Biltmore Bets on Tydes in the Coral Casino

Generally, the closer a restaurant is to the ocean, the less good it is, as it seems owners feel the view can make up for culinary shortcomings. The Four Seasons Biltmore (1260 Channel Dr., 565-8513) is working to change that perception with the just-opened Tydes Restaurant and Bar in the historic Coral Casino right on Butterfly Beach. (Yes, that’s Tydes as in Ty Warner imposes his will on the ocean’s flow-he does own it, and I mean the hotel, not the ocean, after all.) Not only has the room been spiffed up, so its art deco is artfully decorated, not only is it still perched on the Pacific, but they’ve also wisely brought in a top-notch chef, Pilar Sanchez, who comes to the Biltmore after running her Napa restaurant. The food goes for that Riviera feel, a Mediterranean mix of French, Italian, Spanish, and Moroccan-sort of like the famed S.B. architectural style itself. What’s more, there are two bars, including the Crow’s Nest, tucked away in the clock tower where you won’t need to look at the time to know when it’s sunset.