Odille

The open kitchen, clad in black and planted at the center of the room, is where the meal begins before anything arrives at the table. This is a Michelin-starred French restaurant in a small Brabant market town, where the kitchen garden supplies vegetables that get the full treatment, and bold sauces do the heavy lifting. The mood is serene without feeling hushed, with artwork softening the edges of what might otherwise read as very serious dining.

Two honors, in evidence: