There are lots of restaurants in the Magic City that dazzle with bright lights, designer table linens, guest DJs, and chefs with acting resumés. But sometimes a place shines so brilliantly that it needs none of that fancy footwork. The District Miami is such a spot. This place claims to offer "contemporary pan-American cuisine," but it's really a melting pot of favorites you probably grew up with — slow-braised pork shoulder, tacos, and meatballs — except reworked by a masterful chef. Under Horacio Rivadero's care, meatballs are made with foie gras ($15), tacos are graced with sweet lobster meat ($18), and tartare is prepared with young Colorado lamb ($14). The work pays off, because Chef Rivadero was named a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Best Chef-South award this year. Better make reservations now.

There's no debating that the food at Rouge is fantastic — the place has arguably the finest seared foie gras in the city. But where this restaurant excels is its ambiance. Once you walk into the red-walled bohemian atmosphere of the interior dining room, you begin to feel far away from the weird wilderness of 71st Street, which is just on the other side of the door. Make your way to the outdoor courtyard, formerly a parking lot, and discover an oasis lined with rustic brick flooring and walls covered with sprawling vines and flowers. Ornamental tiles adorn all the tables, and the soft bubbling of fountains instantly transports you to a breezy night in Marrakesh. It's an amazing departure from the bustling center of Normandy Isle, which is a mere few feet away from the low-key patio. And Rouge's combination of subtlety and French-Moroccan styling makes it a beguiling place for a romantic evening of wine and whispered sweet-nothings.

Any original piece by Monet, Picasso, or Rembrandt will cost you more than you'll earn in your lifetime, but the artist-inspired sandwiches and salads at Orange Cafe + Art won't set you back more than a Hamilton. Located in the Design District, this corner eatery and gallery has a menu as colorful as the hand-painted oil canvases that adorn the orange and white walls. If you're craving a hearty salad, try the Gaudi ($9.75), served with a Mediterranean blend of fresh greens, tomato, palm hearts, fresh red peppers, avocado, black olives, and balsamic vinaigrette. The Frida Kahlo sandwich ($8.95 for a full, $5.60 for a half) is stacked with crisp bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and spicy mayo. The Diego Rivera ($9.85 for a full, $6.20 for a half) brings roast beef, avocado, pico de gallo, lettuce, and mayo. All sandwiches come with a side of chips and Orange's special honey mustard sauce. But if you order a full size, you get to choose your bread: French baguette, whole wheat baguette, or wrap. With cash to spare, you'll want to save room for homemade chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin (69 cents each), or chocolate macadamia cookies ($1.62 each) and an iced caramel latte ($2.85 for medium, $3.85 for large).

Time your drive for just before sunset. Cruise down the dusty road into a nearly deserted Matheson Hammock Park. Stow your car and pause for a moment, hand-in-hand at the water's edge. Gaze at the brilliant-blue water and sky. Once inside Red Fish Grill, take your table for two on the terrace. Stare into the limpid eyes of your lover. Listen to palm trees rustle and sway. Watch the waves of the atoll pool gently roll. Let the trade winds nuzzle your limbs as the sun sets in glorious shades of vermilion, apricot, lemon, and pomegranate. Feed each other steamed mussels ($14) or Chilean sea bass ($40) as twilight sets in. Clink glasses and sip champagne. Bask in ready-made romance. If ardent passion isn't ignited by evening's end, it was a hopeless case to begin with.

At five-star restaurants, you expect to be treated like an A-lister. After all, you're paying through the nose. But for excellent service, you sometimes do better at a neighborhood joint like Italy Today. Located on Main Street in Miami Lakes, the Tuscan-style Italian restaurant serves reasonably priced fresh bruschetta ($9), savory pumpkin ravioli ($15), and the most well-balanced combination of mascarpone cream, ladyfingers, and espresso you'll ever taste in tiramisu ($6.50). But that's not all. From the moment you pass through its rustic wooden doors and hear Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole crooning in the background, you'll feel right at home. The hostess greets you with a warm hello and a genuine smile as she grabs a stack of menus and walks you to your table. Moments after you settle down, a wooden slab with homemade bread appears along with glasses of ice-cold water. Your waitress pleasantly welcomes you with a list of recommended plates. As you place your order and devour the bread, a steady stream of servers and even the manager check on you. As soon as the chef puts the finishing touches on your plate, your food is immediately whisked to your table, along with grated Parmesan cheese. Rest assured you will neither be ignored during the meal nor waiting for your bill long after you've finished. At the end of your dining experience, you'll walk out with a grin, a full stomach, and the desire to come back soon.

How would a mad scientist eat his ice cream? He'd inject it with enough nitrogen to cover the whole parlor in a frosty mist. But you don't have to be a mad scientist to chill out like one, thanks to Chuck Woodard and Danny Golik, the brainiacs behind Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream. You've never had a tasty treat like this before. Begin by choosing your wet ingredients — or elements — from the "Periodic Table" behind the bar. With everything from vanilla (Vn) and Nutella (Nt) to biscotti (Bs) to dulce de leche (Dl), there's plenty to drool over. Add some "mix-n's," such as Krispy Kreme (Kr), Oreos (Or), or even Pop Tarts (Pt). It all goes into a giant mixing bowl that's churned and injected with just enough nitrogen to start a real smoke storm. Don't worry — it's all very safe and fun, and nitrogen is delightfully tasteless and odorless. You can imagine any ingredient combination you want, or you can rely on special weekly "equations" for something new. Chill-N is a real labor of love — the website says Woodard and Golik spent "six months locked up in a garage and 3,456,789 brain-freezes" to get the science right. So indulge in a creamy cup at least once. Grab a regular cup for $4.55, or upgrade to a large for $4.95. Each additional mix-n costs 60 cents. You should probably go nuts. It's well worth it.

You don't have to travel all the way to Italy for some buono gelato. Located in South Pointe, right across the street from Joe's Stone Crab, is Gelateria 4D. The SoBe outpost of the Italian franchise offers some of the tastiest gusti di gelato this side of the Atlantic. There are more than 24 flavors on display, from sweet and creamy tiramisu to savory passionfruit and diet-friendly sugar-free coffee. But if you can't settle for just one sapore, go for the small ($5.95), which brings two scoops of any flavor in a cup or waffle cone. Try the Nutella, cookies 'n' cream, or bacio and coconut. If you're feeling adventuresome, try a stracciatella shake topped with whipped cream and syrup ($7.95), a banana split with your choice of Italian ice cream ($10.89), a mango gelato smoothie ($6.51), or a crepe ($9.35) served with fudge or cream caramel, a scoop of gelato, whipped cream, and Grand Marnier flambé. If you can't get enough of the frozen goodness, enjoy la dolce vita at home with one of Gelateria 4D's gelato boxes ($15.50 for a half-liter, $29.90 for a full liter).

Thank you, Laudurée, for choosing Miami Beach as your next international location after New York City and for bringing a touch of Paris to these shores. Thank you for employing such courteous staff at your Lincoln Road pastry shop. For a moment, we can forget where we are. Thank you for your miniature storefront awash in pastel hues that match your 16 macaron flavors ($2.80 each), as well as the stunning decorative boxes that are available to house them (starting at $21 for a box of six). Thank you for crafting macarons that taste even better than they look. The exoskeleton is crunchy without falling apart, while the inside is perfectly moist and bursting with a rich and velvety filling. We'll take a box of novelty flavors (orange blossom, wild berry jasmine, and lemon verbena) and a box of classics (salted caramel, pistachio, and vanilla), thank you.

Enter Palomilla Grill and find yourself surrounded by ceramic trinkets and sunflower paintings that evoke the sensation of a faraway island. The setting is rich with lingering memories and remnants of hearty conversation. This is the kind of place where families go to spend time together and laugh over savory Cuban meals prepared by able hands. Some of the seat cushions are still even wrapped in plastic, just like abuela's. Sure, you'll want to try the signature palomilla steak ($11.25), but no proper Cuban meal is complete without flan for dessert. It's made in house, and you can practically taste the love in each bite. The soft, caramel notes melt on your tongue and get your taste buds dancing to the beat of Celia Cruz's "Azucar!" Basically, if your abuelita doesn't have her own top-secret flan recipe, she should be infiltrating Palomilla Grill to get her hands on this one.

What's icy, tangy, zesty, crisp, tart, sweet, smooth and positively peerless? It's the key lime pie ($7.95) at Joe's Stone Crab. It's the kind of dessert you have to eat with your eyes closed to fully take in the multitude of textures and flavors. And like the 100-year-old restaurant's world-famous stone crabs, it's worth waiting in line for. The pie is said to have originated in Key West, where key limes abound, but Joe's does Miami Beach proud with its exquisite rendition of the quintessential American treat. Enjoy it after a filling meal at the storied institution, or grab it to go from Joe's Take Away next door. Full pies are available if you order ahead of time. Tote one home, refrigerate it, and enjoy its scrumptiousness for days.