Nothing But the Best delivers elegant simplicity in Brickell

The who: Yann Rio, who trained under master chefs at the Michelin-starred Hotel Crillon in Paris and owned three highly regarded restaurants in France, plants his flag near Brickell with the fine-dining spot Nothing but the Best.

The space: The glossy space features a handsome marble bar and striking sculptures by Miami artist Christian Bernard. The 70-seat dining room is outfitted in silk-upholstered chairs, lacquer tables, white drapes and a glass-enclosed wine room.

The dishes: Global cooking with French influences. Prices skew to upscale budgets with starters $14-$27 and mains $23-$38.

Starters include risotto croquettes in green herb sauce, peppercorn-marinated salmon tataki and turmeric-flavored crispy goat cheese. Entrees include duck Magret, Bordelaise flank steak with potatoes and paprika butter Florida lobster.

The nine-dish dessert menu includes pineapple carpaccio, tiramisu, strawberry soup, chocolate mousse and almond profiteroles stuffed with honey ice cream.

The bottom line: The name may be a mouthful, but the approach is elegant simplicity at this Brickell newcomer.

This story was originally published January 26, 2014 at 8:01 PM.