Suave, sophisticated Latin-Japanese cuisine will make your taste buds dance for joy.

The Scene
Within weeks of opening, SoBe's ubiquitous contingent of celebs had already samba-ed in, perhaps drawn to a restaurant as flashy as they are. Its focal point is a dramatic, black-tile sushi bar set under lights that resemble upended mushrooms and surrounded by an elevated dining area.

The Food
Highly evolved simplicity keeps Samba's blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisines from becoming an unappetizing menage a trois. Nothing could be simpler (or more delicious) than sawagani, tiny Japanese river crabs flash-fried and eaten whole. Equally sublime is salmon seviche with Dijon mustard, miso and yellowtail tiradito--translucent slices of cured fish anointed with truffle oil and sea salt. Crispy oysters are even more luscious when garnished with gingery shiitake puree and wasabi tobiko. Save room for churros, amazingly light, fried pastries with orange-caramel, peanut and chocolate-cinnamon sauces