Restaurants

It took awhile for a more sophisticated, varied epicurean scene to reach these shores, but Fort Lauderdale -- and, to some extent, Hollywood -- finally has several fine restaurants. Increasingly, ethnic options are joining the legions of surf-and-turferies that have dominated the area for so long. Las Olas Boulevard has so many eateries that the city has put a moratorium on the opening of new restaurants on the 2-mile street. And despite the so-called recession, 2009 saw the opening of star chef Todd English's first South Florida restaurant, Da Campo Osteria, and the opening of Morimoto restaurateur Stephen Starr's Steak 954, kicking off a trend of big name, high end restaurants bypassing Miami for Fort Lauderdale for a change.