Slithering toward being a charmer

Sure, I was guilty of the eye roll whenever the Rattlesnake Bar and Grille was suggested as an after-work excursion. We’d only steer there to sip and sun on the roof deck; food was the last thing on our minds.

But chef Brian Poe is attempting to shed its former skin with his revamped menu. Do the new offerings have the chops to erase memories of bad dishes past? My chowish chum and I sunk our teeth into an array of plates to find out.

Served with a trio of dips, the Lime Zested Chips was a harbinger of phantom flavors to come. The promised zest was missing, and the tequila cream cheese was spicy but not spirited. Frankly, we’d have preferred a larger side of the smoky salsa fresca in lieu of the near mouthwash minty tomatillo salsa, a true foodie fail. Then there was the affordable Infamous Avocado — the grilled vegetable drizzled with San Joaquin avocado oil, topped with black pepper lavender crème fraiche, and — wait for it — lobster. Since a mere crustacean crumb often elevates a dish, this was the best we ate, full of subtle and harmonious flavors.  Ultimately, the bland and messy Celery Root Tempura Fish Tacos lacked bite, improved only by a liberal dose of hot sauce.

Like its namesake serpent, its cocktail combinations seem somewhat scary. Bright pink in color, the Snake Punch has a laundry list of ingredients: Stoli Razberri vodka, Disaronno amaretto, Southern Comfort, grenadine and tropical juices. It tastes like a liquid jellybean, the perfect melding of mixers and oddly not overly sweet. The Cerro Negro is a balanced beverage despite the strange fusion of Jose Cuervo, lime juice  and Pepsi.

This ambitious overhaul is far from perfect, but next time Rattlesnake is recommended, I won’t slink in the other direction.

Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake Bar and Grille
384 Boylston St., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Arlington
617-859-8555
www.rattlesnakebar.com