It's not just us: Ask your favorite chefs around Dallas, and you're likely to hear admiration for Krstic, the Serbian-American mind behind Mot Hai Ba's fantastical variations on traditional Vietnamese cuisine. His food combines deep respect for Vietnamese cooking with a modernist sensibility that sends the food in surprising new directions, like taking traditional pâté and swiping it around tempura-battered okra, or pairing grilled duck meatballs with tomato compote or a mild kimchi. As Dallas fine dining becomes increasingly conservative and risk-averse, Krstic is a role model for chefs who follow their inspirations in new and exciting directions.