Chef Michael Tusk’s formula for success is straightforward: Make friends with the best farmers, ranchers, and fishermen in the region, ensure they reserve the best of the best for you, then lovingly combine your ingredients into superb, seasonally focused dishes. Tusk, who honed his skills at Chez Panisse (the iconic Bay Area restaurant that pioneered California’s farm-to-table cooking style), takes this concept to the highest level, allowing ingredients to star on a plate without much distraction. Such preciousness doesn’t come cheap: Diners choose between a multicourse dinner menu in the dining room or a caviar menu plus a handful of a la carte entrees in the Salon, with wine pairings available for an additional (steep) fee. Many of the dishes are Italian in origin (like the garganelli—lobster with lemon verbena and English peas); meaty entrees also shine (Watson Farm lamb with olive, fava bean, and allium). Leave room for dessert—along with stunning edible works of sweet art, you’re presented a selection of chocolates.