RICE VILLAGE. Braced by raw wooden beams and posts, this enticing establishment gets brisk business from students and medical folks. Best known for its beautifully composed sushi, it also gets praise for grilled dishes (you can even cook your own on a blistering-hot rock). Begin with miso soup or edamame before shifting to pan-fried prawns, sauteed conch, chicken or pork katsu, or grilled and skewered seafood. Plenty of rolls are available, including the Polo (with fried oysters and avocado) and the spicy Azuma (with tuna, salmon, and daikon skin). Don't forget to explore the list of sakes.

DOWNTOWN. A gorgeous former bank lobby rife with architectural character, soaring ceilings, and sensual fabrics gives initial indication of the refined feast that BANK has in store for guests. The menu scoops into its delicious sensibility a variety of influences from the American South and gives them new culinary life, courtesy of executive chef Michael Kramer. Keep an eye out for coffee-rubbed filet of beef, butter-poached Maine lobster, brioche-stuffed quail, and Alaskan halibut with truffle emulsion. An expensive but dazzling experience.

SHARPSTOWN. Elegant Fung's has a built-in culinary niche with its Hong Kong-style preparation of impossibly fresh seafood. That's not to say that the kitchen is complacent. Rather, chefs go to great lengths to make sure that everything is of the highest quality, just as you ordered. The menu features more than 400 options, so look around a bit before you choose. Items you might consider include green mussels with black bean sauce, roast duck, sesame jellyfish, and squid with sate sauce. Less adventurous diners are pleased by customary beef, chicken, and pork dishes, along with a variety of noodle and rice options. Ideal for entertaining clients or special guests.

GALLERIA. Kaneyama enjoys a reputation as one of the area's more popular eateries, thanks in large part to its terrific sushi. Contemporary Asian decor adds character to a sleek sushi bar, comfortable booths, and cozy tatami rooms. An ideal spot for business lunches, Kaneyama, whose name loosely translates as "treasure mountain," serves classics like sea urchin, sashimi, and nigiri. For diners not wanting to go "raw," alternatives like salmon teriyaki are available. Best of all, prices are among the most competitive in town.

RICE VILLAGE. Although sushi is readily available nowadays (even at the supermarket), authenticity is often elusive. Not so at Kubo's. They create Japanese sushi, not an Americanized version. As a result, quality and preparation are more stringent, and nigiri, maki, and sashimi are practically without parallel. Even basics like yellowtail and tuna are sublime, and the more unusual and inventive options really sing. Cooked dishes and rice bowls can also be had, but you might as well go with what they do best. Incredible sakes are also a restaurant standard. Make sure you check out the specials!