When the only complaint I have about a restaurant is its name, it’s safe to say I have found another winning addition to my dining-out portfolio: Pez Coastal Kitchen….that’s right, Pez. Raise your hand if you want to be reminded of cheap childhood candy regurgitated by Fred Flintstone when you make a dinner reservation. Okay, I’m over it.

Because the minute you cross the threshold, the beautifully- designed space inside a 19th century building in Old Town Pasadena makes you feel at home. The airiness of the high ceilings and Havana-style fans coexist so nicely with the coziness of the booths and the warmth of the service. The subtle ministrations of a skilled jazz combo in the adjacent bar area elevate the ambience another notch. We’re having a great time, and the food hasn’t even hit the table.

But when it does, my pescatarian Foodie Friend and I couldn’t be happier. The de rigeur oysters to start were accompanied by a mignonette that far surpassed the usual watery vinegar and shallot concoction. The kingfish ceviche was enlivened by the oregano oil infusion and the house specialty of dry-aging the fish. Curing and smoking I know, but this is a process new to me in the world of seafood cookery, and it really brings forward the best of the fish’s essence. A whole fried cod, presented imaginatively with a simple lemon caper dipping sauce was a standout as was the saffron-scented spaghetti with clams that upped its flavor quotient with a briny uni nage. Yum, yum and more yum.

The martinis were spot on, and they earned another point by offering an Albariño wine I rarely see on menus.

The finale: a delightful and very pretty vanilla bean madeleine with crème de Violette, lemon verbena and macerated strawberries…plus a chocolate confection the house threw in to acknowledge our celebration. A Happy Birthday indeed for my piscinophilic (yes, I just invented that word), pal Foodie Friend #3! We’ll be back!