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On a desolate Chelsea block geared toward delivery options, Potluck’s lofty powder blue and butter-yellow space with balcony seating cries out for eat-in diners. Most takers are middle-aged couples lounging on wicker-and-faux-bamboo chairs and neighborhood denizens who don’t mind having Kenny G and Celine Dion serenade them. Skip the seemingly tantalizing Chinese and Southeast Asian dishes on the last page of the menu; they’re no more than gussied up take-out food. Much better are the Japanese snacks, like spicy squid. Fresh and batter-free, the char-grilled rings and tentacle-covered legs are dressed with a sweet chili glaze. Hand-formed nigiri sushi can be crowned with more than two dozen options, including oily Spanish mackerel and less common hokkigai clams. Flamboyant specialty rolls are Potluck’s M.O., though purists might balk at the rampant application of tropical fruit, jalapeños, and creamy dipping sauces. The namesake Potluck Roll, packed with salmon, spicy tuna, and snow crab, would feel excessive if not for the mango and wasabi tobiko, which add texture and a welcoming sweetness. — Krista Garcia

Potluck roll, $12