Since opening in late 2019, this bright, greenery-filled space has flourished both as a neighbourhood restaurant and a destination for list-reading diners from around the world. Yes, the two-and-a-half-hour, 11-course tasting menu is the main attraction, selling out weeks in advance, but the à la carte card allows you to walk in without a reservation and claim a seat at the bar, which delivers just as much fun and gastronomic revelation. Either experience allows you to revel in chef Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson’s singular combination of Nordic sensibility (through abundant use of fermentation, and foraged ingredients like elderflowers, nettles and sea asparagus), his own Manitoban German heritage, and ingredients that exemplify the West Coast. A few examples: smoked-fish dip with house-made potato chips, signature fried chicken with pickled zucchini slices, and an audacious dessert of aerated hay custard with green apple and chamomile. Michelin’s 2022 Sommelier of the Year — wine director Jayton Paul — has put together a globetrotting list that spans the gamut, from crowd-pleasing Rieslings to funky skin-contact Grüner Veltliners.

Innovative and creative with a touch of humour. Lanita Layton