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In Tokyo, Roppongi is a notably raffish nightclub district. Its namesake on the Upper West Side is more sedate, but no less inviting: an attractive, cheerfully well-lit Japanese restaurant that draws a crowd of confirmed regulars. Here sushi chefs remix traditional offerings into fresh, handsome confections with West Coast fusion accents. A sterling example is the five flavor sashimi, which looks like a parade of artfully simple miniature floats. A cube of toro is wisely paired with mango salsa, yellowtail with guacamole and celery, and salmon with green olive moromi miso; only the tuna clashes with its accompanying tart orange compote. The sushi rolls are also smartly dressed with complementary ingredients and sauces. The Green Bee roll throws a veil of pale green wasabi caviar around a salmon-avocado combo; the Crunch roll combines pink and soft spicy tuna with snappy asparagus, onion tempura flakes and tobiko caviar. The crackling result is a colorful treat and a riot of textures. For the sushi-shy, there's a magnanimously wide range of cooked fish, including the house special—grilled codfish marinated in soybean paste and served in a pool of delicate white miso. — Nina Mehta

These sushi modernists cater a lot of private parties.

Octopus salad, $8; crunch roll, $7; Hawaii roll, $12; grilled cod fish, $22