Clio

For those times in life when you have been very, very good, there's Clio—proof that fine dining doesn't have to be stuffy, and luxury doesn't have to be predictable. Credit goes foremost to chef Ken Oringer, who flies in his ingredients from every corner of the earth for palate-challenging dishes like cassolette of lobster and sea urchin with yuzu and Japanese pepper. Oringer's graceful, gutsy cuisine may tend toward the erudite, but it always goes down easy. Equally captivating is Clio's dining room, a mix of finery (gleaming crystal) and fabulousness (the leopard print rug). With great service and a superlative wine list, Clio is the truest kind of reward: not an experience you have often, but one worth waiting for.