Trained as a second in maître pâtissier Gaston Lenôtre’s kitchen, you can see Michel Richard’s background in pastry in a number of intricately crafted, whimsical takes on classics dishes like tuna Niçoise or a lobster burger, and a dessert course that includes creations like the Snowman (which comes with a lit sparkler) or the eggs-ceptional lemon meringue. And it would be a shame to visit the restaurant without sampling his signature dish: Lobster Begula, pearl-shaped pasta soaked in squid ink - giving it the appearance of fish eggs - served in a caviar tin. The wine list, especially deep in Champagnes, is one of the best in the city and pairs well with the “highly inventive and playful food done masterfully.”