Photo: Nick Caito, Nick Caito Photo

Last Wednesday, a group of Connecticut food lovers descended upon Miya’s Sushi in New Haven for the infamous multicourse Wednesday night special. What ensued was one of the most exciting, inventive and thoroughly enjoyable dining experiences of my whole life.

The meal started with pumpkin miso soup and fresh salad made with organic vegetables from a local foodshare collaborative. The next dozen or so courses made our heads spin.

At Bun Lai’s celebrated restaurant, you’re hard-pressed to find anything mundane. Rather, you’re more likely to have rolls with rare-fried tuna, goat cheese and cranberries. Or mascarpone cheese, brie and potato skin. White rice may be replaced by quinoa, teff grain and oat groats. The menu itself is poetry, items’ whimsical descriptions written almost haiku-style.

Of a beer concoction, Bun writes, “a refreshing honey and ginger beer elixer. certain to please any working-class asian. sorry, you must be asian to order this. sorry, you’re not asian.”

The Wednesday night special is served omekase-style, so you’re subjected to the chef’s whims. If you’re a control freak, this might not be your thing. But trust that Bun and his staff will never steer you wrong. Everything served here is sustainable and socially conscious, with certain ingredients foraged by Lai himself.

Words will never truly do the experience justice, so photos will have to tell the story. (All images shot by Nick Caito Photo)

Sweet mother's milk: a whole steamed artichoke served with pureed jalapeno sauce

Tokyo fro: lightly fried potato straws drizzled with curry aioli

One of Bun's new rolls, made with escargot and brie

Vegetable gyoza

Longtime friends Bun Lai and Matt Scott, WTNH meteorologist

Ho rensoe ensalada - flash-fried spinach

A roll made with soy chicken and topped with melted Havarti cheese

Another new roll: lobster, asparagus, Brie and apricots

Blogger Emily Cahill, author of A Change of Eatery

Ginger beef tataki

The Ebibaba roll, shrimp tempura wrapped in potato skin and topped with melted Havarti and a lemon dill sauce.

Two fish cha-cha: escolar seared with tuna

Twelve-spice tilapia sashimi, made with sea salt from an endangered island

Amy Kundrat, blogger for CT Bites and Motoamy

Dessert: the Seven Deadly Sushi roll with banana, peanut butter, strawberries and chocolate topped with hand-churned rose petal ice cream

Not pictured, but still completely enjoyed: a selection of infused sakes, including the restaurant’s famous Chinese firecracker variety. A little too fiery on its own; absolutely perfect in a sake bomb made with Pabst beer.

If you’re looking for the kind of culinary moment to crystallize in your mind forever, get yourself to New Haven quick.