When seasonal residents begin returning in the weeks ahead, they will find that while they were away, Gloria and Emilio Estefan brought a new star to the Vero beachside dining scene.

We’re talking, of course, about Oriente at the Costa d’Este hotel. This Cuban-fusion restaurant is serving the most inventive – and to our taste some of the most delicious – dishes ever found on the Vero barrier island.

This is not your father’s Cuban restaurant. The young Cuban-American chef, David Rodriguez, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, trained in European cooking styles, and while the menu includes a smattering of classic Cuban entrees, most dishes are an inspired fusion of Cuban, Latin and European tastes.

No visit to Oriente should fail to start with a ceviche. In a warm climate, these cool and tasty appetizers, marinated with citrus juice, provide a perfect beginning. My favorite was the yellow fin tuna ceviche ($12), prepared with roasted jalapenos, cilantro and lime. My husband voted for the yellow tail ceviche ($12), prepared with ginger, chives and mild jalapenos and presented in a coconut.

But perhaps the most interesting ceviche was the vegetarian ($10), a delightful concoction of grilled hearts of palm, baby bella mushrooms, white asparagus, avocado, pico de gallo, with an oregano laced citrus dressing. After all the members of our party sampled this one, there was little left for our companion, who was more possessive of her vegetarian ceviche on a return visit.

As for salads ($10), it seems impossible to go wrong. My favorite was the bibb salad, a mix of butter lettuce, tomatoes, fire roasted mushrooms and sherried onions. One of my companions raved about the spinach salad, which included Florida avocado and oyster mushrooms and was topped by Majon cheese. My husband tried the classic Caesar, and pronounced it excellent.

For main courses, the challenge lies in deciding whether to go by land or sea. In the course of several visits, we sampled the black grouper ($27), my husband’s favorite, which was pan roasted with black beans and tender ham hocks, and the Florida yellowtail snapper ($28), my favorite, prepared with rock shrimp and a Vidalia puree.

Our companion on two visits had the enchilada de camarones ($32), a traditional shrimp Creole with perfectly cooked shrimp in a delicious sofrito sauce with white rice. She would have had it again on a third visit if we hadn’t restrained her. Also worth a try is the shrimp and scallop entree served in a light sauce over vermicelli.

If your taste runs more to beef, the Delmonico streak ($36) is simply superb, served in a reduction sauce and topped with bleu cheese butter. The flatiron bistec empanisado, a breaded steak fried until golden brown and served very crisp with hearts of palm, avocado and potato, was extremely tasty.

We also on one visit tried La Completa ($28), a classic Cuban dinner in which the ropa vieja (shredded flank steak) is accompanied by black beans, rice and ripe plantains. For those seeking authentic Cuban cuisine, this was the match of any we have found in Tampa or Miami.

If we had one complaint about the dinner entrees, it would be one that is missing -- the sumptuous pulled pork that seems to only be served in Oriente at lunch time. Interestingly, our server one evening (all of our servers at Oriente were top notch) observed that there are several items on the lunch menu that would seem worthy of a transplant to the dinner menu.

The only desserts we sampled on our visits to Oriente were the key lime tart served with raspberry sorbet (the pie was just a bit sweet for our taste) and the flan de huevo, a Cuban-style custard in a caramel sauce that slid down easy with a cup of espresso.

An additional option that we noticed a number of other diners trying are the “little plates,” a combination of Cuban and pan-Asian dishes that may well be perfect for a diner who is not famished. Particularly appealing was the presentation of Chopstick Shrimp Tempura.

Presentation, overall, is a strong point of Oriente – very creative and appealing, and well matched to the offerings of an extremely creative chef who is bringing the island innovative dishes that go well beyond traditional Cuban.

Unlike Cuban restaurants in Miami, where the action starts late, the 85-seat Oriente tends to be busy early and begins clearing out around 9:30. Even in the summer, you needed to book early if you wanted to dine before 8:30. Once seasonal visitors return, you will want to make your reservation even earlier.

Dinner for two here with a modest bottle of wine runs about $130 before tip. With three, the check comes in just south of $200.

I welcome your comments. Send them to tina@verobeach32963.com.

The reviewer is a beachside resident who dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.