There is quite a bit going on at Santo. You can dine in a warm and casually elegant room or sit outside on Lincoln Road Mall and people-watch. You can gather around a bustling bar or slip into the huge, back-room Performance Lounge after midnight and listen to live music until 5 a.m.

Santo’s menu has changed in the 10 weeks since Executive Chef Cory Smith left the now-defunct Pacific Time to join the eatery. Think world cuisine with traces of Asian and Latin flavors. As the self-trained Smith explained, “Everybody is from somewhere else, so we try to touch on several parts of the globe.”

The menu offers several creative twists on old favorites. Smith’s Venison Carpaccio ($16) is first rolled in Nutella hazelnut cream, then in crushed espresso beans. No, don’t think of it as a beef tiramisu. Rather, the venison has a gentle mocha aroma to it. The meat is seared, thinly sliced and then treated with a little hazelnut oil and truffle oil. The Tuna Duo ($17) is another favorite, with sushi-quality tuna prepared tataki style — that is, marinated in a citrus ponzu and crusted with black and white sesame seeds and a little nori seaweed — then barely pan-seared. A fresh tuna tartare tower mixed with a bit of Asian slaw reminiscent of a pickled kimchee and finished with an avocado puree and pickled ginger accompanies the tataki with three dipping sauces: sweet ginger soy, sweet and spicy Asian chili, and wasabi Dijon. But the tuna is quality enough to enjoy without sauce. The Maryland-style Crab Cakes ($15) are tasty and almost all lump crabmeat, though we like ours with more lump. However, the zesty rémoulade offered a nice accent. The Roasted Balsamic Pear Salad ($13) stands out with wild greens enhanced by candied walnuts, feta cheese and fresh tomatoes. The roasted pear quarters served in a balsamic glaze really give the dish life, and the scallion vinaigrette provides a nice contrast to their sweetness.

The Carrot Ginger Sea Scallops ($33) are plump and succulent. Fresh scallops are lightly dusted with cornmeal, then pan-seared and finished in the oven. Smith believes the light and sweet carrot ginger broth goes well with seafood, and we would have to agree. Plus, the addition of horseradish mashed potato puree brings out the flavor of the carrots and the ginger. The Pork Osso Bucco ($33) doesn’t fare as well. The hearty four-inch shank is braised for four hours in a demi-glaze and is as tender as pork can be, but the sun-dried tomato risotto is thick and gummy, as if cooked too long, and lowers the quality of the dish. Compared with the oversized scallops and the tender pork, the Lamb T-Bones ($37) are surprisingly small. They offer a beautiful flavor, finished with a butter of shallots, parsley, lemon juice and salt. But, unfortunately, they were undercooked on our visit and what little tender meat they offered was offset by tough fascia. The Asian Duck Orange ($34) is a wonderful start, with duck breast marinated in orange liqueur, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves, then pan-seared and served with two sweet sauces. However, the wrapper of the accompanying fried duck wonton — much like a spring roll stuffed with rich pulled duck, celery, leeks and chives — gets soft and chewy sitting in the huckleberry gastrique. The Fried Buttery Gnocchi ($8) side sinks like lead pellets and the tasteless herbed brown butter sauce does nothing to enhance them.

Smith, who is also the pastry chef, offers a variety of desserts, from a Chocolate Soufflé ($10) with a hint of Jack Daniels in a creamy center, to a decadent Black Forest Baked Alaska ($12) — a meringue-wrapped ice cream pie with an Oreo cookie crust, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cake, chocolate sauce, chocolate chips and a raspberry coulis — to a flaky Cinnamon Apple Tart ($10) and a Banana Walnut Sushi ($10) with a banana dipped in chocolate, rolled in walnuts, then cooled and sliced like sushi with strands of candied ginger.

Santo offers a reduced-price Miami Spice menu until the end of September.

Santo Restaurant & Lounge ADDRESS: 430 Lincoln Road, South Beach PHONE: 305-532-2882 HOURS: Tuesday through Saturday, lunch 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; dinner 6 to 11 p.m. (or midnight on weekends) FOOD: World Cuisine SERVICE: Excellent PRICES: Appetizers $8 to $17, entrées $28 to $40 WINES: Choice selection of domestic and international labels ATMOSPHERE: Stylish and contemporary RESERVATIONS: Recommended CREDIT CARDS: All major credit cards