Chef Jordan Kahn's singular operation is tucked inside a strikingly futuristic edifice of red steel ("the Waffle"), a fitting spot for this highly creative restaurant where diners enjoy a tasting menu that is equally out of the ordinary. Each dish is visually stunning, with cuisine that is not only daringly inventive (at times downright whimsical), but also marshals finely honed technique and impeccably balanced flavors, as in an artful dish of scallop with passionfruit, ají amarillo, and petals of horseradish tuile, or an "obsidian mirror" of smoked mussel cream with salted plum. The meal ends as strong as it begins, with a mesmerizing dessert that features kaleidoscopic flavors.
Together with their sister restaurants, Vespertine works to ensure all ingredients are used in their entirety.