First look: 1 Bleu
By Sara Liss
The goods: The well-heeled enclave of Bal Harbour welcomes its newest restaurant with the Regent Hotel's 1 Bleu. Perched at the edge of the Atlantic ocean the dapper dining room is the perfect spot to get nautical and take in the cerulean views. Dark imported woods from Brazil and Africa, leather and marble walls and a glass-encased wine tower keep this spot's glam quotient firmly in check. Raised leather banquettes, floor-to-ceiling windows and a 30-foot Guy Dill sculpture on the outdoor terrace create a swank backdrop for the ocean-loving menu.
The grub: A glass-encased raw bar in the corridor leading to the dining room indicates the day's catch and the restaurant's commitment to fresh fruits de mer, from both local and international waters. Baby calamari, razor clams, turbot and Mediterranean striped bass are flown in daily from Costa Brava, Spain. Chef Gerdy Rodriguez presides over the Le Cordon Bleu-influenced kitchen and is no stranger to upscale eats. Apprenticing with Norman Van Aken, helming Sambal at the Mandarin and working molecular gastronomy at the lauded La Broche, the Havana-born toque learned to dish with the Magic City's best.
The Regent aims to up the level of excellence in the city's hospitality scene and prices reflect the plush surroundings. Appetizers range from $13 for an organic field green salad (sourced from Homestead's Paradise Farms) to $30 for foie gras terrine with cherry compote. Mains range from $26 for a baby vegetable palette to $56 for a prime aged filet with potatoes and crème fraiche. Dinner starts with an amouse buche of petite serrano croquetas topped with micro greens and a mojito "welcome cocktail" served in a shot glass composed of rum and lime-mint foam. A starter of local grouper and wild salmon ceviche presents the citrus-marinated fish spiced with cilantro, jalapeno and truffle-scented white corn. The Hawaiin yellowfin tuna carpaccio is paper-thin slices of fish topped with marinated mushrooms and truffled potato chips. While seafood takes center stage here, meat lovers have plenty to choose from with a Moroccan lamb loin accompanied by grilled pineapple, coconut and ginger flowers and a meatball and linguini appetizer rounding out the carnivorous offerings.
Par for the course at a luxury hotel, the wine list is extensive with plenty of options for expense-accounters along with reasonably-priced options under $50, like a bottle of Trinchero Sauvignon Blanc for $32 or a Trumpeter Cabernet for $23.
The dessert menu features a frozen cocktail list where the chef displays his background in molecular gastronomy with a pina colada composed of coconut foam, pineapple ice and rum gelee. The self-explanatory "intro to chocolate" composed of chocolate mousse, sorbet, truffle and ganache is a fitting coda to the posh feast.
Verdict: Chef Gerdy Rodriguez's refined seafood menu will please Bal Harbour's well-coiffed set and give foodies a reason to venture to the beachside luxe hotel.
1 Bleu, 10295 Collins Ave.; 305-455-5400;regenthotels.com/BalHarbour