June 27, 2001 -- Did you ever go on a date with someone who's very nice--you couldn't find a thing wrong with the person--but you just didn't "click?" Well, you don't want to make a hasty judgment, so you go out with this nice person again... and you don't feel any differently. That's how I felt about Bonterra. The setting is impressive: partners John and Buddy Duncan certainly have spent some money to upfit a 100-year-old church-turned-gardening shop into a clean, airy dining spot. The textured walls are cream-colored with dark wooden accents, including a curved balcony and an elegant bar, and stretch toward the sky. (Perhaps the high ceiling contributes to the elevated noise level.) The wine list is equally impressive, offering 200 wines by the glass; the bottles are kept at the appropriate temperature for each type in custom-built refrigerated cabinets. Servers don't mind offering suggestions for wines--or meals (one was particularly descriptive in telling us what she didn't recommend). All of the food that we ordered, with the exception of the bland Voodoo Rasta Pasta, was excellent. I do wish the menu weren't so cryptic. One item, for example, is listed as "Cedar Plank WBBO Roasted Salmon..." "with "AWS Bacon Sweet Potatoes". No, my server rebuffed, that does not stand for All-Wheel Steering; it means Apple Wood Smoked. (Oh. Sorry.) And WBBO stands for Wood Burning Brick Oven. Now you know. The pork loin was juicy and tender around its apple walnut stuffing, and the grouper may have been the best fish dish I've ever had: WBBO-roasted crispy and sweet. Several friends at a nearby table raved over the aforementioned salmon. The appetizers fared just as well--we tried the crab cakes and seared jumbo scallops and were happy with both (even though they did look sort of lost on those huuuuggge plates). Our desserts were surely the highlight. The large crème brulée had a silky body and the perfect crunch; the hazelnut truffle tower stands as one of the more tasteful structures in Charlotte; and the chocolate pyramid was worthy of the sweet tooth gods. Bonterra obviously is popular--it was just as crowded on a Wednesday as a Saturday, so I'd recommend making a reservation-- and it should have no trouble staying busy. vital stats: 1829 Cleveland Avenue Charlotte, NC 28203 Phone:   (704) 333-9463 HOURS Mon-Thu 5:30pm-10pm; Fri-Sat 5:30pm-11pm (Wine Room opens at 4:30 Mon-Sat) PAYMENT INFO American Express, Cash, MasterCard, Visa