Sometimes it's just not possible to fathom how seemingly incompatible ingredients find their way into the same dish and meld beautifully. Seaweed and beurre blanc? Caviar and green-tea noodles? Saffron and lemongrass? With a worldly flourish, chef Roy Yamaguchi has created a rather tasty style of fusion at his Bonita Springs restaurant.

Few establishments are better than Roy's at creating fusion in a way that we mere mortals can both comprehend and embrace. Founded by Yamaguchi, the restaurant chain made its mark with inventive dishes that melded lush French sauces and the tangy flavors of Asia with a touch of the South Pacific. Top-notch service and chic but casual dining rooms proved instant hits from California to Florida.

In recent years, Yamaguchi entered into a joint venture with Tampa-based Outback Steakhouse, a move that I'm happy to report hasn't resulted in any downturn in the quality of what Roy's offers. Whatever your doubts about chain establishments may be, Roy's is apt to dispel them. Having dined at three Roy's in divergent parts of the country, I have found that what they shared was excellence in both food and service, while each afforded a unique dining experience.

Each Roy's offers some of Yamaguchi's signature dishes-wood-grilled Szechuan baby back ribs, blackened ahi, Yama Mama's meatloaf and, of course, the melting hot chocolate soufflé-while still allowing the executive chef the freedom to bring his own personality to the table. That means that even those who visit regularly will find interesting new options to try.

Roy's Bonita Springs opened in January 1999 and almost single-handedly put the town on the culinary map. Last April, Jamie Tourtellot replaced long-time executive chef Shannon Chandler, who headed west to open his own place.

Tourtellot's menu takes Yamaguchi's vision and gives it his own creative touches, which result in dishes that are as appealing to the eye as they are to the palate.

Let's start with appetizers, which run about $10 to $13. The rainbow sashimi of ahi tuna, scallop and salmon, for example, resembled an artist's palette, with tender, wafer-thin slices of red, pink and white seafood, lightly dressed with micro arugula, watercress and nori sesame drizzle. Crunchy golden potstickers filled with lobster and fish atop a pool of spicy togarashi miro butter sauce were also lovely and texturally exciting, affording an interesting take on a dish that can be largely ho-hum in less-talented hands.

Salads are not simply tossed off as green and leafy interludes between more substantial courses. The Maui Wowie salad contains a sweet and pungent mix of Kula onions, capers, shrimp, feta, avocado and lime vinaigrette. One salad served two of us quite well.

Roy's excels at more than food. Service gets just as much attention.

Hostesses, servers and chefs alike greet new arrivals with a hearty "aloha!" An observant hostess deftly substitutes a black napkin for the usual peach when she spots someone dressed in dark clothing so as to avoid leaving unsightly light lint on a black dress. Servers are hospitable and well-versed in the ever-evolving menu and a wine list that's broad in range and relatively reasonable in price. The outdoor patio was remodeled and enclosed in late 2005, making for a more intimate meal than in the larger and usually quite boisterous dining room.

Because many ingredients may be unfamiliar to diners on this side of the Mississippi, the servers readily describe unusual items and are happy to recommend a favorite dish or two. For those who cannot decide between wood-grilled spicy yellowtail snapper and Hawaiian-style misoyaki butterfish with a lemon-ginger-soy butter sauce, Roy's allows patrons to select half orders of seafood selections.

Marinating in miso gives the butterfish its rich texture and flavor. Served with sticky rice, this dish provided a refreshing taste of Hawaii with just a touch of buttery French opulence.

The half-serving policy doesn't extend to steaks and such, which are set sizes. And it's not likely one would want only a half rack of lamb anyway, particularly when it is encrusted with crushed pecans and cashews, cut into three easy-to-dissect sections and finished with a sun-dried cherry port wine sauce. Mashed sweet potatoes added a sweet, buttery component that complemented the delicate lamb. Entrée prices range from about $18 to $30.

Another option: a three-course prix fixe menu that includes an appetizer sampler, choice of one of four entrées and two desserts for $33 per person. There's also a kid's version for $12.

Chocolate lovers must either eat dessert first or make sure to save room for it. For true devotees, Roy's melting hot chocolate soufflé is not to be missed. Yes, plenty of restaurants offer chocolate cakes with molten centers, but Roy's has perfected the technique. The dark chocolate cake is flourless and dense, with an equally rich liquid chocolate center. It's served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, just enough to provide a cool, sweet contrast that seems to accentuate the chocolate. I generally share this with someone I care about, but I'm always sorry afterwards.

For those who are fuzzy on what fusion is all about, a meal at Roy's will clear things up deliciously.

Roy's Bonita Springs The Promenade at Bonita Bay, 26831 South Bay Drive, Bonita Springs. (239) 498-7697. Dinner: 5-9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Reservations recommended. Credit cards. Wheelchair accessible.

Pine Island, the barrier island that lies west of Cape Coral, may first appear to be a sleepy fishing village, where smoked mullet, beer and locally grown tropical fruit are considered primary

food groups.

While it's true that all of those items are abundant in Pine Island, there's a serious amount of upscaling going on as property values rise and savvy investors discover its charms and potential.

An early visionary was Rob Wells, an entrepreneur who turned a former drug rehabilitation center into a charming restaurant and inn. Tarpon Lodge in Pineland is ensconced in an historic complex of wooden buildings overlooking Pine Island Sound.

Designed for ultra-tranquil getaways and fishing vacations, the restaurant affords day-trippers an interesting lunch or dinner opportunity.

The dining room, with its hardwood floors, framed prints of hunting and fishing scenes and the occasional small trophy animal mounted on the wall, creates a convincing country gentleman ambiance. It's a place where outdoorsmen feel at home and can count on hearty, forthright fare.

As you might expect, the menu is as far from fusion as it's possible to get. Traditionalists may find it refreshing to recognize all the items in a dish. The food is straightforward American, featuring simple but well-prepared seafood and meat and an abbreviated wine list, from which we still managed to select a lovely

accompaniment to our meal-a Whitehaven sauvignon blanc, from the Marlborough district of New Zealand. Crisp, light and not quite as citrusy as some, it complemented both the appetizers and entrées well and, at $40, was a good buy, too.

Lunch is particularly casual, with cheese steaks, crab cake sandwiches, shrimp po'boys and salads that range from $5.95 for a jumbo hot dog to $14.95 for the fresh catch of the day.

Dinner selections scale upward a bit, with veal piccata, aged filet mignon and skewers of bronzed Gulf shrimp.

The shrimp were large, sweet and fresh, given a lively little bite from the seasonings that also imparted a bronze hue, and served with a mild cilantro crème fraîche. The house specialty crab and roasted corn chowder lived up to its billing. It was a thick, rich cream soup loaded with savory corn and mild crab. Although bowls are available, a cup was plenty.

Given our proximity to the fish-laden waters of Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor beyond that, the evening's fish entrées seemed more appealing than meat.

A sautéed grouper with mango curry sauce was generously portioned, moist and flaky. The sauce, which was a restrained version of curry sauce, imparted Eastern-influenced spices and sweet mango without drowning out the fish's subtle flavor.

The Asiago-encrusted tripletail with artichokes had a bolder taste but, again, the fillet was moist and fork-tender, with a tangy crust.

For a sweet finish, the vanilla crème brûlée was a fine choice. Another classic, the custard, was creamy and lush with an oh-so-light crust of sugar fired over the top.

A cozy bar, complete with fireplace, was far quieter than the main dining room. But even when the volume climbs, Tarpon Lodge remains a lovely throwback to the days of Old Florida, when gracious service and rustic elegance went hand in hand.

Tarpon Lodge Restaurant 13771 Waterfront Drive, Pineland. (239) 283-2517. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Reservations recommended. Credit cards. Wheelchair accessible. Self-parking in lot.

Ask Natalie

Q: When we find a restaurant with an extensive wine list, we would rather sample a few types than settle for just one bottle. Where can we find a good selection of wine flights?

A: Oenophiles can give thanks to the Cruvinet system, which allows restaurants to preserve opened bottles far longer by pumping pure, tasteless and odorless nitrogen into the bottle as the wine is poured, thereby preventing oxidation.

Among the best flight selections I've found are at Fleming's Steakhouse, where all the wines are available by the glass, and wine flights are a specialty. Pick three wines or a themed flight-such as New World syrah/shiraz or global white wines of interest. The server will bring two-ounce servings of specific varieties of your choosing or invite you to try a blind tasting so you can guess what you have. Tasting cards come with all selections. Prices vary according to the wine, but are generally priced at a third of a standard six-ounce glass.

Fleming's is located at 8985 Tamiami Trail N., Naples. Zoë's, 720 Fifth Ave. S., Naples, also prides itself on an extensive selection of flights and, given the restaurant's excellent wine selection, it's a fine place to experiment.