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You could walk from Zutto to Nobu in under a minute, but the two Japanese restaurants are worlds away in concept. You will not find anything close to hushed sushi-worshiping reverence at Zutto--it's a self-styled Japanese pub, and that means jovial noshing at a huge, rough-hewn, communal table. It also means a short but well-edited beer list, which should be employed to wash down the offering of a roster of buns. The pairs of puffy little sandwiches are filled with pork belly, kobe beef, and portabella. But the short rib is the most perfect--saucy, braised meat dressed sparsely with kimchi and a bit of spicy mayo. Diners have been known to order so many their servers must politely suggest they try something else. Should that happen, skip the run-of-the-mill ramen and look to the sushi bar. In particular, go for the seared tuna maki whose thin layer of char gives the roll a smoky profile. — Edna Ishayik

Short rib buns, $10; seared tuna maki, $11