"A game-changer back when pork belly remained far beyond the U.S. mainstream, chef Jennifer Jasinski’s “fresh bacon” appetizer is scented with cardamom and set atop curried green garbanzo purée to exemplify the elegance for which Rioja is so well-known. (Granted, her artichoke tortelloni has drawn equal raves over the course of the modern Mediterranean restaurant’s 20 years in business.)" - Ruth Tobias