Place: Riley McDermott's.
Address: Bank of America Building, 401 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.Rating: *** (Very Good)Contact: 954-767-6555, rileymcdermotts.com.Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 5:30-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, to midnight Friday-Saturday. (Closed Sunday, May 18.)Prices: Starters $9-$14, entrees $24-$65, sides $7-$10, desserts $7-$15.FYI: Metered parking, garage or valet. Reservations recommended. Corkage fee $25 per bottle. AX, DS, MC, VS.The third time's the charm, the saying goes. But the folks behind Riley McDermott's have left little to luck at their swank Las Olas steak and seafood restaurant. Following Red Coral and then Zucca in the Bank of America Building, McDermott's has been the hottest reservation in Fort Lauderdale since opening in January.
The place is a stunner, remodeled for at least $4 million, with river slate and hardwood floors, blue and green mosaic tiles, a 10-foot crystal chandelier and dramatically high ceiling.
The ''modern'' American menu features well-sourced ingredients such as prime Allen Brothers beef, Niman Ranch pork and Hawaii fish flown in daily. Then there's the killer raw bar, hand-churned ice cream and sorbet with flavors like Courvoisier and cinnamon and a 25-page wine list (really a book) with about 800 selections.
A few surprises: This sophisticated restaurant is named after a 17-year-old, the son of owner Anthony McDermott. And it has so many connections to celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, you'd expect to hear ''BAM!'' in the kitchen. The general manager is Lagasse's nephew Jason Cotter, formerly of Emeril's in Orlando and Miami Beach. And Louisiana-born Trent Osborne, a sous chef for Lagasse in four locations, recently took over as executive chef.
Begin your meal with wonderful complimentary bread choices (especially the rosemary focaccia) and fun starters like an intriguing ''carpaccio'' of roasted purple and golden beets and baby arugula with blue cheese, candied pecans and a zesty sherry vinaigrette.
The lobster bisque is thick and luxurious, with corn kernels and lots of broiled Maine lobster. We weren't as happy with an appetizer of broiled, peekie-toe crab-crusted oysters, which tasted a little fishy. We had raw oysters on another visit that were fine.
The delectable fruits de mer ($63 at recent market price) is a raw bar feast big enough for four. Half a Maine lobster is perched on an icy platter surrounded by oysters and clams on the half shell; chunks of poached lobster tail served in the shell; lobster claws (seasonal stone or king crab); chilled steamed black mussels with ceviche-style mignonette, and Hawaiian king prawns.
Fish choices are also stellar. Pan-seared salmon is lovely, served with plenty of jumbo lump crab and light, house-made gnocchi. The sea bass, with a fat, crisp potato cake and asparagus tips, is outstanding.
Carnivores will also be happy here. My friend's well-marbled rib-eye was certainly flavorful, but she thought it a tad fatty. My eight-ounce Wagyu fillet, however, was splendid -- buttery tender and perfectly cooked. But there wasn't much of the promised truffle presence in the accompanying potato sticks.
A simple chicken breast is an elegant, generous plate for $24. The organic chicken, with a hint of garlic and thyme, is incredibly juicy and succulent, with a homey sweet corn tamale cake and smoky slices of grilled zucchini and squash.
We had two very different dining experiences here. Weeknights exude an energetic, after-work vibe, but the kitchen and wait staff seemed taxed on a Thursday night. My friends and I were quickly ushered to our table in the quieter loft, but then we were ignored for 15 minutes. Not even a drink order. A sweet young waiter finally adopted our table. On a Saturday night, however, two very professional waiters gave us impeccable service from the get-go. And the food was better.
Desserts are a must. The chocolate soufflé scrumptious, with brandied cherries and white chocolate ice cream, is well worth ordering ahead. And we loved the cinnamon scoop with upside-down Granny Smith apple pie.
Now that Mark's Las Olas is gone, Riley McDermott's is poised, with some tweaking, to be the major player on Las Olas.
