Cariño

During the first course of Cariño’s Latin-inspired tasting menu, a giant chicharron with smoky esquites will hit the table. You’ll inevitably “ohh” and “ahh” at the sight of it, but it'll also tell you everything you need to know about this Uptown spot: you’re in for 10 more courses that are playful and fun to eat. Other dishes include Huitlacoche ravioli with more forms of corn than we can track and oysters topped with tajin and Modelo foam that channel the flavors of spicy, refreshing micheladas. There’s also a mini taco flight with surprising fillings like chicken liver mousse and duck confit (a teaser of Cariño’s late-night taco omakase). And though dinner here is intimate and has a hefty $210 price tag, the place never feels stuffy or overly formal.