Patrick David's, open since 1996 in the Livery & Mercantile, changed hands in April.

New owners Al Sisto, Gary Mingle and Dana Dornsife, along with Executive Chef Patrick David, want the restaurant to be the "Cheers" of Danville, where diners feel comfortable and see the same servers each time they visit.

The menu includes small plates and sushi in addition to soups, salads and entrees: traditional dishes with flair.

David gives us this recipe for sea scallops, using kaffir lime leaves — popular in Thai and other Southeast Asian cooking — to add a unique flavor to a beurre blanc sauce. You'll find this on the small plates menu.

"The trick here is taking something simple like a sea scallop and using carefully selected ingredients to create a unique flavor and a memorable dish," he said. . "This item is representative of what we try to do all the time: combine flavors to surprise and delight the palate."

Seared Sea Scallops with Kaffir Lime and Beurre Blanc

Ingredients:

4 1 ½ to 2 ounces, fresh sea scallops

Beurre Blanc:

• 1 shallot chopped
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• ¾ cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 cup cream
• ½ cup butter cut in small cubes

Part I: Beurre Blanc

Place all ingredients, except cream and butter, in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce by three-quarters.  Add cream and reduce by one-quarter.  Strain and whisk in butter, a little at a time.

Part II: Scallops

Sear scallops in 1 tablespoon canola oil about 1 ½ minutes on both sides.

To serve:

Place scallops in the center of your favorite serving piece.  Add a generous amount of beurre blanc.