Strasbourg: Umami

Even if the Petite France quarter of Strasbourg weren't so pretty, it would be well worth a visit for anyone who's interested in trying some of the edgiest food in Alsace these days. Chef René Fieger recently moved to this delightful setting from Epices & Sens in Marienthal, and his cooking lives up to the interesting name of his new restaurant — Umami is the Japanese word for the savory flavor that is now generally considered one of five basic tastes perceived by the human palate (the more familiar other four: sweet, sour, salty and bitter). Fieger's globe-trotting career has included stints in Sydney and Shanghai, which offers a clue to the unexpectedly sophisticated and original contemporary cooking you'll find here. His menu changes often, but recent outstanding dishes were flétan (halibut) rubbed with red Thai curry paste in coconut milk; braised sweetbreads in annatto powder (a tropical red coloring and flavoring); pork in a cinnamon jus with spiced pumpkin purée; and a floating island with tropical fruits and jasmine. Tiny, stylish and unexpected, this vest-pocket table is worth the detour from the city's famed traditional Alsatian cuisine.

8 rue des Dentelles, Strasbourg, 03.88.32.80.53. Lunch menu €18, dinner menus €25-€70. A la carte €35 per person without wine

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