Half past six o’clock in the evening, and I still felt like I was in hell. A ghastly combination of searing Sahara heat and soupy Amazon humidity was turning a weeklong trip to Grand Cayman into an exercise in dehydration, perspiration, and copious amounts of sunblock.

A bit reluctant to leave my air-conditioned room in the Sunshine Suites Resort, I ventured into the steamy early-evening air and walked as slowly as possible along West Bay Road, just a block from the beach and the Caribbean Sea, for about a half-mile to my destination for dinner, Copper Falls Steakhouse. Despite my sluggish pace, by the time I arrived I estimated that I had lost about a gallon of water. After croaking out my table request and being seated, I chugged the glass of cold water my waiter supplied in one nonstop display of gluttony, eliciting a curious glance from him as well as the couple at the next table.

Thirst slaked, I began to relax and enjoy both the divinely cool indoor air temperature and the restaurant’s décor. From my comfortable seat in the corner, I spied the miniature lamps on each table, the pendant light fixtures, the high-back booths, and all the local residents here, frequenting their favorite hangout — a bevy of female colleagues, a family celebrating an anniversary. Music ranging from Journey to Enya to Van Morrison softly played in the background as I reviewed the menu and predicted that the sweaty walk here would be worth it.

Try This: From the list of nearly a dozen martinis, the Cherry Smash — a brew of cherry brandy, orange curaçao, and lemon and orange juices — is particularly refreshing. Start with the baked brie wrapped in a phyllo pastry, served with roasted garlic, roasted almonds, and cranberry coulis, alongside some warm garlic bread. From the mix-and-match steak menu, employ your creative skills with your own choice of steak sauce, vegetable and starch. My fusion was a rewarding success: steak Dianne with a brandy-mushroom cream sauce, broccoli parmesan, and garlic mashed potatoes. The desserts are all rich and heavy, and ultimately the choice becomes a tough call between the chocolate lava cake and the homemade cheesecake.