Without any factual basis to back this up, I’m comfortable saying that Elliott Aster in the Vinoy Resort is the hottest dining spot in town.

We had originally planned to go last week, but the place was booked. That’s tends to happen with seven-month-old restaurants in four-star resorts. So we ended up landing a reservation at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Elliott Aster is not the type of place that has early bird specials.

This week’s edition is another Spotlight feature, where we visit a restaurant and compare two contrasting dishes, then — just for fun — I pick a preference, not a winner. Just so you know, this is not an advertorial. Registry Tampa Bay picked up the tab — most of it, least it. I’m a little skittish about submitting the receipt.

Atmosphere

The name evokes the Gilded Age, and thankfully the restaurant doesn’t drip in gold. But Elliott Aster’s capacious interior certainly is majestic: tastefully elegant with impeccable lighting and sound design, and a ceiling high enough for a Steph Curry 3-pointer.

About the name: “Elliott” honors the real estate developer who conceived of the original Vinoy, which opened on New Year’s Eve, 1925. “Aster” refers to a wildflower, native to Florida. Combine the two and you have a historical tribute.

We chose to eat in the dining room behind the bar, and were seated in a quiet corner banquette.

The service was impeccable but in no way stuffy. I’d like to think the days of condescending waiters is a thing of the past — other than in France. Dara was friendly, informal, and very helpful in painting word picture of the dishes.

We ordered the 8 oz. Chatel Farms Filet ($65); the Mediterranean Sea Bream ($46), a fish we’d never tried; Crispy Fingerling Potatoes and Grilled Broccolini ($12 each).

Appearance

There’s no getting around it — a boneless, 8-oz. piece of steak on a full-size white plate looks rather lonely. Because everything at Elliott Aster is a la carte, the sides came on their own plates. They were generous helpings, especially the potatoes.

The bream (photo at top) made a more artful impression. It was covered in green herbs and a fennel-and-artichoke salad.

Taste and Texture

Served as a whole fish (sans the head, thank you), the bream was more meaty than flaky — which I appreciated — and had a flavor that bordered on bold, but not “fishy.” The skin offered a subtle crust that accented the flesh. The accompanying salad added further complexity.

The dish was a tad oily, but not in an off-putting way. I asked Dara about it, and she said that’s because — ta-da — it includes olive oil. “Too much?” she asked casually. I dispensed with the hems and haws and replied, “Maybe a little.” She thanked me and explained that she likes to get feedback from diners to give to the kitchen. Hold up! What restaurant does this? Um, really good ones?

While the menu did not say the filet mignon was Prime beef, all the other steaks were Prime. It was expertly wood-grilled medium rare, had an earthy flavor, and ate bigger than it looked.

I’m not much for broccoli, but it was the only green vegetable on the menu. The generous pile consisted of long, thin stalks and small heads (does that make it “ini”?). The dish was dusted with garlic bread crumbs; a lemon vinaigrette added a nice zip. This was some good broccoli — excuse me, broccolini.

The potatoes were crispy on the outside, appropriately mushy on the inside — and tasty. I asked Dara if the restaurant had sour cream. She paused, gave an uncertain look, and said, “mmm, let me check.” Dara came back a few minutes later with a small silver bowl of the stuff. “Did you have to go the supermarket?” I teased. No, she had foraged and found sour cream in the room-service kitchen. Like I said, the service was excellent.

In Keeping with FFF Tradition, My Preference Between the Entrees Is …

Mediterranean Sea Bream.

It was something new, something different, a fish dish creatively conceived and prepared. There’s only so much you can do with a filet mignon other than season, cook and serve it well. Elliott Aster did all three.