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The Upper West Side has no shortage of sushi and tiny Matsu does little to stand out from the pack. But the fish is fresh enough and their black ceiling and trippy décor beat sitting in a cramped apartment eating takeout. Warm appetizers are more interesting than the chilled seaweed salad and numerous tartares. Crispy duck, composed of shreds of dark meat and skin, is tossed with hoisin sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The sushi chefs, who operate behind a glowing red bar, only offer only a small selection of specialty rolls. The winsome inside-out angel roll features peppery tuna encased in avocado and grilled eel. A tightly curated menu is sufficient for the clientele—a mix of college students and loyal regulars who appear to have been in the neighborhood for decades. Filling, reasonably priced combo plates dominated by standard salmon and tuna-topped nigiri, are in higher demand than individually ordered pieces of sushi. — Krista Garcia

Crispy duck, $8.50; angel roll, $12.50