Ki Sushi

Justin Hartung

Citysearch

The Scene
The imposing stone facade looks more like a real estate office than a sushi joint, but, inside, warm greetings from the chefs and black-clad waitstaff set an inviting tone that parallels the interior. Candle-filled nooks in exposed brick walls and a bamboo water sculpture soothe local couples and fish fanatics lured from nearby neighborhoods. Gentle Japanese pop plays unobtrusively in the background.

The Food
Though chopsticks are run-of-the-mill balsa, everything else ranks well above your average Brooklyn sushi restaurant. Fish tastes like it jumped straight from the water onto plates: Yellowtail comes in four varieties, including a supple red-tipped striped jack, and creamy white freshwater eel dispels any notions of heaviness. Lightly breaded smoked trout cakes impress, as does the house roll, a dazzling combination of crab, tuna, salmon and yellowtail--all blinged-out with a smattering of gold flakes. Even a basic steak gets a boost from truffle-infused mashed potatoes.