Spring at last, and the canyons and valleys of North County are covered in green, tall grasses and dotted with wild flowers.

But other things are blooming, too. On the eastern edge of Carmel Valley, the growing community of Santaluz has understated, back-country elegance.

And now, Cavaillon Restaurant offers a taste of Provence in this unique setting.

Located at 14701 Via Bettona, Cavaillon sits in a short row of shops at the entrance to one of the area’s upscale housing tracts. The petite restaurant has a gorgeous western view overlooking the neighborhood’s central park area and the horizon beyond.

“Sunset is beautiful here,” said Chef Philippe Verpiand. “Each one is different.”

Chef de Cuisine at La Jolla’s well-respected Tapenade for almost eight years, Verpiand opened Cavaillon in December 2005, with his wife Monica. From the beginning, the couple worked closely with maitre‘d Francois Sagit (formerly of Bertrand’s at Mr. A’s) on the design and concept for the restaurant.

The ambience is casual and charming; dark woods that glow red in the afternoon light, wrought iron details, stone tiles from Provence and mustard yellow walls that Verpiand painted himself. There are antique photographs of Cavaillon, the town in Southern France where he was born and raised, including a picture of a restaurant once owned by his family.

“They used to have a nice butcher’s store in Cavaillon for 60 years — my father and grandfather,” he says. “So, I was born in this food ambience.”

Sagit manages the front of the house with warm, personalized service, while Verpiand’s talents as a chef come shining through in a short, sophisticated menu with Mediterranean influences.

“Maybe I make things a little simpler than I did at Tapenade,” he explained. “I did the menu so that everyone can enjoy it and understand it, and people are very happy. They come back the same week or the week after with some of their friends.”

Verpiand’s style is methodical and well-thought-out. There are only six starters and six entrees to choose from on Cavaillon’s dinner menu. Using the freshest quality ingredients available, either imported or from local vendors, his attention to detail results in beautifully presented plates and flavors that rouse the palate.

One starter is already a big hit with regular diners; the Fourme d’Ambert crostini with shaved pear and black pepper-infused honey, accompanied with a salad of baby greens and walnuts ($9). Fourme d’Ambert is “the cow milk blue cheese,” explains Sagit. “It’s creamier than Roquefort. When it melts, it’s just delicious.” In fact, when he brought this out to the table, the aroma of warm cheese mixed with honey was like perfume. My appetite immediately jumped to attention.

There are two risottos to choose from, so I tried the shrimp and lobster saffron risotto, with English peas, shaved parmesan and lobster jus ($28). Less dense than you would expect from a traditional risotto, Sagit pointed out that the chef uses mascarpone cheese to add creaminess, while still keeping the dish very light. Threads of saffron added rich flavor while not overpowering the taste of the shellfish.

Another customer favorite — seared diver’s scallops served on a bed of du Puy lentils, topped with caramelized onions, matchsticks of green apple and balsamic vinegar ($24). Again, Verpiand doesn’t shy away from vibrant tastes or interesting texture combinations. The lentils were perfectly tender and the scallops delicately pan-seared. The flavor of sweet onions and full-bodied vinegar, easily stood up to a Fritz pinot noir ($12.50 a glass) that was dry, with hint of fruit and oak.

Dessert was a dark chocolate and dried fruit pastilla, served with a scoop of mandarin orange sorbet and passion fruit sauce ($8). Amazing mandarin flavor was very good combined with melted dark chocolate filling wrapped in a thin, crispy pastilla skin. This dessert is a sinful indulgence with a cappuccino to go along with it.

Though the restaurant is small — seating 48 inside with additional patio seating — Verpiand made sure to build a kitchen large enough to accommodate catering orders. The restaurant has already catered for a few events at the nearby Santaluz Gold Club and many members of the Club have become regular Cavaillon guests.

On weekends, plated breakfast/brunch is offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday nights feature a prix fixe menu with your choice from three appetizers, three entrees and three desserts, for $32 per person. There are additional chef’s specials every night of the week.

Whether an intimate dinner for two or a larger party of four, or even just for a glass at the restaurant’s wine bar and to watch the hot-air balloons floating by at sunset, Cavaillon is a good choice for an enchanting evening.

Contact Cavaillon at (858) 433-0483.