Commis

This serene elder from Chef/owner James Syhabout is packed every night. Tucked into colorful Piedmont Avenue, the space is long and neat, while soft music and a vibrant staff set the mood. It's cool and relaxed but never casual.Chef Syhabout pairs local ingredients with precise technique; he also pulls from his Thai and Chinese heritage to deliver an elegant menu full of familiar flavors that taste as wonderful as they look. Dinner might unveil slices of raw Japanese sea bream dressed with aged soy sauce, fermented plum, and mustard. That signature slow-poached egg yolk sitting in a bed of onion- and malt-infused cream is a consistent thrill; while donabe-baked scallion rice is topped with chanterelles dressed with miso from a small-batch, local producer.