BY ROCHELLE KOFF

rkoff@MiamiHerald.com

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Himmarshee Bar & Grille is still a major player in the competitive Fort Lauderdale scene. Sleek and sophisticated with bold colors, lofty ceilings and urban hipness, it remains a hot gathering spot for the power-lunch elite and the place to go before (or after) an evening at the nearby Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

But no one's resting on their laurels here -- certainly not Dave Nicholas, owner since 2005. He recently introduced private "chef's table" dinners on the upstairs terrace built around a specific ingredient or theme, and keeps improving the international wine list (with lower markups than most fine dining spots), which now boasts 50 by-the-glass labels.

Most importantly, Himmarshee's executive chef, Youssef Hammi, is still turning out great food. The menu changes often, but you can count on Latin, Mediterranean and Asian influences and bold spices like ginger, cinnamon and coriander popular in Hammi's native Morocco.

The briny sea flavors of a steamed mussel starter with house-made chorizo and crushed red pepper is offset by a saffron broth so good we sopped it up with our sliced sourdough. The bread, which comes with tasty pesto and garlic spreads, would be even better warm, but we're told there's no room in the kitchen for a bread warmer.

Calamari has become a snore at many places, but we love Hammi's -- tender rings coated with a light batter and jerk seasoning that doesn't overpower. A milky vanilla dipping sauce cuts the spiciness, and a perky pineapple salsa adds an extra burst of flavor.

Hammi's butternut squash purses are a delight, as comforting as Thanksgiving. Bits of roasted squash, seasoned with cinnamon, star anise and allspice, are encased in wonton skins, caressed by a nutty shiitake-brown butter sauce.

A patty of nut-crusted goat cheese stars in a refreshing salad of crisp green apple slices and chilled field greens in a sherry vinaigrette spiked with port syrup.

Frômage fans should consider a cheese platter as a starter or dessert, with choices like Spain's Monte Enebro, Canada's dry Pont Couvert or a classic Blue Log (three varieties for $18, five for $25), served with condiments like a pinot noir berry jam or pine nuts with rosemary honey.

Hammi's most spectacular dish is whole yellowtail snapper, crusted in salt and deep-fried. The skin is crisp and the flesh delicate and moist, not a bit greasy. On the side: jasmine rice atop a hot garlic-chile sauce.

Scallops are perfectly seared, plump and juicy, over sautéed mushrooms and sliced shallots. The roasted duck was a bit chewy, but the rosemary- and garlic-seasoned grilled rack of lamb was delicious with a shallot confit and buttery whipped potatoes with shaved black truffles.

We had to ask for water twice on one visit, but in general the service was attentive, friendly and professional.

Desserts (house-made except for overly hard cannoli shells) include lovely panna cotta and crème brûlée, but our favorite is the apple cake -- heated in a cinnamony butter sauce just before leaving the kitchen and served with cinnamon ice cream.

We ended our night with fine cordials and a toast to another 10 years of good times at Himmarshee.