Pantagruel

Pantagruel is a famous mythical character in French literature who “loves to indulge in epicurean pleasures,” so says the menu, which not only explains the restaurant’s name, but how the courses—dubbed “chapters”—unfold. Each dish is actually three mini ones: The chef focuses on one major ingredient (say, leeks) and serves it three ways on a variety of striking ceramic plates. If it sounds very The Menu, it is. But it works, and no one will turn into a s’more at the end.

With all the dishes dotted around the table, the experience might look a bit like a Kandinsky painting from overhead, but it makes for a very fun tasting. There’s flair, too, in the form of dry ice, nori and miso seaweed butter prepared tableside, and a recording of “Pantagruel” being read aloud in the bathroom. Despite the small portion sizes, you’re still getting three mini plates of each course—at lunch, it’s three for €58, while at dinner it’s six for €115—so you won’t leave hungry.