For most of this decade, The Tides has been on the short list of beachside favorites. Chef/Owner Leanne Kelleher, who in the 1990s understudied Vero favorite Yannick Martin, added a variety of innovative touches of her own after opening her restaurant in March 2000.

While the printed menu, supplemented by an imposing nightly list of specials (how do the waitresses remember them all), offers meat and fish entrees for just about every taste, we have concluded over the years that the Tides’ forte is seafood, where it ranks right up there with Ian Greenwood’s French Quarter for best in Vero. A recent visit did not disappoint.

Start with the appetizers. My choice would be the wonderful diver sea scallops ($14), perfectly pan seared to the point where they were crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside, served over chilled Asian noodles (not soba noodles as once was the case, but Asian noodles – a much better pairing).

My husband tried the oyster special ($14), a half dozen small oysters, lightly crusted in crispy cornmeal, and flash fried and served with a tasso spiked remoulade. The oysters, he claims, were perfection, and the remoulade added a wonderful taste to the dish.

Before leaving the subject of appetizers, I must note that on another visit I enjoyed the special soup of the evening -- a bowl of the Tides’ homestyle conch chowder ($8). This was excellent chowder, light and flavorful, with tender pieces of conch.

For the salad course, we generally split a salad of the day. On one occasion, we enjoyed an arugula salad ($10) with red and green apples, goat cheese, walnuts and cranberries with a sweet dressing on the side.

On our most recent visit, we ordered the tomato and mozzarella salad special ($10). This has not been a great year for tomatoes in Florida, but the tomatoes at the Tides were very good – and the salad was excellent.

For entrees, on one of our last two visits we went by land and on the other by sea.

On turf night, my husband had the half-duck ($30), crispy on the outside and (theoretically) tender on the inside. There was no question about it being crispy. Tender, however, was more problematic. The dish was rated good, not great.

My choice was the herb crusted rack of lamb ($36), roasted Australian lamb served with chateau potatoes, crispy spinach and finished with a cabernet lamb jus lie’, fresh mint infused olive oil. I ordered the lamb medium, and one of the three chops was indeed close to that with hints of pink. The other two chops were clearly well done.

The waitress, noticing this a few minutes into the meal, graciously offered to return it and bring me another plate – but who really wants to wait for a new dinner at 9:45 in the evening. I declined her offer, and she returned a few minutes later to announce (over our demurrers) that the lamb was being taken off the check.

As we have noted in previous reviews, it is unrealistic to expect every meal every night to emerge from the kitchen perfectly – even in a top restaurant. But this is the way that a top restaurant handles these situations. Kudos to the Tides.

Seafood night, on the other hand, went off close to perfectly.

I had the pan seared mahi provencal ($28), local dolphin, lightly battered and sautéed, topped with diced tomatoes, fresh garlic, Kalamata olive, whole butter, fresh herbs, white wine and a touch of clam broth, served over wilted greens with mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus. Delicious.

My husband had his favorite, mojo marinated swordfish ($32), topped by two banana coconut crusted shrimp in a vanilla beurre blanc with mashed potatoes and vegetables. He said it was the best swordfish he has had thus far in 2009.

For dessert on both visits, we waived off the tray of choices that the waitress presents at the conclusion of the meal, and opted for the chocolate sampler, which offers a chocolate brownie, chocolate biscottis, molten cake, chocolate, espresso ice cream. A chocoholic’s dream.

Dinner for two with a modest bottle of wine, before tip, runs approximately $140.

Even with a full house, the layout at the Tides -- with the tables well spaced among several rooms, as well as outside on the patio -- makes for a relaxing dinner atmosphere. The dining experience also benefits from the attentiveness of one of Vero’s top veteran wait staffs.

For the better part of a decade, the Tides has been one of Vero Beach's top places to dine. It is still an excellent choice for dinner as it concludes its 9 th season.

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: Thursday - Saturday during the summer from 5:30

Bar: Full bar

Address: 3103 Cardinal Drive

Telephone: 772-234-3966

Review first published: March 26, 2009