LAZY BEAR >

If the dining public has grown to appreciate the chef as artist, Lazy Bear takes that idea a step further, elevating the chef to a stage actor. “We’re going to interrupt your conversation,” chef-founder David Barzelay, full of Big Dad energy, shouts to the 40 diners sitting at the two communal tables, and after that the items on the 10-odd-dish tasting menu are announced with the gusto of a medieval herald announcing the entrance of his monarch. The spectacle of it all matches the exciting vibrancy of the food: Think savoy cabbage cooked like pork cracklings, duck mousse enrobed in beet gel with a gemlike sheen and a humble stalk of asparagus cooked in its own juices to create the most intense version of itself. Favorite detail: In a restaurant where every detail is so thought out, which is truly the most striking? The field guide, printed fresh each day, that diners receive in lieu of a menu is so much fun and features line art of ingredients and space for jotting down tasting notes or your table mates’ Twitter handles. Pro tip: Lazy Bear’s Den is a much less structured “nightcap” service upstairs. You can order from an a la carte menu of drinks and snacks. Reservations still required, though. Order: While the format is tasting menu only, the cocktail and wine list has the same creative spirit as the food. Definitely go for the beverage pairing ($95) with your meal — a nonalcoholic version ($55) is quite fun as well. Even the post-dinner drinks are incredible, from the highly curated teas to the cold-brew coffee with fluffy, sweetened whipped cream served in a glass beaker.

3416 19th St., San Francisco. 415-874-9921 or www.lazybearsf.com. Seatings at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Prepaid reservations, online only, and credit cards required.

— S.H.