When he was cooking at the Water Grill in downtown Los Angeles, Michael Ciramusti conquered his first challenge - creating a seafood restaurant worthy of national recognition. But he moved on to bigger fish when he decided to open his own place in the space vacated by Patina in its transfer to the Disney Center. A fanatic about high-quality ingredients, Ciramusti installed a special cold room in his kitchen so that his fish can be butchered at a perfect temperature. The attention to detail appears to have paid off, as many of our reviewers feel that Ciramusti serves the best New American seafood in the country. Some of the creations are truly inspired: his Dungeness crab with sweet peas, crispy soba and sriracha mayonnaise; his signature Santa Barbara sea urchin served in a farm egg filled with a Champagne beurre blanc; his dayboat halibut from Sitka, Alaska, served with burdock, shiso and lemon. Non-fish eaters will find that Ciramusti handles dishes like foie gras ravioli or roast tenderloin of veal with chanterelles and shimeji mushrooms with the same level of skill and aplomb. Partner Donato Poto, a veteran of numerous top L.A. restaurants (including Bastide in its heyday), does an equally good job of managing the front of the house.