The Restaurant at the Setai: Pretty, precious, pricey

The expansive/expensive wine list overseen by sommelier Dwayne Savoie includes plenty of by-the-glass selections as well as half-bottles — the latter starting at $40. The Restaurant's website advertises a monthly collection of 65 wines, all discounted 40 percent, but no mention of such was made verbally or on the menu.

A high bar is set for high-end restaurants. Most of the cuisine here clears the elevated hurdle, but service and attention to detail come up short. The staff here works in a more professional manner than those at many Beach establishments, yet the young workers aren't long on experience. Tableside manners became clumsy at times, and there were minor miscues — from our linen tablecloth never being cleared of crumbs, to having to wait too long for entrée plates to be cleared.

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Scallop-truffle dumplings at the Restaurant at the Setai. View our Restaurant at the Setai slide show.

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The Restaurant at the Setai

2001 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139

Category: Restaurant > American

Region: South Beach

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Details

2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-520-6000; setai.com/dining/therestaurant. Dinner Sunday through Thursday 7 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 7 p.m. to midnight. Brunch Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

View our Restaurant at the Setai slide show.

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More About

• David Werly
• Jonathan Wright
• South Beach (Miami Beach)
• Meat
• Foods

Other details were missed. On one visit, we were brought predinner lentil wafers and shrimp crackers, an amuse-bouche, and a postdinner truffle; another time, we received none of the three. That's a big omission. Tablecloths in the room were wrinkled and laid crookedly, and our table wobbled whenever anything was placed on it — except for an absolutely weightless passion fruit soufflé (unfortunately, it wasn't wait-less; owing to confusion, perhaps language-related, the waiter forgot to place our order).

Tall as a top hat, the soufflé was steamy, foamy, mellifluous, and moist. At the bottom of the dish was a thin layer of chocolate; chocolate sauce was superfluously served alongside (we didn't use it), along with a dab of pure passion fruit sorbet. New pastry chef Carl Bertka also offers smaller desserts ($7 or $8), including a dreamily creamy, citrus-happy yuzu cheesecake with a scoop of sesame ice cream (more notable for being gray than for the muted flavor).

You can have a great meal at the Restaurant at the Setai. Finding great value is another matter.