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This long-standing Tribeca Japanese likes to mix things up. The walnut walls, floors, and furnishings are a refreshing departure from the usual blond-wood look; the pumped-in music ranges from Celtic to current, instead of the usual serene harp; and many of the casual Friday-clad patronage come for the novelty of brown rice sushi, or creative rolls like the Out of Control, complete with shrimp tempura, banana, and spicy salmon. The broad menu holds better choices, however, like the crunchily coated age dashi tofu and the sweet, crispy duck teriyaki, which arrives on a platter sizzling with onions and bean sprouts. Also, there are plenty of options for vegetarians outside of the standard cucumber roll like the Zen Zen, a combo of seaweed, bean curd, asparagus, and mushroom. Sure, the quality of the fish is middling at best, and the batter on the tempura rests heavy, but this spot comes in handy when Nobu or Megu won’t fit your budget. — Kathleen Squires

Age dashi tofu, $4.95; crispy duck teriyaki, $18.95