The first thing you need to know about Bonvenu, the newest restaurant in Carytown, is that it's not French.

It's not a French restaurant, the cuisine is not French-inspired and Bonvenu is not a French word.

I know; it was news to me too. Bonvenu means welcome in Esperanto, "a made up language … blended from all the languages of Europe—from Latin to Ukrainian—which has been practiced, in speech and literature for over 100 years."

Once you understand that, the rest of the menu makes a whole lot more sense.

First, the back story. Owning a restaurant was a life-long dream for sisters, and now owners, Susan Doyle and Anne Stewart. When Doyle was laid-off from her job of 10 years that dream became a reality thanks in large part to a Craigslist posting that The Track Restaurant in Carytown was for sale.

The sisters bought the restaurant and brought in Chef Shaun Watts, formerly of Bank, Helen's and Can Can, to design the menu.

"Once they explained Esperanto to me and the philosophy behind it, I knew what I wanted to do," Watts said. "We wanted to remake things that were appetizing and familiar to Richmond and Carytown … but to do something different and fun."

Highlights on the menu (which you can see here) include Blackened Sea Scallops with celeriac purée, caramelized onion rice and baby bok choy $24; Beggars Purse with tasso ham, lump crab and chevre with herbed lemon crème fraiche $11; and Roasted Veal Chop with charred corn, fire roasted peppers and whipped garlic mashed potatoes $25.

Doyle and Stewart also completely renovated the once dark restaurant, creating a bright, airy space that looks right at home in Carytown (check out our slideshow here). And they did it all in three short months.

Bonvenu opened last week and is now open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. and for lunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Look for happy hour and daily menu specials in the coming weeks. Bonvenu Restaurant & Bar, 2915 W. Cary St., (804) 342-1003.