Some local toques start small while dreaming big, tirelessly working their way from modest venture to name brand via fits and starts of epicurean inspiration.

Award-winning chef Ris Lacoste has successfully scaled that ladder (and then some).

Which is why it’s so refreshing to find her ratcheting things back a bit so we can all explore the building blocks of fine cooking she’s created at the new Ris at Union Market.

The upstart food stand debuted at the cosmopolitan farmer’s market late last fall, as a seasonal pop-up just before Thanksgiving. That limited run was obviously intended to whet customers’ appetites for Lacoste’s interpretation of fast food.

The compact carte ranges from exotic ready-to-eat stews and carry-out centerpieces (braised lamb shank, duck leg confit) to tempting homemade sweets. There are also a few crave-worthy culinary cheats some folks have apparently been wanting to get their hands on.