April 2005

Just as SoHo is the Manhattan moniker of the lively area just south of Greenwich Village, SoBe stands for South Beach, the lively Miami neighborhood that celebrates art-deco architecture, a stampede of restaurants, and a bubbling street culture. The cuisine of this area includes plenty of seafood and adaptations of the specialties of the Caribbean islands.

Diners who don't know the origin of the name SoBe when crossing its threshold will be enlightened quickly enough. The murals depict the colorful facades of South Beach. There is a big dining room and a bar where sports fans can enjoy HDTV while having drinks and nibbling on appetizers.

Service is uneven, more the result of an insufficient number of servers than of their quality. On a recent evening, the sole waiter had to serve 20 diners. A hostess, enlisted to deliver the wine, neglected to peel the capsule from the bottle's opening and then put the cork back in.

Portions, with very few exceptions, are large. The menu, moderate in length, takes its inspiration from many parts of the Caribbean. Good starters were nicely cooked and tender steak tips served on a bed of rice; sautéed Gulf shrimp marinated with jerk seasoning and accompanied by garlic-infused mashed potatoes; and hazelnut-encrusted chicken. Chili, with ground meat and few beans, was very good. The weakest link was the fried calamari; the breading overwhelmed the tender seafood.

Winners among the main courses were a fine filet of grouper with a sprightly horseradish and caper sauce; Gulf trout stuffed with crabmeat with a béarnaise sauce and rosemary; and a pair of marinated, boneless pork chops served medium as ordered. A pair of crabcakes, offered sautéed or broiled, included lesser-quality crabmeat along with lump; the grilled tuna filet was good but small. Las Olas chicken breast with sautéed shallots, bacon, and herbs was bathed in a paprika cream sauce. The weakest main course was the penne with lobster, plum tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. Although ample in size, it had negligible flavor. A disappointment is the restaurant's tendency to offer the same garnishes, usually string beans and garlic mashed potatoes, with most every plate.

The winner among the desserts is the Key-lime pie with a graham-cracker crust. An order of a cup of coffee late one evening prompted the server to make a new pot, which was especially welcome. The wine list, though not long, is enterprising. The fact that vintages are not listed is almost compensated for by the low prices, which reach down to $16 a bottle.

Atmosphere: Comfortable with pleasing decor that shuts out the outside world.

Food: Good if somewhat uneven.

Service: Good when the staff is not overburdened.

Price: Main courses $10 to $23, most between $15 and $18. Dinner for two: about $70.

Value: Good.

Wine list: Small but well priced.

Bottom line: Well worth a visit, especially if you're hungry.