Opus Fine Dining and Aria Wine Bar, Denver

Surf 'n' turf at Opus doesn't mean steak and lobster. Instead, Chef Sean McGaughey pairs braised beef cheek with Atlantic monkfish, arraying them with glazed vegetables and bay-leaf butter in one of the restaurant's artful platings. It's one example of how McGaughey defies expectations at the combined restaurant and wine bar, where he merges French and Old World influences with contemporary American cuisine.

A salad might feature pink grapefruit flavored with black-pepper jam instead of lettuce. Hollandaise might be a foam instead of a sauce. And the burger you get from the menu isn't ground beef, but buffalo. For diners who love surprise so much they're engaged to a jack-in-the-box, the chef also prepares two separate tasting menus—one for omnivores and one for vegetarians. Each course has a suggested wine pairing, featuring sips from destinations such as Austria, France, and Chile. The weekend brunch menu is likewise international, with soufflé pancakes and waffle BLTs embodying the eternal battle of sweet versus savory. The restaurant offers free parking.