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Serious lovers of Japanese cuisine are reverent about the pristine food at this polished space, where Midtown melts away for the feel of an upscale ryokan in Kyoto. Bare tree branches holding tiny wooden lanterns stretch along the ceiling, and polished stones form a Zen mural along two walls, giving the room a naturalness that matches the purity of chef Nao Sugiyama's parade of tastes. His modern kaiseki cuisine harmonizes texture, color, temperature and flavor in a fix-priced multi-course procession that is as authentic as it gets in the West. Dishes change seasonally, but diners can expect the feast to start with a cold array of bites such as crunchy river crab, a dense cube of whitefish, and silken tofu and tuna cake, followed by an exquisite sashimi course with the likes of finely cut tuna, yellowtail, and red snapper. A clear soup such as a fish broth with chrysanthemum floaters and a selection of fish or tenderloin cooked on a hot stone ensues before a small tasting of sushi. A rice dish, perhaps flavored with bits of eel, then precedes a light finish such as pineapple gelee with cream. No matter what chef Sugiyama's seasonal choice, each painstakingly prepared morsel culminates in one of New York's most lovely and transporting dining experiences. — Kathleen Squires

The three-course pre and post theater special, served between 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.–10:30 p.m. is a great bargain.

Tenderloin cooked on a hot stone; sashimi; tofu and tuna cake