Pretty Enough to Eat

Carol Rust April 8, 2004 4:00AM

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Pretty enough to eat: The miso bass ($18.95) at Rickshaw Far East Bistro (2810 Westheimer, 713-942-7272) is eye-catching. The curled cut of fish, seared to a golden-brown and topped with a dollop of orange masago (smelt roe), resembles a sunburst. It comes with purple mashed Peruvian potatoes that look like a scoop of grape ice cream. They're fun to eat because of their color, but there's no mistaking the buttery mashed-potato taste of back home. The dish also features a medley of haricots verts, julienned squash and zucchini just off the grill. But the pièce de résistance is the crimson zigzag across the square white plate, which makes it look like an artist's canvas. It's a blackberry reduction that somehow pulls all the flavors together, blending especially well with the sweet-hot traces of the sea bass's four-hour miso marinade. The dish is healthy, exotic and delicious -- the three most important food groups.