MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Small, sleek and stylish, this gleaming, trendy and serious destination features the culinary pyrotechnics from both the Mediterranean and Japan, married under the watchful eye of Chef Josef Centeno. Inside, the sophisticated room presents generously spaced tables and a small dining counter, set before a polished kitchen where the only colors are the red and orange flames. Turned out of the kitchen, the multiple prix-fixe menu items may comprise of wide-ranging flavors, but they also showcase the beauty of local ingredients. Highlights include diver scallops served in their shells—with barely warmed and supremely tender Manila clams, lobster meat and roe—all of which release a powerhouse of sea flavors. Also sample the perfectly crisp soft-shell crab tempura, enhanced with sweet pumpkin and fermented chilies to tantalize the palate; or perfectly seared slices of guinea hen set atop smooth semolina. The Sonoma lamb T-bone accompanied by a rich Bordelaise sauce, rye porridge and peaches is dense, juicy and particularly delicious. Sensational desserts have featured the chef’s tribute to almond roca candy. Albeit casual and less ambitious, lunches are far more affordable.