Raku Japanese Restaurant, Saint Louis

With more than 16 years of culinary experience, master chef Megu Lin can effortlessly craft authentic Japanese delicacies such as miso soup, gyoza, and edamame. Yet he's not afraid to put his own spin on Japanese tradition by incorporating influences from French, Italian, and other Asian cuisines. He creates tuna pizza with tortillas and spicy-mayo sauce, douses grilled lamb in a red-wine reduction, and combines lobster tail and Hibachi-style filet mignon into a Japanese surf 'n' turf.

Chef Lin continues blending tradition and innovation with his sushi, which ranges from classics such as salmon avocado to special rolls such as the Playboy, a shrimp and tuna combo held together by a flaming aluminum wrap. The chef's artistically arranged dishes complement Raku's upscale interior, where thin light fixtures striping the wall and ceiling illumine the dining room's geometric furniture and svelte figure.