hile South Beach exhibits a precise understanding of pampered diners' needs and desires, the unadulterated fascination with, and obsession over, the flamboyant grandiosity displayed throughout is extreme to the point that one would be hard pressed to fully convey it. In fact, were I to even try to match Ocean Drive's level of self worship, these initial references to the palpable smugness would be just the tip of the iceberg.

This is especially true at the bustling DeVito South Beach, which, considering its prime location, is correspondingly flamboyant - significantly more so than Kobe Club and Craftsteak - the very restaurants that Devito was trying to emulate.

It really doesn't matter what Danny DeVito - along with partners Michael Brauser and restaurateur David Manero - was searching for in this gastronomy journey when their restaurant is this agreeably fearless with VIP-ism and high-end-flavored South Beach accouterments. It helps that the high-design doesn’t stop. The restaurant, which takes over the old Joia space has been fittingly appointed with Murano chandeliers, marble table tops and the requisite Tuscany brick walls. Though the two-story space has a determined retro '40s look and feel – aside from the wide screen plasmas that cast an unfortunate sports bar feel - there's a determined power play to the room that feels, well, South Beach.

The showy branding doesn’t step out of character for with the menu. Chef Francis Casciato's menu, rather than competing with the lofty design, sticks to a clean, New American style that makes sense, given the location.

The raw bar is a good – albeit expensive - place to start, with cracked Florida lobster and crab cocktail ($38.00), East and West Coast oysters on the half shell ($18.00) and Petrossian “Imperial Special Reserve" Caviar, marked at a cryptic "AQ." The Salumi e Formaggi selection offers Prosciutto di Parma, Mozzarela di Bufala, Pecorino Tartufato and the like, each item served with truffled honey, sour cherries and crostini.