Dining Critic

Willis Loughhead used to cook the food of love – aphrodisiac dining – at his last incarnation. Now he cooks for the love of food – and you will love him for it. Because once you’ve blocked out the splendor that is the Ritz Carlton with its rich woods and stylish, open design and taken in the skill and training of the extremely competent wait staff, you’re faced with what the young chef calls a very classic, straightforward European Grill.

If you’re thinking geography, the food is straightforward by way of France, Germany and Spain with a bit of the Italian peninsula tossed in. Think, rather, that Loughhead’s menu is created around single flavors that emphasize a main ingredient, gently accented by two or three subservient ingredients that enhance instead of disguise.

Case in point, the Heirloom Tomato Salad ($14). This very simple dish brings sunburst, pineapple, organic and organic basil tomatoes to the plate, thinly-sliced and barely sprinkled with a bit of sea salt. The intrinsic individuality of each tomato is a showcase. The fig carpaccio and vinaigrette are just reminders that this dish is all about the tomatoes. Unfortunately, as seasons change, this dish will go away for a while. But not the Foie Gras ($22), never the foie gras! Here is an appetizer that centers about the delicately-seared foie gras that rests on a bed of caramelized pear. Some may think goose liver is too rich, but Loughhead’s is accompanied by a “taste” of imported Doktoren Hof vinegar. Served in a tall, thin aperitif glass, the vinegar – which has been aged in oak and has the flavor of a fine Tokay wine – is sipped between tastes of the foie gras. Shrimp Cocktail ($13) features large U10 shrimp prepared in a shrimp stock flavored with coriander, bay leaf and pickling spices. When quizzed about this simple-yet-striking dish, Loughhead gives a shrug and a smile. “It’s just shrimp cooked properly. If you do shrimp and do it well, people are going to think, hey great shrimp cocktail.” The Autumn Salad ($10) is a remarkable mesclun mix of colorful baby “greens” combined with goat cheese, walnuts and dried cranberries. No dish is overly doused in dressings and this one simply received a touch of saffron aioli and herbs. Salmon ($18) is smoked in-house where it is imbued with a slight hickory flavor. The slices are then wrapped around a veritable mound of fresh crabmeat moistened with just a bit of crème fraiche, so you taste the crab and not the binder.

Monkfish ($26) is imported every other day from Boston. The fish is roasted on the bone with a little butter and shallots to bring out the flavor without becoming fishy. Then, rather than serving it in a stew, Loughhead combines the fish with a bit of oxtail ragout – traditionally braised with fresh asparagus and baby carrots. The ragout makes the sauce for the dish. Cochinillo ($26) is a large slice of suckling pig, slow braised so the meat is tender and finished in a hot oven, turning the top of the filet into crispy chicharrones. The pig is somewhat salty, so it’s not for everyone, but the addition of seared farm-fresh prawns and baby bell peppers in a rum/port sauce make it a taste worth trying. Don’t ask what the chef puts on his New York Strip ($34). You’ll get a raised eyebrow. There is no dry rub, no marinade, no melted gorgonzola; just prime, dry-aged, quality beef. It’s flavor stands on its own. (Okay, it does have a sprinkle of salt and pepper.). The Rack of Lamb ($38) – rich, thick, tender eyes of Colorado lamb – are also simply seared and cooked to perfection. A chef once told me, “Lamb is just meat on the grill. If you wanted flavor you should have said so in advance.” Obviously he hadn’t tried this rack, whose incredible flavor spoke for itself. The meat dishes are from a category called Simply Grilled, so you may want a side dish. The Creamed Spinach ($5.50) is not puréed. It’s whole baby spinach, lightly sautéed and finished with a little béchamel so it’s creamy, not creamed. The Sauerkraut ($6) is braised in apple juice with a bit of pancetta, a side that brings a bit of boldness to your palate.

After dinner, Loughhead turns his tables over to Pastry Chef Paul Hayward, who has worked in the Mandarin and the Ritz in London. His Crème Brulee ($9) is subtlely-heightened by a key lime infusion and topped with a caramelized pineapple tuile. The Banana Cobbler ($8.50) features the caramelized ripe fruit topped with a crunchy macadamia and pecan streusel in a Cuban chocolate sauce. The Bittersweet Chocolate Soufflé ($14), of course had a molten center, but the lemon/thyme imulsion-and-orange marmalade anglaise made this sweet special.

Bizcaya doesn’t miss a beat. Women are even given a little stool to set their purses on. But just like everything else, it all fades into the background as soon as the food first hits your lips.

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Bizcaya at the Ritz Carlton

ADDRESS: 3300 SW 27 Avenue, Coconut Grove

PHONE: (305) 644-4670

HOURS: 7am – 11am; 11:30am – 3:30pm; 6:30pm – 11:30pm daily

FOOD: Modern European Grill

SERVICE: Impeccable.

PRICES: Appetizers $9.50 to $22; Entrees $19 to $38

WINES: An excellent international selection

ATMOSPHERE: Putting on the Ritz without getting stuffy.

RESERVATIONS: Requested

SMOKING: Outdoors