Bonvenu, Richmond

Behind a quirkily colored bright-yellow brick façade, Bonvenu Restaurant & Bar charms visitors with brunch spreads of smoked gouda and ham omelets and sweet-potato waffles, and dinners of lamb roulade or bacon-topped mac 'n' cheese. The eatery projects its commitment to blending disparate cultural influences through its very name, which means "welcome" in Esperanto⎯a constructed universal tongue that draws from Latin, Ukranian, and the secret language that twins speak to each other. The interior adds a whimsical edge to Eisenhower-era diner decor, with two-toned crimson and cream walls dotted with modern art, and oblong globules cast warm light onto a bar top equipped with Belgian ales and flavored martinis. The recipes on the menu take taste buds on globetrotting voyages, with flavors as exotic as Filipino adobo sauce, or as familiar as local foraged mushrooms.