This romantic Victorian mansion is the unexpected home of a forward-looking kitchen. It’s the kind of place that makes one want to dress up—at least a little bit—to fully engage in the art of dining. Arrive early to enjoy a sunset drink out on the terrace. You can either stay there to dine, or head inside to settle into one of several timelessly elegant dining rooms cloaked in sleek marble, plush silk and old-world grandeur.

The showmanship here extends to the artistic, often theatrical plates that make the most of herbs and flowers to create novel and very focused flavors throughout the carte. Tasting menus begin with a smoked egg amuse-bouche whereby a smoke-filled cloche unveils a delicate eggshell filled with a feather-light sabayon and watercress purée that looks and tastes of magic. The kitchen is also particularly adept with vegetables, as may be found in the olive oil-fried chard and onion soubise that accompanies a roasted and sliced quail.

A green profiterole stuffed with apple mousse leads to a “morning breakfast dessert” of Turkish figs, apple sorbet, thin and crunchy melba toast as well as a host of garnishes like chocolate, jelly, raisins and corn caramels.