Quinn's place in the Park Central Hotel

It’s been almost five years since Gerry Quinn left A Fish Called Avalon, the Ocean Drive restaurant that he put on the map, and opened his own place in the Art Deco-style Park Central Hotel less than a block away. Quinn’s features the chef’s award-winning Bam! Bam! Shrimp and famed Caribbean Snapper, but, more importantly, it features the creativity and culinary skill of a gourmet who continually works to improve his product.

As he walks through the front of the house, it’s evident that this is his baby.

Although Quinn’s can seat 300, it isn’t jammed with tables as one might expect. Rather, the subtly lighted, Caribbean-influenced, multilevel dining room is open and comfortable, while the outdoor terrace overlooks the excitement on Ocean Drive.

The Floribbean menu looks the same, but Quinn has changed the ingredients and preparation of several dishes for the better. Two years ago, the Warm Goat’s Cheese ($12) was a large ball of creamy cheese that was breaded and deep-fried. It was tasty, but heavy for a summer evening. Today, the dish is light and airy with the consistency of a flan or a soufflé. The goat cheese and cream cheese are whipped together, baked and served in a shallow bowl of roasted red pepper coulis with teardrop tomatoes and a little basil oil.

Quinn also improved the Almond and Pistachio Crusted Lobster Crab Cake ($16). The crust is barely noticeable and doesn’t interfere with the large lumps of crab and lobster that are held together with mustard, mayonnaise, fresh herbs and cayenne pepper. A bed of carrot and jicama slaw furthers the spiciness of the plate, while the mango and papaya chutney pleasantly cools it down.

Of course, Quinn wouldn’t think of changing his signature Bam! Bam! Shrimp ($14), a hot and sweet treasure of large gulf shrimp marinated in 14 hot and savory spices, then grilled and coated with palm sugar. Dip them in the accompanying cool mint sauce and lick the sweetness right off your fingers.

The Grilled Calamari Salad ($13) features baby squid tenderized in milk, marinated in olive oil and garlic, gently char-grilled and basted with herb butter. The calamari is then tossed with mixed wild greens and served with wide crescents of chilled mango and papaya for a pleasing combination of hot, cool, tart and sweet.

The Citrus Crusted Sea Bass ($38) — a large, buttery filet gently grilled and settled atop a Portobello mushroom — features a multiplicity of flavors, textures and colors with a nice earthiness and delicate crunch. Grilled asparagus, spinach and roasted red bell peppers accompany the dish.

However, Quinn deserves respect for the Hog Snapper ($38), an evening special and the chef’s favorite fish. The sweet white fish, speared fresh each morning, tastes like what it eats — a steady diet of only lobster and shrimp. Quinn egg-washes and lightly breads the fish, sautés it in extra virgin olive oil and drawn butter, and serves it with broccoli rabe and a light parsnip and horseradish puree.

I’ve never really cared for verbal dessert listings because it’s often difficult to remember all of the descriptions at once. Nonetheless, the Key Lime Pie ($7.50) is nice and tart and baked in a sugar cookie crust, and the Cheesecake ($8) slice, highlighted with orange zest and a graham cracker crust, is nothing short of hearty.

Quinn’s accommodates a considerable number of large events. But when a party of two goes for dinner, they are treated just as well.