Out of Site

Warfields astonished me with its refinement and excellent food. Its location is between a topless adult entertainment center and a tattoo parlor near the foot of that traffic-nightmare bridge to Fort Myers Beach. Believe me, this is not an obvious place to find something as handsome and palate pleasing as Warfields.

But the owner, an entrepreneur who lives in Maryland, and the on-site managing partner, Frank Ramirez, have created Warfields as a little self-contained world unto itself; and the design attitude works. The covered entrance lined with potted palms opens into an attractive lobby with a lounge to the left and two spacious dining rooms to the right. The bar features live entertainment and comfortable living room-type leather furniture so that a group can settle in for an evening of talking, sipping and listening.

This lounge unfolds onto a covered extension outside with more plush sofas and armchairs. That's where the smokers hang out. The dining rooms are organized with round and square tables nicely spaced apart, and the bar is far enough away so that the music doesn't intrude upon conversation.

More masculine than feminine, the two dining rooms are cloaked in sophisticated black and white with the waitstaff all in black except for brilliantly colored neckties. Service is unobtrusive and attentive; in fact, when Warfields first opened, the enthusiastic pace that the waitstaff set in clearing and serving contributed to a faster evening than we had in mind. The chef at Warfields is Fernando Gallegos, a 25-year-old Mexican-American from Houston, whose menu celebrates his culinary heritage. Warfields is a steak house with Latin flavor expressed in black-bean soup, roasted-corn bisque, ceviche, corn-smoked crab fingers and tortilla soup. The signature steak preparation, Warfields Steak ($26.95), is an eight-ounce tenderloin basted with chimichurri. The 12-ounce seared rib eye ($23.95) is prepared with a rub of spices and fresh European ground coffee beans. For a finish, the meat is glazed with an onion-mango sauce. Great strong flavors, but the beef holds its own.

Besides steak, chef Gallegos turns out an appetizing sushi-grade tuna served over fresh greens with jicama, avocado and tomato confit with tamarind balsamic. This is a clean, refreshing and light choice for an entrée. Another of his tuna dishes is pepper-crusted, with the ahi fillet served on a polenta pancake with an ancho chile glaze. Chef's Latin shrimp are breaded with plantain and come to the table with habañero salsa ($21.95). In addition to the regular menu, Warfields offers a fixed-price meal for $24.94 that includes three courses.

The wine list is meant to pair with the dishes, so there are many labels from Argentina, Spain and Chile beside the usual suspects from California, France and Australia. It's a substantive and diverse list, and fairly priced. You'll have no trouble finding a good bottle for about $40. Desserts are ice creams and sorbets (not house made but good). One offering is a sorbet medley that's been splashed with sweet champagne. Quite palate cleansing. It would be wonderful as an intermezzo for a multicourse meal. We opted also to taste the tres leche, a sweet vanilla layer cake with three different cream fillings. The cake is soaked and delicious. Coffee is served in oversized cups, and the brew is pleasantly full-bodied.

Warfields is an up-market addition to an area that's gradually moving in that direction. I hope this restaurant stays around long enough to greet similar neighbors. In the meantime, ignore the funky but safe surroundings, because once you're inside Warfields, you'll have a comfortably elegant evening.

Warfields Steak House 19220 San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. 463-3510. Dinner: daily from 5-10 p.m. (till 11 on Friday and Saturday). Reservations accepted. Credit cards. Parking in restaurant lot. Wheelchair accessible.

This must be the month to discover restaurants that are better than their locations would lead one to expect. Biddle's sits at the edge of a new Publix-anchored strip-shopping center on Summerlin Road. There's no view to speak of other than car traffic or folks hauling grocery bags, and yet the artistic owners have managed to carve out an oasis of atmosphere that's gaining attention and loyalty. For such a new restaurant, the convivial Biddle's already has a lot of regulars.

Much of the appeal is the live entertainment, four rotating piano players (you can sing along) during the week and a zippy trio called Liquid Jazz on Wednesday nights. People like to congregate around the musicians, order another drink and spend the evening either inside in the classy modern dining room or out on the covered patio.

The waitstaff is cheerful and attentive and the place is always bustling. One evening, my ordered veal chop dish came out as the pork special. I kept the mistake (which was satisfying in every way) because I didn't want to have to wait for talented young chef Bruno Ferreyra and his line cooks to make another dish.

The menu is American bistro, so expect to find New Zealand lamb chops, black grouper, salmon (fixed Florentine-style here), pastas, filet mignon, duck, veal chops with rosemary, even a seafood Wellington. Entrées average about $23, and the portions are exceedingly generous. I especially like the sides, which show imagination beyond the usual garlic mashed potatoes (although you certainly can order them from the menu). But why not opt for porcini risotto, perfumey jasmine rice or seared polenta for a change?

Appetizers and salads abound for those who come for just a light meal and the musical entertainment. The plateware, which varies in shape and texture, adds yet another artistic dimension to a space that takes its lighting as an expression of creativity. Biddle's has a full bar and an agreeable wine list with a dozen selections available by the glass. The restaurant's owners, Andy and Brenda Biddle, have the combined experience of 37 years in the hospitality industry. Nice for us, they're interested in small production vineyards in California, Australia and South Africa. The Biddles owned The Bank Grill in Beaufort, S.C., before they moved to Sanibel Island in the '90s to open the Seafood Factory. They still own it and live on the island. Brenda, who cooked in the couple's restaurants before they had children, did the interior design at Biddle's.

Most of the desserts here are not house made. That segment of the menu is the weakest, even though the signature dessert is an impressive sculptural chocolate baby grand piano filled with flavored cream and decorated with a few berries for ($12). It's more visually glamorous than great tasting. A more flavorful choice could be the carrot cake, blueberry cheesecake or tiramisu. I'd advise diners to do what Europeans often do: Order the appetizer cheese plate for dessert with a bit of fruit. A full platter is $15 and would be a lovely final nibble for the table, but you could also do a half platter for $8. Ask your server for a wine suggestion for the cheeses, and sit back to sip and nibble your dessert while enjoying the music and the friendly buzz.

Biddle's Restaurant & Piano Bar 20351 Summerlin Road (Sanibel Beach Plaza), Fort Myers. 433-4449. Lunch and dinner: daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Credit cards. Reservations accepted. Parking in mall lot. Wheelchair accessible.

Ask Marsha

Q. I enjoyed so many great-tasting frittatas in Spain and Italy that I'd like to repeat the experience here at home. I don't necessarily want to cook a frittata, just eat it. Any places in Naples that can whip up one of these open-face omelets for breakfast or lunch?

A. You won't have to travel far to enjoy one of these one-dish meals. Skillets, which has three locations in our area, excels at frittata making, from a spicy Spanish entry to a Southwestern, a spinach, a veggie, even one called Benedict. Price is about $8, and with your frittata you get a side of potatoes and a serving of mixed fruit and your choice of toast, banana bread or a fresh hot biscuit. You probably won't be able to finish your meal because the portions are so munificent, but if you admire great bacon, order a side of the Skillets thick-cut smokehouse bacon for an additional $2.95. Definitely worth getting out of bed for.

Skillets, 4170 U.S. 41, Naples (262-3788); Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads, Naples (aka Sunrise Café, 566-1999); 9174 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs (992-9333). Open daily, 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m.