Posted March 5, 2013

By NANCY CERMEÑO

If you enjoy the simplicity of a good strawberry or high quality grass-fed beef, then Devon Seafood and Steak is worth a trip to West Kendall.

A waiter walks around greeting patrons with freshly baked honey butter biscuits that are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft, melts in your mouth goodness on the inside. The menu is simple but the wine list stands in sharp contrast.

Devon’s impressive wine cellar is a nice decorative centerpiece and a practical selection of more than 30 wines rated 90+ by Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. They also serve handcrafted cocktails. The strawberry basil Mojito boasts fresh squeezed limejuice, fresh strawberries, basil, pure cane syrup and rum. The strawberry garnish looked to tempting not to eat and it did not disappoint.

The starter selections leave nothing to be desired, from spicy tuna rolls to lobster tamale or goat cheese bruschetta. The lightly breaded calamari, a starter staple, was crispy and not too greasy, served with sweet and sour sauce and creole remoulade. The lobster tamale, although served in a dried cornhusk, was not a true tamale but delicious nonetheless. The tamale was a mildly spiced mix of corn meal, corn, roasted poblano, cilantro, and bite-sized chunks of lobster served with avocado crema (Mexican fresh cream, akin to crème fraîche).

Our waiter recommended the lobster bisque. It surprisingly came with all the lobster in the middle of the bisque. This way of serving it was much nicer than having the lobster mixed in. It came out hot without being too salty or too rich.

For an entrée, the seafood mixed grill ($36) is recommended. It includes shrimp, scallop, salmon, jumbo lump crab cake, whipped Yukon gold potatoes, and grilled asparagus lightly garnished with bruschetta.

All seafood was served mesquite grilled. The jumbo lump crab cake was all crab. It’s like eating crab without the messy work. The wild caught Atlantic salmon was cooked to perfection, and as always paired well with asparagus. The yukon gold whipped potatoes were savory and the seafood tasted fresh.

It is worth mentioning that Seafood Watch, a sustainable fisheries outreach organization, considers almost all the seafood except for the striped marlin sustainable.

Sunday brunch is also offered. At $27 per adult and $13 per child 12 and under, you can order as much as you’d like and choices include made-to-order waffles, a Nueske’s bone-in ham or prime rib carving station and a number of entrees and deserts. Brunch also includes an omelet station where a chef makes your omelet to order in front of you. Artisanal breads or pastries are also offered.

The wait staff was quite attentive and knew a lot about the menu. Parking was a breeze and is always free. Devon Seafood and Steak is new to The Palms at Town & Country and is a welcomed fine dining experience rare to the area.

Although the building is an unassuming mall box, the place is transformed inside. The décor is modern and elegant. Devon is dimly lit with low volume freeform jazz playing in the background. The patio area outside has a wonderfully romantic fire pit. And, after dinner, one can walk around the commercial area.

The dinner menu is simple but solid. The fish is fresh and mostly sustainable. The steaks are made to order and the beef is bought locally from Jackman Ranch Farms in Clewiston, Fla.

When food is sourced from craftsmen and farmers who care about quality, you can taste the difference. There is nothing new and innovative at Devon Seafood and Steak, but it delivers on its promise of caring about the craft.

• Devon Seafood + Steak
• The Palms at Town & Country Mall, in Kendall, 11715 Sherri Lane, Miami, Fla. 33183
• Parking: Free
• All major credit cards accepted
• Sunday Brunch: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Dinner: Mondays through Thursdays: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
• Fridays and Saturdays: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Sundays: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Reservations preferred:
• 305-275-0226 or online at http://www.devonseafood.com