The word bistro usually, and rightfully, refers to a small cafe or a small nightclub. Downtown Palo Alto's new Bistro 412 bursts the envelopes of both categories.

In a town where outdoor dining practically always means the sidewalk, the former Fanny & Alexander offers a charming protected garden. The patio is tented for winter, and mainly used for parties. There's also a full bar out there.

When Siegfried Mueller bought Fanny & Alexander three years ago, he wanted to smooth the abrupt transition that occurred every night when the place went from dinner to dance club. Also, he wanted to fill a gap he saw in fine dining, American-style, in Palo Alto eateries.

At the moment, Mueller is also the chef, and he does well.

But Bistro 412 (B412 is the club name) is just a little confusing.

One day, two women looking for lunch walk in and check out the menu. They're intrigued but don't know where to go. Straight-ahead are cloth-covered tables on the dance floor, there's a handsome bar to the right, lounge seats with a few diners to the left. The would-be customers look confused, and walk out.

Which is too bad. Two other women, my friend and I, had a very good lunch that day at Bistro 412.

A stellar spinach salad ($7) was plump with herbed goat cheese, pear tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and crisp bacon drizzled in balsamic vinaigrette.

My friend and I split the salad and a half-pound Angus hamburger ($11), which comes with garlic fries, and called it a day. Lightly toasted buns enfold crisp iceberg lettuce, threads of red onion, slices of tomato, the juicy burger and tangy blue cheese. It's a dribbling, delicious mess.

Coffee was dark and rich, but cold. Big oops.

Except for the coffee and our distance from other people, lunch was delightful. On a return trip, a weeknight, again the place was close to empty. A hungry half-dozen were drinking at the bar, but they were waiting for their table at Evvia, the popular contemporary Greek restaurant next door.

Again, the food and service were very good. A basket of fresh Acme sour batard bread came right away. The multicultural music of Pink Martini happened to be the soundtrack while I nursed one of B412's specialty cocktails, a pink martini made with vodka, triple sec and pomegranate liqueur. Music ramps up as the night goes on.

The bar menu offers drink-appropriate foods like popcorn shrimp and mushroom crostini, ranging from $8 to $12. The waiter suggested filet-wrapped grilled asparagus ($12), glazed in soy and garlic, on a bed of baby greens.

Soup of the day was chicken-tortilla ($7), a tasty bowl of tender chicken with crumbled tortilla thickening the soup. The bowl itself was hot, as was the plate it sat upon. Bistro 412 minds the details like that.

Mild, miso-glazed halibut ($24) rests on warm soba noodles in soy vinaigrette, enlivened by chilies and scallions. Bok choy accompanies.

Our only mistake was the item described as: Pork tenderloin medallions with caramelized onions and fingerlings in a green peppercorn pineapple sauce $22. Which did not prepare me for three perfectly fine medallions buried in sweet, creamy lava. The potatoes had the job of lightening up this dish.

Maybe I should've had the vegetarian entree, eggplant napoleon ($16). Or one of the chicken, beef or lamb dishes. B412 doesn't have a big menu, but it has a little of everything.

That includes a DJ every night, and karaoke Wednesdays, beginning at 10 p.m., and no cover charge until 11 p.m. The indoor dining tables are covered in white cloths, but they are light and temporary, easily moved to make way for dancing. It's just a little weird to eat and pay for fine food while sitting on patio furniture on a dance floor.

When the weather gets better and the tent comes off, go directly to the patio.