One-Star Pas mus: A Former Architect's Culinary Revolution in Lithuania

"Led by a trailblazing former architect with a love for history, nature and the arts, this One-Michelin-Starred restaurant channels Vilnius’ legacy of welcoming immigrants and diverse religions and cultures into a contemporary menu that works with local Lithuanian ingredients while applying Nordic and Japanese techniques to refine and concentrate flavors, giving familiar products a new perspective. Dishes are deliberately restrained, with the team avoiding unnecessary details and sometimes limiting the number of ingredients on the plate. A deep connection to nature drives a focus on micro-seasons and whole-plant use: Mirabelle plums appear at multiple stages—from fully ripe fruit where both flesh and pits are used, to tiny, unripe specimens up to 1 cm with incompletely formed pits that proved delicious; plum blossoms become syrups, marinades and teas, and even winter branches are infused. Much of this produce is grown, harvested and preserved by the chef’s family, with her mother’s small yard helping to stock the restaurant and everyone collecting plum pits from jams and seeking out unconventional plants not usually used for food in the local culture." - Caroline Howley