Isabel

Christened after the identically named daughter and niece of owners Michael Poole and Van Chau, Isabel is flooded with light to emulate the little girls’ smiles. Palm fronds catch natural light that streams in from full-wall windows and guest appearances from the sun itself, which is rumored to love the empanadas. Seated next to the dappled orange walls and brick-colored tiles, guests dip crispy tortilla chips into guacamole or queso fundido studded with chorizo and mushrooms before servers shuttle heaping plates of spiced meats from the bustling kitchen. The chefs draw inspiration from the bright, intense flavors of Mexican and Californian recipes to create brunch and dinner dishes such as drunken chicken in pasilla chili tequila sauce. The proprietors' eclectic spirit keeps them from falling into predictable flavor patterns, however—they'll just as readily cover prosciutto-style duck in chocolate sauce as bake a dish of huevos rancheros, relying on a talent for fusion also seen at their other restaurant, the pan-Asian Trio.