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This unmarked restaurant on a mostly uneventful block in South Williamsburg takes its name from an old Japanese gambling phrase meaning "all or nothing." Once you've found the entrance, walk past the bar in the front room into an unexpectedly large (and overwhelmingly white) dining room, where the only color comes from the yellow back-lighting of the sushi chef's workspace. 1 or 8 provides a more traditional, upscale approach than most other Japanese spots in the neighborhood; perfectly executed basic rolls accompany interesting variations on classics; sashimi is expertly sliced and evenly textured, and soft tuna and Atlantic salmon are exceptionally fresh. Shrimp is tasty (if a bit tough), but the naturally fishy mackerel is nicely subtle. There are a few cooked entrées, including a vegetable plate, a chicken pot-au-feu, steak and potatoes, and pork belly two ways, but the real treat here is the omakase, course after course of treats at the chef’s whim. — Daniel Benjamin

Otoro sashimi, $9; Atlantic salmon nigiri, $3