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Both the sushi and the setting are what draw area office workers out of their cubicles and into this quaint lunch-hour favorite. A sculpture of sake bottles greets patrons at the door, a clay-tile-topped sushi bar dominates the back, and a tank of swimming turtles entertains eyes from all corners of the room. In addition to maki and à la carte pieces that are a cut above the norm, there are twenty special rolls, including the Out of Control roll, stuffed with shrimp tempura, crab meat, and eel sauce, and the Mexican Dream roll, a combination of crunchy fried yellowtail, fresh yellowtail, green pepper tempura, and jalapeno. The age tofu—soft, fresh tofu squares with a delicate, deep-fried coating, served in a slightly sweet dashi soy sauce—is a light and interesting prelude to sushi or sashimi platters, but otherwise, it's best not to stray too far from the ocean. Many items, like udon noodles in a bland, underseasoned broth, reinforce just why the fish is the clear preference here. — Kathleen Squires

Age tofu, $4; Kami platter A, $19.95