A rustic summer meal could mean a firefly-lit dinner in a cozy tree house.

Realistically, it’s cold food, mosquitoes, and splinters in unmentionable places.

Take shelter at Redwood in Bethesda Row. The spacious restaurant and bar, from the owners of Sonoma and Mendocino Grille, pays homage to California’s towering trees with walls lined in bark and panels of reclaimed redwood from antique olive oil casks.

The theme continues in the kitchen with a wood-burning grill and oven for items like wood-grilled mussels sizzled in garlic-parsley butter or a heaping burger with house-made pickles.

With plans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the restaurant uses local, seasonal items and lists the farms where ingredients originated whenver possible. Even the wine and beer list showcase local producers.

So you can see the forest for the trees.

Redwood, 7121 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda (301-656-5515 or redwoodbethesda.com).