Cuisine:

• Contemporary

Avenue Description:
If you like food seasoned with the sound of waves crashing on the beach, head to Avenue. Spacious, grand and airy, the restaurant is a designer's dream with every door, every window---ceiling to floor---allowing a glorious view of the Atlantic Ocean. Avenue makes a big impression and it isn't only the look of the place. The kitchen measures up as well with contemporary French cooking by chef Dominique Filoni, late of St. Tropez. He crafts such classics as coquilles St-Jacques, Dover sole meunière, and salt-crusted whole fish with his own light touch. Even a hearty halibut steak is served with seasonal vegetables and cockles basted with herb-infused fish stock rather than heavy sauce. Among the memorable hors d'oeuvres is scallop crudo---Maine diver scallops topped with citrusy yuzu emulsion and bedded on cucumber spaghetti with shiitake mushrooms. The wine list, 200 selections strong, draws from the great wine growing regions with a heavy emphasis on California and Bordeaux. The raw bar draws special attention with its petit, royal and grande plateau servings---spectacular two- or three-tiered platings that may hold such treasures as East or West Coast oysters, littleneck clams, king crab legs, lobsters and caviar.