"Your reservation to Nari, a fancy Thai restaurant in Japantown, will be circled in bright red on your calendar for weeks prior. When you finally get in the door, you’ll be rewarded with a runny nose (from all the spice) and bold flavors that you'll still be thinking about days later. The charred mushroom salad with Thai bird chilis builds a lingering heat throughout the meal, and every bit of the pork jowl and squid is a sticky-sweet umami bomb. Add the $125 tasting menu option and the multi-level space packed with more plants than a botanical garden to the mix, and it's the ideal setting for any occasion. Come with a small group and go to town. " - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong