Orsa & Winston

This Michelin-starred Japanese-Italian restaurant is the pride and joy of local chef Josef Centeno, who also runs nearby Tex-Mex joint Bar Amá. This reasonably priced five-course tasting menu ($150) offers the right mix of value and flair. The hyper-creative, genre-bending dishes might see spot prawns, scallops and uni in a flower-dotted rice porridge (a $49 supplement, meant to be split among two), or seasonal cucamelons and heirloom tomatoes with kanpachi. There's L.A. love, global inflection and a deep understanding of balance in these dishes that make every meal enjoyable. Even after factoring in supplements, tax and tip, it's still one of the less eye-poppingly expensive fine dining experiences around town. The tasting menu changes on a seasonal basis, and the chef is typically generous with additional dishes unlisted on the menu.