The goods: Actor Olivier Martinez (Halle Berry’s fiancé) and restaurateurs Jean-Philippe Bernard and Michael Martin bring Villa Azur, a plush European supper club, wine bar and gourmet market, to the Beach.
Ambience: The cavernous hideaway on 23rd Street is bedecked with chandeliers, flowing white curtains and giant black and white photos of St. Tropez. A small lounge area is flanked by fireplaces, bookshelves and cozy booths, while a spacious patio offers white leather couches.
The grub: High-end Mediterranean. Executive Chef Mickael Bensa’s menu includes extensive caviar selections, black truffle-adorned sides, seafood towers piled with oysters and crustaceans, whole fish deboned tableside and massive slabs of chateaubriand for two. Prices are for the deep-pocketed: starters $12-$24, mains $21-$45 and desserts $12.
Fresh ciabatta rolls, sliced sourdough baguettes and butter prime the palate for fried calamari with a slightly spicy marinara, beef tartare with quail egg and sea bream ceviche with tangerine slices. A handful of pastas include rigatoni with morel mushroom sauce and penne rigate in a caviar-topped vodka cream sauce. Mains include prime beef tenderloin, artichoke-stuffed veal filet mignon, branzino with roasted pepper coulis and scallops on leek fondue.
Desserts include “open-face” mint chocolate profiteroles, Crepe Suzette and delicate French strawberry, pineapple, chocolate and pistachio macaroons.
Verdict: This elegant landlocked spot evokes a windswept coastal getaway.

Links:
[1] http://www.miami.com/restaurants/first-look
[2] http://www.miami.com/fed-hosts-quothazed-amp-infusedquot-tea-paired-dinner-june-26-article
[3] http://www.miami.com/restaurants/nibbles-and-bits
[4] http://www.miami.com/barley-amp-swine-opening-saturday-article
[5] http://www.miami.com/restaurants/locally-sourced-miami
[6] http://www.miami.com/sushi-samba-offers-19-baransu-roll-june-18-only-article
[7] http://www.miami.com/gold-and-pepper-brings-golden-touch-sobe039s-italian-dining-scene-article
[8] http://www.miami.com/kouzina-brings-authentic-greek-cuisine-and-wine-midtown-article
[9] http://www.miami.com/first-look-sushisamba-coral-gables-article
[10] http://www.miami.com/peter-luger-veteran-wolfgang-zwiener-opens-wolfgang-s-downtown-miami-article
[11] http://www.miami.com/california-s-umami-burger-makes-its-south-beach-debut-article
[12] http://www.miami.com/barezzito-brings-live-music-amp-latin-influenced-sushi-south-beach-article
[13] http://www.miami.com/first-look-jeffrey-chodorow039s-biscayne-tavern-article
[14] http://www.miami.com/tudor-house-chef-jamie-derosa-opens-tongue-amp-cheek-miami-beach-article
[15] http://www.miami.com/barock-ambitious-new-ocean-drive-spot-european-pedigree-article
[16] http://www.miami.com/poseidon-brings-taste-greek-isles-south-beach-article
[17] http://www.twitter.com/miamicom