Pagoda Restaurant SLC, Salt Lake City

Though we can't know for sure, H.T. Hayashi likely had the local landscape on his mind when he built Pagoda Floating Restaurant and its accompanying hotel in 1964. The restaurant’s tall windows provide 360-degree views of the city and peaceful natural landscape, which includes a calming waterfall and Japanese koi pond filled with synchronized swimming fish.

Inside the kitchen, executive chef Jason Takemura celebrates the cuisine of Japan, Korea, and Hawaii with dishes that feature the fruits of the Pacific Ocean. He designs Japanese breakfasts of teriyaki-glazed fish, miso soup, and Japanese-style omelets, as well as lunches of oxtail ramen and garlic chicken. In the evening, he prepares signature dishes such as sake-braised Big Island beef short ribs, pan-roasted kona kampachi, and seafood linguine.