Refinement and the tiki aesthetic don't typically go together. But when you walk into 3Ten, chef Jonathan Lundy's downtown Pacific Rim restaurant, they do.

"This is my most personal restaurant," said Lundy. "I wanted it to have personality, to continue to iterate and keep things fresh. It takes time to grow."

When you visit 3Ten, you could participate in an owner-curated art installation. Diners are being invited to complete a message in a bottle, which Lundy's adding to a large collection, tying them together with rope. He cuts and burns the paper to ensure it looks aged. After enjoying your meal, use the provided slip, a bottle, and a feathered pen to write a wish, thought, prayer, or joke, whatever it may be. He doesn't provide a prompt.

"The meaning comes from the people doing it. I've seen some," said Lundy, who hasn't yet written his own. "Political, religious, funny, strange, sweet... It's been a reminder that grounds me back into why I'm doing this. It's not about me."

The project came about almost by accident, because of the sheer number of left over empty hot sauce bottles sitting around in a corner after moving from Corto Lima to 3Ten. Even as I talked to him about the messages, his vision evolved and the installation grew from a few strands of bottles to a more elaborate presentation. He has, he said, room for several hundred more.

The concept fits the space. Like his Latin-inspired Corto Lima, which might be considered a sister eatery, entering is more than just a physical act. The decor — both were done by master decorator Cara Drion — transports you into a state of mind, an experience, not just a place you go to eat. The food is an inspired mash-up of influences as well. Bao buns with rotating fillings (duck with apricot sweet + sour is a current one) are one feature on a constantly changing menu. It is, in fact, mixing the unexpected that might be Lundy's hallmark.

Elegant lines and touches are accentuated by quirky bar glassware (a brightly colored fish-shaped glass for a "Hude & the Blowfish" cocktail), menu art, and pieces Lundy amassed for years, waiting for the right restaurant to house them. He said since the spot opened a year and a half ago he's been on a journey to get this restaurant into its current incarnation.

There is something magical, playful, hopeful about writing a message in a bottle. It's for you, but historically there's been the possibility someone would find it. (Love stories have been launched.) In this case, these messages aren't cast out to sea, but added to the community. So make a reservation to add your secret wish, have a perfect drink made by bartender Raphael Ware, and a delicious, seasonal meal.