It may come in the form of passion-fruit "caviar," or parsnip beignets filled with hot olive oil, or the complimentary intermezzos we devoured at our meals - a bracingly delicious spoonful of carrot-orange sorbet, and a ripe strawberry splashed in balsamic and dusted with the startlingly good crunch of smoked sea salt.
Vargas might have stopped right there, because his experimentations with dessert fell far short of his savory ideas.
The caramelized plantains and figs were dry. The chocolate banana napoleon was awkward to eat, but had the right flavors. And though I loved the idea and taste of buttercookie ice cream, the soupy mess that arrived, unsuccessfully thickened with gelatin instead of eggs, was a reminder that some novel ideas may not be ready for prime time.