Superb ingredients - with the now-requisite emphasis on the seasonal, sustainable and artisanal - and the artful preparations of new chef Cyril Kabaoglu provide a glimmer of the potential of Abode, which opened in April near the foot of the Santa Monica Pier.

Now if only we could hire this kitchen staff for a private dinner party. Because when it tries to cook for multiple tables at once, pots and pans must go spinning crazily into space.

That was our conclusion on a recent visit when the gap between the first course and the main was at least 45 minutes, likely longer. A nice dinner out hinges primarily on the food - and the fare here is fantastic - but the experience is definitely marred when courses come out at an escargot's pace. At one point, our party of three felt the need to get up and stretch our legs by walking around the restaurant. We discovered that the place was only about one-third occupied, so this couldn't be blamed on an unexpected rush.

It's a pity, because Kabaoglu clearly has some flair in that kitchen.

A roasted beet salad ($14) was a highlight of Abode's winter menu of starter courses. Purple and red beets were accompanied by a creamy mousse of goat cheese and horseradish, and slivers of fresh apple, although we could have skipped the little croutons, which tasted as if they came out of a Pepperidge Farms box. Maine lobster spring rolls ($15) were stuffed with generous, succulent chunks of tender lobster, while the plate was adorned with a chevron of wasabi (be warned) and an awfully sweet dish of passion fruit dipping sauce.

French onion soup ($15) was savory, with perfectly balanced spicing and a crusty cap of cheese - just the thing on a cold winter's night. It was further accompanied by a spoonful of something called vegetarian chorizo, which turned out to be chopped mushrooms.

Abode's menu is seasonal, which means a lot of game, in addition to fresh fish, at this time of year. If you've been previously put off by venison's gaminess, try it here ($36). Wow, what a fine cut this tenderloin was, charred on the outside, tender as filet mignon within, and subtle in flavor. It was accompanied by chanterelle mushrooms, which served it well, and shaved dark chocolate and a thick bed of sweet Kuri squash, which did not. (Methinks a sweet tooth lurks in that kitchen.) Roasted monkfish ($29) was delicious and tender, and the garlicky Bloomsdale spinach alongside was terrific. A 12-ounce dry-aged rib-eye ($42), when helped along by a Bernaise sauce, was serviceable, but the highlight here was a little baking dish of potato gratin, richly crusted with gruyere cheese.

This payoff was considerable, but the waiter was not the least bit contrite over our long wait for it. We hadn't seen him since well before the kitchen runner brought the first course, and when we remarked on the delay as he arrived with the entrees, he peevishly responded, "Well, it does take time." Later, he lamely attributed the delay to a nearby table ordering the chef's seven-course tasting menu ($95 per person). So when six people order the tasting menu, it cripples the kitchen?

Abode lies down a little courtyard, and doesn't have any sign that is visible from the street. It's an apt metaphor, because this restaurant is clearly still trying to find itself.

At its best: Masterful preparations of artisanal and farmers market ingredients.

Could be better: Uh, aside from the atrocious pacing ... the stylish decor is dazzling, but the open design creates an absolute din of ambient conversation. By-the-glass wine prices are highway robbery.

ABODE
>Details: 1541 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica. Open Monday through Thursday from 5:30 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m.to 11 p.m., Sunday from 6 p.m.to 10 p.m. (310) 394-3463; www.aboderestaurant.com.
>Cost: Starters $11 to $19, main courses $24 to $42, desserts $10 to $15.
>Noteworthy: The presentations here are works of art - on kooky, off-center dishware that appears plucked from the other side of Alice's looking-glass. Request one of the elevated booths to gain some relief from the noisy main floor. Be forewarned: Abode subscribes to French sensibilities when cooking red meat. A rib-eye ordered medium came out medium rare, venison loin requested medium rare arrived rare.