The Restaurant at the Setai

Sara Liss9/26/2011

The goods: Swanky SoBe outpost has revamped its restaurant. Its new version features pared down selections, new fall dishes and dishes categorized by cooking style - The Wok, The Steam, The Tandoor, The Curries, and The Rotisserie & Grill. Michelin Star executive chef David Werly leads an international team in the massive open kitchen, overseeing chefs from Indonesia, India, Malysia and Thailand.

Ambience: The 15,000 square-foot temple-like space continues to exude subdued luxury with dark wood floors, slate brick walls imported from China and cushy leather chairs. The best seats in the house flank the open kitchen where the clamorous action provides ample entertainment. 

The goods: Global cooking with a focus on the Far East. Prices are still as posh as the surroundings: starters average $21, dim sum starts at $14 and mains range from $23-$62. New dishes include sea bass Pla Pao Rom Fan (pictured), lightly smoked fish with jasmine tea and sticky coconut rice; Alaskan king crab red curry, a fragrant stew of shellfish bathed in Malaysian spices with tender peas and potatoes; and Gai Hor Bai Toy, bites of chicken wrapped in Pandanus leaf flavored with cilantro and lemongrass and served over a miniature charcoal grill. Larger dishes include a platter or milk-fed veal chop accompanied by logs of preserved lemon polenta and lemongrass-infused Granny Smith apples.

New desserts include the Valrhona Fondant, a combination of “warm 72% chocolate cake,” coffee and roasted banana ice cream.

Verdict: The Setai scores with a revamped streamlined menu of Far East delicacies in its temple-like dining room.