Chen Chow Brasserie, Birmingham

Chen Chow Brasserie's executive chef experimented with gigs as a musician and pro BMX rider before he discovered the culinary arts. After settling on this new career path, he wrangled a team of like-minded chefs to help craft a menu of inventive Asian-inspired cuisine, including miso-infused Chilean sea bass with crispy udon noodles and togarashi-blackened steak fillet. They also craft sushi rolls loaded with exotic ingredients such as forbidden black rice and brûléed salmon, and they occasionally hand over the reins to local celebrities, who design limited-edition maki rolls for charity. In addition to these eclectic morsels, the restaurant curates a collection of rare teas and sakes.

These Asian-fusion meals populate tables in a modern, ornately decorated dining room. Here, a recessed ceiling anchors scroll-shaped lighting fixtures that cast their silhouettes across a backlit wall. Circular booths facilitate hassle-free conversations or games of four-way patty-cake.