Dining guide

South Florida CEO, June, 2003

A man hath made no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry.

The Holy Bible: Ecclesiastes - Song of Solomon

SOUTH BEACH

Blue Door 1685 Collins Avenue. 305-674-6400. This fabulous restaurant in the ultra-chic Delano Hotel on South Beach just gets better and better. Opt for Blue Sea's spanking-fresh sushi or Baby Blue's inventive prix fixe menu. And Sunday brunch is simply marvelous. Open daily, 7 am-Midnight. $$$$

Balans 1022 Lincoln Road. 305-534-9191. Its hip location on Lincoln Road assures that stylish Balans is always bustling. Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Thai cuisines influence the fusion menu. Deep-fried goat cheese with mushrooms is yummy, as is sea bass over oven-roasted tomatoes and potato slices. Sunday brunch draws devoted crowds. Open Sun. Thurs., 8 a.m.-Midnight; Fri-Sat., 8 a.m.-1 am. $$

China Grill 404 Washington Avenue. 305-5342211. Flashy and frequently packed, the meant-for-sharing Pan Asian cuisine is always good and highly innovative. Duck with scallion pancakes is especially tasty. Flash-fried crispy spinach is a must-try, as is the wasabi-glazed grouper with chipotle mashed potatoes. Great bar scene, cool interior. Open Sun-Thurs., Noon-Midnight; Fri-Sat., Noon-1 am.

The Forge 432 Arthur Godfrey Road. 305-5388533. Wildly popular despite its north-of-South Beach location, The Forge is all about meat. Excellent cuts of first-quality, aged beef are available, as well as venison, buffalo and lamb. Chocolate lovers rejoice in Blacksmith Pie, the restaurant's signature dessert. Comprehensive wine list pleases the most picky osnophiles. Open Mon.-Thurs., 4 p.m.-Mid night; Fri-Sat., 5 p.m.-3 am.; Sun., Noon-Midnight. $$$$

Mark's South Beach 1120 Collins Avenue. 305604-9050. Mark Militello's eatery in the Nash Hotel is outfitted in gorgeous mahogany and linen wallpaper, but you can get an equally pretty plate of food. Case in point: corn-meal-dusted black grouper wrapped in Serrano ham and zucchini ribbons. Or try the yellowtail snapper with lemon couscous. Open 7 days, Noon-3 p.m., 7 p.m-11:30p.m. $$$$

Nemo 100 Collins Avenue. 305-532-4550. Nestled at the southern tip of the Beach, Nemo has been going strong since opening in l995. Great raw bar selection as well as meat and poultry, but leg of lamb over apricot-cardamom sauce shines. Don't skip a great dessert by pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith. Lovely courtyard dining area Open Mon-Fri., Noon-3 p.m., 7 p.m-Midnight; Sat-Sun,, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.. 6 p.m-11 p.m. $$$$

Nobu 1 1901 Collins Avenue. 305-695-31 00. Chef Nobuyuki Matuahisa brings one of NYC's most popular sushi restaurants to the Beach, and it's predictably popular. Signature black cod with miso, as well as "new-style sashimi" (hot olive oil poured over the raw fish) are not to be missed. Arctic char is especially tasty. Open Mon-Thurs., 6 p.m-Midnight; Fri-Sat., 6 p.m-1 am.; Sun., 6p.m.11 p.m. $$$$

Pacific Time 915 Lincoln Road. 305-534-597g. Attractive, soothing modern interior and open kitchen make Pacific Time an elegant place to dine. Always packed, the restaurant's Asian-American dishes certainly hold their own. The Florida pompano entree is stunning, as is the cuttlefish appetizer. Cinnamon-grilled squab is also excellent. Open Sun-Thurs., 6 p.m-11 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 6 p.m-Midnight $$$$

Sushi Samba Dromo 600 Lincoln Road. 305-673-5337. The decor is richly accented in magenta and red, and the saketinis pack an appropriate wallop. But fantastic ceviches and Peruvian-style tiraditos are the real standouts on this comprehensive fusion menu. Kobe beef also shines, as does an excellent lobster tempura roll. Open Mon-Tues., 5:30 p.m.-2 am.: Wed.-Sun., Noon-2 a.m.

Tuscan Steak 433 Washington Avenue. 305-5342233. Typical steakhouse decor doesn't mean typical steakhouse fare at this Beach staple. Filet mignon with a Gorgonzola crust is appropriately rich, as is Florentine T-bone. Expect pastas imbued with earthy truffles and cream, risotto redolent of white truffle oil. Meat platters are served family style. Open Sun-Thurs., 6 p.m.-11 p.m.; Fri-Sat., 6 p.m-1 am.

Twelve Twenty 1220 Collins Avenue. 305-531 6800. Serving progressive French-American cuisine in the ultra-chic Tides hotel, Twelve Twenty offers fabulously rich food to a ritzy crowd. Squab in port wine sauce as well as steamed sea bass with blanched lemons and fried ahal1ota are delectable. Thin apple tart isa delicious dessert. Open 7 days, 7 p.m-11 p.m.

Wish 801 Collins Avenue. 305-531-2222. One of South Beach's prettiest and moat cutting-edge restaurants, Wish serves fabulous food in a chicyet-serene atmosphere. Try the cachaca-marinated tuna; plump veal chops over coconut-milk risotto is also especially tasty. A must-have dessert is the ritzy(l) amores with chocolate-ginger ice cream. Great service too. Open Sun-Thurs., 6 p.m-11 p.m.; Fri-Sun., 6 p.m.-Midnight. $$$$

Yuca 501 Lincoln Road. 305-532-9822. Certainly the place to see and be seen on Lincoln, Yuca caters to a crowd that likes to eat great Cuban food and look pretty at the same time. UltraCuban rabo encendido (slow-braised oxtail) is fabulous, as is the grilled pork tenderloin served with congri rice and avocado salad. Seafood dishes are also standouts. Open 7 days, Noon-Midnight. $$$