Clio

All too often, a chef's tasting simply comprises diminutive versions of regular-menu offerings, followed by a not-so-teeny tab. Done right, though, it's a chef’s chance to do something truly imaginative or showcase some fleeting and wonderful seasonal ingredients. At his flagship restaurant, Clio, celeb chef Ken Oringer presents a series of nine or fourteen dishes that toy with the senses, like a savory burned-bread soup that tastes like the happy result of a kitchen snafu. He also offers tastes of ephemeral items like Japanese cherry-blossom trout, available for just a few weeks a year. Expect to be wowed—and charged accordingly. RUNNER-UP Craigie on Main