Cioppino

The ingredients do the talking at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne's clean and classic Italian outpost with a modern twist. Raw fish junkies will melt for the Pacific Coast wild salmon crudo, visually pleasing in shades of pink and green, featuring delicate but generous slices that come nestled beside a manicured micro-herb salad drizzled with Sicilian citrus and extra-virgin olive oil. Every day is special risotto day at Cioppino, with new varieties constantly in development. Among them: eggplant and Sicilian tomato married with the highly prized Riso di Baraggia, Italy's first and only denominazione di origine protetta (DOP) rice. Tender and flaky wild Alaskan halibut is grilled, imparting a smoky char that balances well with a punchy Livornese-style sauce of tomato, onion, and capers. There's even a Cioppino Bellini, with white peach purée and Prosecco, inspired by the drink made famous at Venice's Harry's Bar. An inventive pastry team crafts desserts such as panna cotta playfully deconstructed into ice cubes and served with berry consommé. As would be expected from a luxury hotel's fine-dining restaurant, the average cost per person, including alcohol, ventures into the $60 range, and that's even if you order carefully. But it is well worth the price.