I love the more casual atmosphere at Aloette, being in a booth on street level (as opposed to the more formal Alo, which is upstairs). The menu has some new fall additions, including crispy squash with brown butter, hollandaise, sage, Parmesan and pumpkin seeds; the sort of satisfying bite that's perfect for the newly-arrived cooler weather. Another delicious new addition is the agnolotti with ricotta, manila clam, smoked butter and potato--plump and airy pockets of pasta with the addictive saltiness of the tiny mollusks.

What’s great about the menu at Atlas is that you can easily make dinner out of the many small bites offered by this delicious Moroccan restaurant. Not that you should skip the popular tagines (for two), but I always love trying as many different dishes as possible. Make sure you try the sardine kefta. Think of tiny sardine meatballs in a rich tomato sauce; it’s a savoury bite that will prep you for the other flavourful plates to come.

A true taste of Italy in, well… Little Italy. In addition to classics like braised tripe and prosciutto cotto, you can also find delicious pastas and pizzas on the menu. One of my favourite dishes here at Giulietta is the incredibly tender polpo e fagiolo; meaty octopus tentacles with soft cannelli beans result in a rich and filling dish. And no matter what you want to order, if the staff tells you there is burrata flown in from Italy available that day, order it.

A tiny 20-seat restaurant in Baldwin Village, Omai is best for intimate dinners with one or two other people. Serving what they call “Japanese-ish” food, the items are perfectly plated and each small bite is full of flavour. Quite possibly, the best-kept tasting menu secret exists here.

Fifty-five dollars will get you seven courses, including dessert, which is an unbelievable way to sample the menu that includes perfect hand rolls meant to be eaten immediately while the nori is still crisp.