Rouge Waterfront Dining

When Rouge opened in November 2011, the owner didn't hold back the spirit of sensory overload that defines his latest creation. As guests filed into the grand-opening bash, a white tiger prowled in its pen, a multicultural ensemble of percussionists set pulses racing, and aerialists and fire-dancers sashayed and spun, resembling licks of flame themselves in crimson outfits chosen to match the interior. Amid the circus atmosphere, Leslie Gray of the Palm Beach Post also found space to happily notice the "canneloni, Brie and other delights, including the view."

On any average evening, diners might not find feline predators stalking the entrance, but they may well take in burlesque shows, performance art, and jazz trios as they spear thoughtfully accented bites of fish, steak, and creamy desserts from around the world. Seafood offerings range from appetizers of smoked scallops and tuna tartar to entrees of seafood pot pie and Scottish salmon. The restaurant's designers cultivate elegance but not formality, resulting in the kind of aesthetic that leaves the ductwork exposed but covered in white paint and hung with rococo candelabras. Crystals wink from padded walls, echoing the glint of cocktails being shaken at the bar. Outdoors, a waterfront patio finds patrons feasting on romantic dinners, toasting during champagne brunches, and napping between the two.