Bernard'O Restaurant, San Diego

Instead of just preparing classic dishes from his native France, Bernard'O Restaurant's chef Vincent Viale peppers his dishes with local flavors, creating a California-French fusion cuisine. Using local meat, fish, and organic veggies, he pairs bell pepper compotes with pistachio-crusted racks of New Zealand lamb and whips up California-style bouillabaisse chockfull of scallops, mussels, and sea bass. He tempts diners at the bar with entirely different eats, including swordfish sliders and every child's favorite treat, lamb-chop lollipops. Such feasts unfold amid a soothing ambiance that includes a brick fireplace with a cozy fire and paintings of France's gorgeous countryside.