When the chef of Sebastian’s River Grille and her partner won Vero’s Top Chef challenge a couple of months ago, our first reaction was: “Wonder where that restaurant is?”

We thought we knew all the restaurants along Sebastian’s riverfront, none of which we ever found very impressive and none that we recalled being named River Grille.

Upon further investigation, it turned out the River Grille is not on the river at all, but is located in what once was the home of Prima Pizza along U.S. 1. The only connection to the river appears to lie in the fresh fish sometimes brought in only minutes out of the water.

But having visited River Grille twice in recent weeks, we are happy to report that the food measures up very well to what you would expect from the winner of a Top Chef challenge – and the ambiance of this intimate restaurant is considerably better than what you would expect viewing it from the street.

The tables are well spaced so you don’t feel oppressed even when the restaurant is packed, and the dining experience is further enhanced by the visits of Chef Michele Hennessey, who with husband Gus (the maitre‘d), tend to treat repeat diners like old friends, and are quick to offer menu hints to new ones.

Within seconds of being seated, hot bread appears on the table accompanied by a dipping sauce comprised of olive oil, chopped shallots, basil and grated Parmesan cheese.

On our first visit, of course, I had to try the entrée that won Michelle top honors at the Top Chef challenge. But first, we started with soup. I had the port wine cheddar & crab bisque ($4.95) and my husband ordered the three-onion, Guinness & gorgonzola soup ($4.95). While the latter is a tasty onion soup, we both agreed that the creamy and flavorful crab bisque was the better of the two.

For salads, my husband and I both had the river grille salad ($4.95) – a very nice mix of spring greens, nuts and cranberries in a tasty vinaigrette dressing – while our companion had a traditional Caesar salad ($4.95, and an additional 95 cents if you want anchovies).

Then to the main courses. My husband ordered the champagne and citrus ahi tuna ($18.95), a very nice piece of tuna and the citrus imparted an excellent taste. All entrees come with a choice of two sides. His picks were the spinach soufflé, a very light preparation, and the twice baked potato (just as good as it sounds).

Our companion, looking for a lighter dinner, sampled the steak tips and pasta ($14.95) – a dish she enjoyed so much she ordered it on our second visit as well.

I ordered the macademia nut encrusted grouper ($22.95). The grouper was served with a Florasian salsa, and garnished with sugar snaps and haircot verts that were skewered and braided together. It came in an Accai berry and pomegranate reduction sauce with annatto seed infused with curry oil. The dish is indeed a winner.

On our second visit, I tried the sweet and spicy scampi ($18.95), one of Chef Michelle’s favorite dishes, which comes tossed with angel hair pasta, spinach and fresh tomato. The plump shrimp were cooked perfectly. The dish didn’t seem at all sweet. While it had spice, it was by no means hot, and a touch of lemon left a nice fresh taste on the palate.

My husband was in the mood for steak, and ordered the 18-ounce bone-in ribeye ($28.95). This was an extremely flavorful steak, served rare, and the first several bites were mouth-watering. But could my husband leave well enough alone? Noooo.

On this evening, the ribeye was also being served as a special topped with bacon, pecan and gorgonzola cheese – and that in fact was what my husband had ordered. He mentioned this to the waitress, who rushed off to the kitchen and shortly returned with apologies and a dish of the sauce, which he spread on the ribeye.

While the sauce was indeed tasty, it tended to overwhelm the wonderful taste of the steak. When he orders the ribeye again, he promises that he will have it sans sauce.

For dessert, on each occasion we sampled the homemade big apple crumb pie and the homemade butter-rum bread pudding – each ($6.95) and each served with a scoop of extremely creamy vanilla ice cream.

Bottom line: No longer will we look askance at the idea of getting an excellent meal at a restaurant in Sebastian. River Grille is very much up to the standard of the top Vero restaurants. And for residents of Orchid and the northern part of the barrier island who can zip across the Wabasso causeway, driving to the River Grille is no more of an excursion than going to restaurants in Vero Beach.

Dinner for two with a modest bottle of wine will run around $100 before tip.

I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com .

The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 4 pm to 9 pm. Lunch Monday through Friday, 11 am to 4 pm

Bar: Beer and Wine

Address: 480 U.S. 1, Sebastian

Telephone: 772-589-1412

Review first published: April 23, 2009