Seated at a white-cloth-covered table amid tropical foliage, dimly lit lanterns and a backdrop of Biscayne Bay, a dining guest drops to his knee and asks his date for her hand in marriage.

When this happens -- and on some occasions it happens four or five times a night at Baleen in Coconut Grove -- she will say `yes.'

Brian Willoughby, general manager at Baleen, is pretty sure of himself.

'I have yet to hear a `no,' '' he said.

Baleen is the perfect atmosphere and setting for a romantic deal closer.

With intimate outdoor seating -- tables nestled among the rocks offering privacy and spectacular views of the bay -- the restaurant lives up to its part of the proposal, providing the wine, the food and the atmosphere -- everything except the ring.

Located on the first floor of the Grove Isle Hotel Resort & Spa, Baleen customers -- from lovers and hotel guests to business people, nearby condo residents and other Miami locals -- cross a short bridge off South Bayshore Drive and in seconds enter resort seclusion.

The hotel and restaurant, at 4 Grove Isle Dr., on Fair Isle/Grove Isle, is a getaway for tourists, but locals also appreciate having their own nearby getaway, Willoughby said.

During cooler months, guests can sip cocktails around two outside fire-pit areas. And restaurant seating is available in a well-appointed indoor dining room, outdoor patio or al fresco on the rocks.

''It's the whole package that sells -- the setting, ambience, exceptional service and exceptional menu,'' Willoughby said. ``It's the closest dining to the water that you can find in Miami. No fence, just the seawall, and that's it.''

Those attributes are what made Vincent Muraco, former Vix chef at Hotel Victor in South Beach, also say ''yes'' to becoming the restaurant's executive chef.

Muraco comes in under the hotel and restaurant's new ownership.

Created nine years ago as part of the Grove Isle Hotel and Spa, Baleen was owned by Noble House, which sold the property to Grand Heritage Hotels, based in Annapolis, Md. The new ownership -- and Muraco -- began in mid-November.

''It's such a fabulous location,'' Muraco said.

Often, he added, restaurants with great views sell their location as opposed to their menu.

''That's not the case here,'' he said.

Popular dinner fare at Baleen starts with an iced seafood platter ($60-$100) featuring oysters, jumbo prawns, king crab, tuna tartar, clams, mussels and lobster.

The most popular soup is the lobster bisque ($11), made in house and served with a sprig of fresh lobster on top. And the herb-roasted Florida black grouper ($34), served with red wine risotto, green peppercorns and fresh herb sauce, tops the popular entrees, Willoughby said.

The next-most-popular item is the 22-ounce bone-in cowboy rib-eye ($75), served with Parmesan truffle fries.

On our Saturday lunchtime visit -- minus the torch-lit lamps, the flaming fire pit and a marriage proposal -- we sat on the patio where a slight rain shower did not disturb the overall ambience.

I had the lobster bisque and a Caesar salad with a salmon filet topping ($26). Mr. ''No Proposal'' had the classic Reuben ($15), a hearty portion of corned beef, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, Gruyere cheese and grilled rye bread.

Muraco complimented Baleen's current menu selections, but said he slowly will introduce menu changes and enhancements.

''We'll keep the old favorites, but there will be some new and exciting additions that we will cover as well,'' he said.

One of the things that soon will change is the only unromantic thing associated with the restaurant -- its name.

Baleen, which means the jawbone of a whale, will be known as something else sometime before May 4, Willoughby said.

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