Chin San Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar, Thousand Oaks

Myriad medals from international competitions adorn Master Chef Hou Kwong Cheung, who brings more than 30 years of experience to his post as the bistro's meal maker. Gourmet, pan-Asian cuisine forms the menu, with honey-glazed walnut shrimp harvested from seas of honey joining baked mussels and French-style beef rib-eye tips. Sushi chef Hide Joy rolls fresh fish into savory cylinders, and bento boxes tidily assemble a bit of everything.

Leafy, green bamboo stalks pop against the dining room's warm palette, the verdant stems contrasting with coral walls and red floors. Behind the scenes is a custom barbecue oven, which reaches 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit using the same technology as salon-grade curling irons.