Plain Canvas: Restaurant Review

You crave relaxation on a Cretan beach, but your boyfriend yearns to safari in Senegal. While a restaurant can’t solve your relationship issues, month-old Plain Canvas on East 9th Street may be a destination you can agree upon.

From Bangladesh to Latvia, deciding where to begin is a challenge. Brazilian music provides an upbeat soundtrack for the voyage and understated decor allows the cuisine to dominate. A plain canvas is created with sleek and simple décor quietly redolent of Ikea; red tiles, silver walls and frosted windows form the upstairs dining area, while silver tables and red cushioned benches define the secluded downstairs space.

Choosing the West Indian crab and lobster cakes -- crispy outside, concealing a warm, moist flaky interior -- will transport you to the West Indies. Alternatively, venture to Lithuania with Priscilla Brazauskas, delicate pancakes made with potato flour and stuffed with boiled egg. Here, simple flavors succeed in focusing interest on the complementary textures: fluffy pancakes meeting smooth slices of egg.

Fifteen minutes later, Garam Assam -- grilled shrimp, pineapple, scallions and garlic coated with a tangy cayenne sauce on rice -- leads to Singapore.

Dishes from Malawi, Vanuatu and Burkina Faso might require consulting a globe, though more familiar offerings exist for the unadventurous. European beers dominate and the wines lack country labels otherwise present on the menu. Disappointing, as both could easily further the global motif, and the non-alcoholic beverages are uninspired.

Dessert choices revive the international diversity. Pudim de coco is a highlight; the pleasantly gelatinous Indonesian coconut pudding is served with shaved coconut and fruit puree. Although the Macadamia Nut Pie called to us, they were out, so we will have to return for our trip to the Marshall Islands. The good news: if your boyfriend is jet-lagged, you can send him back to the US with chocolate layer cake, while you enjoy the rest of your vacation.

Plain Canvas Basics

• Plain Canvas is located at 406 East 9th St
• Closest subway to Plain Canvas: 6 to Astor Place; L to 1st Ave
• Plain Canvas Cross Streets: 1st Avenue & Avenue A
• Major credit cards accepted
• Plain Canvas Phone: 212-777-2120
• Reservations available online