If there are two kinds of people in the world (and frankly, I'm of two minds about that), a dividing line separates those who can navigate Akron, and those who can't. So, it was with some trepidation that my friend Judi and I embarked on a trip to Crave, a restaurant in the Rubber City, since both he and I have a history of frustrating experience navigating this compact metropolis. I am happy to report, however, that this trip was a total success, thanks to surgically precise directions from Mapquest, and well worth the effort, because the dining experience was exciting and in almost all ways superb.

Co-owned by chefs Deanna R Akers and Aaron C Hervey, Crave is a hip and lively dining establishment that felt warm and inviting on a recent brisk winter evening. In all honesty, this may not be the destination for those seeking a quiet romantic repast; the decibel level is startling upon arrival, although we gradually adjust and are able to converse without straining anything important. But if you're on the prowl for an eclectic menu with more imaginative riffs than Robin Williams on a caffeine jag, you simply must find your way to Crave.

Once we are seated in the center of the long, narrow and high-ceilinged dining room, we take in the terra-cotta-hued art wall on one side, highlighted by large, mostly black-and-white abstract oil paintings. Large, semicircular booths are illuminated by hanging melted-glass fixtures, shaped and colored like friendly floating amoebas. This inventive approach to the décor appropriately foreshadows the menu, which offers a sumptuous selection of dishes that defy the familiar.

Once our pinot noir arrives (in stem-less bowl glasses, not everyone's preference), we focus on the appetizer selections and are surprised to see items that tweak our taste buds in unexpected directions. We consider the cumin-and-curry-dusted fried pickle chips with caramelized onion raita, then ponder the pleasures of pan-fried, buttermilk-dipped green tomatoes with tomatillo salsa, crabmeat and chili sour cream. Forced to make a selection, Judi opts for middle neck clams steamed in Creole-mustard beer broth with chorizo sausage. This clam-and-sausage combo proves as satisfying as it is unexpected. The contrast of textures and flavors is a wonderful counterpoint to the just-spicy-enough broth. My choice, a grilled portabella mushroom and wild-rice pancake short stack with lavender-butterscotch sauce and vanilla-chive butter, is dense with subtle flavors, but the sauce proves a bit too sweet for a starter dish.

We half-expect the salad course to offer a respite from the fervent creativity of the appetizers, but that notion is delightfully dispensed with when we spy the CZR (Caesar) salad with baby romaine served on a chilled, concave metal triangle, this re-imagination of a salad staple offers fascinating new tastes combinations. Crisp greens are livened with a drizzle of white truffle oil and staved Asiago cheese instead of the usual Parmesan. Only the fried anchovies, which arrive soggy rather than crisp, are a disappointment. Our other salad is filled with textural amusements: grilled Granny Smith apples with baby greens, blue cheese and candied walnuts in an aged sherry apple-cider vinaigrette.

One of Crave's charming details involves the dishes, which are enthusiastically un-matched, yet offer a consistent and sharp sense of design. Whatever the shape or material, plates and bowls are as unique as the chefs' inventive creations. Water and beverage glasses that curve gently, like single parentheses, complement the place settings.

Dining choices become more challenging as we contemplate entrees, but there is little financial pressure, because every main dish save two is priced at $20 or less. We decide to share two items: green tea smoked grilled duck breast and leg of duck confit over herbed spaetzle with blood-orange veal glace, and a braised lamb shank over porcini mushroom risotto with a kalamata olive demi-glace. Grilling reduces the greasiness common with duck, and the robust flavor of the fowl blends with the smoky green tea accents to creat a memorable dish. The fork-tender lamb shank is delicious, neither gamy nor mutton-y, and the nutty porcini risotto gives this offering some earthy personality.

On our next visit (and there will be one, particularly since we know exactly how to get there), we will probably try the char-grilled rum and vanilla-glazed halibut over mashed plantains with mango jalapeno salsa. Or perhaps we'll tumble for the pan-seared fig and macadamia nut-crusted ahi tuna over Thai sticky rice with chocolate veal glace. However, if you prefer simpler fare, Crave offers several cozy Mom-like items (all under $8), like a Denver omelet with bacon, peppers and onions, with American cheese and Bloody Mary ketchup on Texas toast. You have to love a restaurant that makes even ketchup sound intriguing.

We conclude our feast with a green tea and vanilla crème brulee , which has a delicate flavor nestled under its crispy, caramelized lid. The other dessert at our table, served in an immense gray-blue pottery bowl, is Godiva chocolate and Oreo "dirt," with basil vanilla bean ice cream and warm strawberry Chambord sauce. The piquant flavor of the basil ice cream blends beautifully with the chocolate and fruit layer below, and the result provides a glowing finale to this evening full of delicious discoveries.