Witlof

A moss-covered wall and paintings of fish set the tone at this cosy French restaurant overlooking the Waal River in Nijmegen. The kitchen does classic French technique with regular Asian detours, a mirin hollandaise being the kind of thing that makes the approach click. There's no menu to study: the chef runs surprise menus only, so you're handing over the wheel entirely. The cheerful front-of-house makes that feel less like a gamble and more like a night off.