Savvy palates are always looking for new dining experiences to tickle their taste buds and the Seahorse Grill knows this, so in keeping with its on-going policy of creative cuisine, it is launching what it calls 'Elbow Beach Meets South Beach' on Saturday evening.

Here to introduce the new cuisine is French-born guest chef Didier Pouzier, who is the executive sous chef at Elbow's sister property, the Mandarin Oriental in Miami.

South Beach is a famous section of Miami Beach in Florida abounding in restaurants, nightclubs, entertainment and hotels. Like similar locations worldwide, the area is also home to a melting pot of nationalities who bring with them their native cuisines.

It is the art of chefs like Monsieur Pouzier to take elements of those cuisines and place their own interpretation on them — which is precisely what is behind the new fare he is presenting for a limited time at the Paget resort.

A man whose career in the restaurant industry spans more than 20 years, his culinary travels have taken him around the globe, including Tokyo and Hong Kong, all of which have contributed to his extensive knowledge of the ingredients, spices and preparation of international cuisine. While some of his recipes are adapted, many are original creations, and it is a selection of both which he has brought to Bermuda.

Even so, the dishes won't taste exactly the same as anywhere elsewhere because the flavour of fresh produce, spices and other ingredients vary somewhat from country to country. In fact, chef Pouzier says it took him about two weeks to find everything he needed here, but working in tandem with the Seahorse Grill's chef de cuisine Tomasz Tabor, he has tasted every dish and is pleased with the end results.

"It is fun working with the local produce, and pretty interesting. I created the Cuban dish with the ingredients I found here," he says.

So just what can diners look forward to with this 'Elbow Beach Meets South Beach' concept? In short, a similar mix to that found in Miami.

"South Beach is a new trend in nouvelle cuisine, with different ingredients," chef Pouzier says. "The big trend right now is the Asian/Caribbean influence, and the purpose here is to show what we can do with the Asian, Caribbean/Cuban and Mediterranean mix. There is a lot of flavour, a lot of spice, and a lot of Caribbean produce, such as citrus and plantains, and black beans with rice. Desserts will also have the same influences."

The 'Miami Menu' includes four starters, four entrees, and three desserts, which are served in various combinations: i.e. two five-course tasting menus, one with paired wines, plus two fixed-price dinner menus, and all reflecting different influences.

Among the exotic ingredients included in the various dishes are Hamachi Tiradito (a Japanese fish), lotus root, striped bass, plantain chips, sweet soba noodles, Moroccan spices, tomato marmalade, basil pannacotta and lemon olive oil sorbet.

Six complimentary cocktails, with names like 'Miami Vice' and 'Sit Back and Relax Daiquiri', are included with orders of the Miami selections. Those diners will also have an opportunity to win a three-night stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami.

Based on the Press sampling luncheon this week, the dishes — all of them exquisitely presented — offer an exciting, and frankly divine, culinary adventure in a milieu where steak, chicken, fish and pasta are all too prevalent.

For those who see fine wines as the perfect marriage with beautiful food, sommeliers Miroslav Milisavljevic and David Gemmell have done their homework, and selected what they now feel are the right choices for the Miami Menu. Both admit they enjoy going against the rules, such as 'white wine with fish, and red wine with pasta and meat', and have fun offering other combinations.

Interestingly, while both experts are adept at looking at menus and pairing the appropriate wines with various dishes, they can and do revise their choices when they actually taste the food. As a result, two of their original choices for the new cuisine are being changed for Saturday night's launch.

"The most important thing is preparation," Mr. Milisavljevic says. "Ultimately, people go to restaurants for food, and not necessarily the wine, but if we can enhance their visit and take it somewhere else, then so much the better."

Both sommeliers agree that it is "always a pleasure working with chefs who don't stick to one cuisine" — which, incidentally, is what chef de cuisine Tabor is known for at this restaurant and elsewhere — so meeting the challenge of pairing wines with "totally different" food in this instance has been "very interesting".

As for guest chef Pouzier, he too enjoys working with his fellow chef, whom he describes as "unbelievable", as well as enjoying the Island's beauty and attractions in his spare time.

For further information/reservations contact the Seahorse Grill at 239-930, or e-mail ebbda-shg@mohg.com.