DORE SOUTH BEACH NEW ON THE SCENE

The Dore South Beach main dining room

South Floridians have a new "ritzy" destination for fine food and drink: It's the Doré South Beach, a new restaurant-lounge that opened this week at the Miami Beach Ritz-Carlton at 1669 Collins Avenue. The 7,000-square-foot space offers a main dining area, which seats 90; a Rotunda lounge, seating 40; a bar that accommodates 30 and a private dining room for 40 people. 

The Rotunda lounge

The menu boasts a distinctly international flair, including tapas, such as Duck Bresaola (house-cured, fig jam, parmesan sablé), Crudo (radish, cucumber, ponzu, soy), or Salmon Rillettes (crème fraîche, baguette). For appetizers, there's Lobster and Crab Cake (cilantro, apple curry sauce), Roasted Tomato Tart (burratina, arugula, balsamic caramel), Foie Gras (seared, fuji apple, brioche), or Raclette Terracotta (bresaola, potato, cornichon pickle). Among the entrees are Slow Braised Lamb Shank (soft polenta, rosemary jus), Tiger Shrimp (white beans, red pepper, hazelnut romesco), Lemon Sole (potato purée, spinach, lemon, crouton, brown butter), and  8oz Filet Mignon  (haricots verts, potato Gratin Dauphinois, peppercorn brandy sauce).

For entertainment, there's a DJ there nightly. Below is the menu, which is complemented by a tantalizing selection of "mixology" drinks, including   a number of martinis Pam and I will have to review personally. -- Gerry