Eculent, Kemah

Before the food at Eculent ever makes it to your plate, it's tested in a lab. An actual, honest-to-goodness lab. Inside lab: Eculent, esteemed Executive Chef David Skinner and Sous Chef James Scheurich create gastronomic innovations for the diner's benefit. And the chefs aren't using just their hands and some measuring cups—they have centrifuges, rotary evaporators, liquid nitrogen systems, and plenty of other toys that sound like they'd be found in the lair of a comic-book villain. Their precise experiments have lead to some remarkable innovations, from 5,000-flavor soup to edible soil to strawberries that taste like meat.

During one nightly seating, guests have the chance to taste these innovative creations for themselves. Evenings begin with guests enjoying small bites and concoctions they make using personal chemistry sets. A tour of the food lab and then a first course that levitates on the table start the culinary journey. Next, servers explain the meal's proceedings as the lights dim. A series of 20 courses follows, with each one highlighting meticulously sourced ingredients from across the state and around the country. The choreographed experience doesn't stop at your taste buds, though: custom-created scents waft through the air, lights change to set the mood, local artwork dances in and out of the room, and music ripples throughout the space, creating a unique, multi-sensory dining experience.