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Our Man's Palate Rises to OccasionFriedman finds food, service exceptional at Fifth Season.Food good enough to write home about. Those words came to mind following a unique din-ing experience with my family last month.It's rare enough when the Friedman palate is challenged anywhere. I cherish memories of salmon done to perfection at the Gastronome atop Idlewild when we visited Palm Springs last spring, or a goulash cooked up in a tiny restaurant off one of the alleys along King George Street in Jerusalem a few years back.After 35 years in Youngstown, I didn't expect to find a treasure in the city where Arby's was born. But take a drive out Mahoning Avenue, just a few hundred feet beyond Turner Road, shortly before you come to Meander Reservoir, and you will encounter the best restaurant in northeast Ohio -- The Fifth Season.This restaurant, an unpretentious structure that once housed the old Seven Mile Inn, is a tribute to the labors of its owner, Steve James. James, a resident of North Jackson, refined his culinary skills at the Winner Institute in Pennsylvania.Since its opening in November 2002, James has added a dash of warmth and intimacy to eclectic dining. His menu offers a wide assortment of entrees including New York strip steak, rack of lamb, veal porterhouse, and "the Five Medallions," the house specialty served over a chardonnay demi-glaze. The restaurant's wine list, which recommends Johannesburg Riesling from Kreusch, Germany, Sauvignon blanc from Cakebread in the Napa Valley, and Black Opal shiraz from Australia, was recently cited for excellence by Wine Spectator magazine. Chef James' "Mocha Decadence" also earned the Taste of the Valley Award for best dessert in 2003.The Fifth Season, closed only Sundays, can accommodate 66 to 72 patrons in its non-smoking section, 50 to 54 in its smoking section. This is one aspect of its charm.From the moment our party of five adults and a 20-month-old entered, the staff made us feel welcome. The hostesses made certain that a senior could easily maneuver to the table and that a child's seat was in place. Our server was responsive and friendly -- as were other waiters and waitresses who stopped by to share anecdotes about their own children.There was no grumbling on the part of the maitre d' over crumbs the infant accidentally deposited on the floor, no grumbling about people failing to stay in their chairs when her father took her for a walk through the parking lot below.Service was quick and accurate. In at 6 p.m., out by 7:30 without us feeling either stalled or rushed. Salads were fresh, flowered, and topped with decent house dressings. Our appetizers included platters of stuffed mushrooms, bleu season chips and bruschetta.As we toasted the life and good fortune of our group with a bottle of chardonnay, our entrees arrived. These included Chilean sea bass garnished with almonds, chicken parmesan topped with sauteed baby spinach and an alfredo sauce, tender 9-ounce filet mignon steaks served with giant baked potatoes, and a mountain of spaghetti and turkey meatballs. The portions alone would have justified the modest cost of the meal. Regardless -- to a person -- everyone who dined with us, including the little one who was delighted with her "nuggets and fries," raved about the quality and presentation of food and the friendly atmosphere at the Fifth Season that Saturday.When something this good comes to Youngstown, it should be supported. We will return soon and often."