The delightful warm spells have me yearning for lighter meals built around fresh produce. It might be a bit early for this, but I love it when a place like Argyll alters its menu with a nod to longer days and warmer nights.

On a recent 70-degree afternoon, a friend and I sat outside on Argyll’s patio and selected items from the newly launched, early spring menu.

The plump halibut, cooked in white wine with juicy red tomatoes and citrusy Israeli couscous, was patio-perfect. The fresh pappardelle tossed with roasted eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, sweet strips of roasted red pepper, and garden-fresh basil, made me hope we’ve seen the last of snow. And the roasted beet salad was a bright, sunny collision of flavors: candied walnuts, bitter watercress, aromatic fennel, sweet, juicy oranges, and earthy red roasted beets.

With meals like this available so early in the season, I can’t wait to see what summer will bring.

2700 E. Third Ave., 720-382-1117