Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove Review

Coconut palms grow through the roof of this open-air thatched restaurant, flickering candlelight illuminates colorful local murals, waves lap the white sand, and the warm waitstaff provides just the right level of service. Jean-François Bellanger's superbly presented dishes fuse French culinary preparations with island ingredients. Top choices include smoked salmon with watermelon-ginger jam, sundried tomatoes, and tapenade; pan-seared snapper medallions served with roasted sweet potato in a saffron white-wine curry; Caribbean bouillabaisse with coconut milk and pumpkin aioli; and chicken stuffed with creole vegetables in mango-kiwi sauce. The kitchen can be uneven, the wine list is unimaginative and overpriced (save for the occasional $31 specials), and the buzzing happy-hour bar crowd lingering well into dinnertime can detract from the otherwise romantic atmosphere. Nonetheless, Coconut Grove straddles the line between casual beachfront boîte and elegant eatery with aplomb.