peppers and carrot slices. Unusual, but good. It would make a great lunch with a salad ($5.95 to $8.95) or a cup of soup ($1.95). Echo’s signature is grilled pizza. The 12-inch crusts are thin and crisp, and the toppings interesting. There's traditional picks like the Italian combo (Italian ham, Italian sausage, rosemary, tomatoes, and green onion, $9.95). The fusion comes into play with Asian-influenced mixes like the Thai Peanut Satay (peanut satay sauce, chicken, bean sprouts, broccoli, peanuts, and baby corn, $9.95). All pizzas are available in half orders, which allows for mix and match sharing – a nice touch. I ordered half a Vegetarian Feta Delight – roasted vegetables such as red onions, red and green peppers and those surprising carrots tossed in balsamic vinegar and topped with feta cheese ($8.95 for a full size) and half a B.L.T. pizza – a combination of caramelized bacon and choice of fresh or baked chopped lettuce and diced tomato ($8.50 for a full size). The B.L.T. was on the bland side, and I was disappointed by the lack of bacon flavour. The Feta Delight, on the other hand, was a success due to the layered flavours of the roasted vegetables, the herbs and vinegar, and the cheese. My friend wanted pasta ($6.95 to $9.95), and the steak and shrimp teriyaki spaghettini ($9.95) jumped out from the alfredos, carbonara and lasagna. This was a lovely large plateful of noodles topped with two delicious pieces of garlic toasted baguette. My friend enjoyed the combination of steak slices, shrimp, peppers, red onion, zucchini, carrots and pasta, but the teriyaki flavour needed to be turned up a notch to make the dish. The kitchen at Echo (820 - 11 Ave. S.W., phone 269-3246) is good, but some of the flavours are too hesitant to grab you. We're hoping that at our next visit, the dishes will be bold enough to create their own echoes.

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