Calamari 'spaghetti' at Blue, Inc.

^{Photo: JOEL VEAK}

One of the joys of being a veteran restaurant-goer is watching a talented young chef move up the ladder. It's been fun following Jason Santos from Tremont 647 to the short-lived Kestral in Providence and Dedo in Bay Village. From there, he took the helm of Gargoyles on the Square, where he lashed his trademark flashes of mad science to the more mainstream demands of a large, established restaurant. With further fame garnered from an appearance on reality TV, Santos finally went out on his own, recently opening Blue Inc. (131 Broad Street, Boston, 617.261.5353), a 50-seat restaurant at the edge of the Financial District, where he appears ready to let his freak flag fly.

The unfettered mood is immediately apparent in the compact dining room's design, done in what might be called Industrial Mod: faux-antique white brick walls, a deep-blue ceiling, silver and gold accents, a giant photo of Twiggy, and swinging-'60s lighting and chairs. The free-wheeling spirit continues at the 11-seat bar, featuring eccentric specialty cocktails like the Poof! ($11), made with white whiskey, bittered orange oil, and a frozen cherry; it's not only a refreshing albino riff on the Manhattan, but a head-turner, its last-second dose of liquid nitrogen generating a bubbling fog. Santos brings this same playfulness and creativity to his dinner menu, with fascinating results. Pretzel rolls arrive first, accompanied by Dijon yogurt butter and a witty reversal: the table salt is black, from the Molokai Sea, the grinder filled with white peppercorns. Braised veal cheeks ($25) recall the richness of beef short ribs while showcasing the subtler flavor of veal, arriving beautifully plated with watermelon "tartare," frisée, and potato puree: meat and potatoes done in a light, modern style.

But the real stunner is calamari "spaghetti" ($10), which transforms squid via knife-work wizardry into capellini-thin strands, cooked so perfectly that they tenderly evoke fresh-made pasta. This is gently sauced with a Bolognese of house-cured pastrami, lending it a deep, subtly smoky flavor. The accompanying squiggles are not merely decorative: garlic-bread puree and salt-cod foam provide bracing, unexpected savory accents. Squid-ink puffs, black-tinted rice crackers, offer textural interest and eye appeal. The net effect is marvelous: a gorgeous plate encompassing well-worn ideas, made utterly original with novel ingredient choices and the subtle application of modernist techniques. Add to it an informal but effective tag-team approach to service (the blue-haired boss also works as a food runner), a brief but thoughtful wine list, and a pastry chef likewise enamored of molecular gastronomy, and Blue Inc. offers something rare in Boston's dining scene: inventive, delicious food in a package that feels giddy, happy, and slightly unhinged.