Grill 14 by John Gray

Chef John Gray, who elevated the Ritz-Carlton’s Club Grill to iconic status in the ’90s with his classical approach to Mexican ingredients, recently, and inevitably, opened a restaurant in the Hotel Zone—essentially a glass-enclosed pier over Nichupté Lagoon. With the white shades drawn, it’s like being inside a Noguchi lantern, thanks to ebony chairs and the pale turquoise light of the water. Unlike Gray’s eateries in Playa del Carmen and Puerto Morelos, Grill 14 has a set menu. Veal cheeks in blackened chile broth and duck breast roasted in chipotle chile, tequila, and honey are among the signature dishes; Gray reprises a longstanding favorite, baked red chili cauliflower, among the sides.