Bistro 88’s not renowned for world-class pan-Asian fireworks; rather, it succeeds at giving the neighbors a nice evening out with some exotic flavors (at least, some still consider them “exotic”). Sushi is popular here; the selection is pretty extensive and the quality’s fine. Rolls all taste pretty similar—but when don’t they? Some of the more Southeast Asian preparations work well, like a delightful, if chalky, carrot-jalapeño soup made with cream, coconut milk, and a lot of kick. Potstickers, lettuce wraps, and baked avocado-crab salad are pretty run of the mill, but a $28 Prime ribeye is a great deal, considering a version that’s not much better will run you about 10 bucks more in a steakhouse. But Chilean sea bass served “Hong Kong style” is our winner, a steamed pearly fillet floating in a sauce swirling with tastes of ginger, garlic, and fermented soybeans. Braised napa cabbage is a nice addition, and Japanese eggplant is sweet, squishy, and irresistible.

The splashy font on the awning may be a bit goofy, but the inside is a fun little Asian-colonial fantasy: hanging wooden birdcages with butterflies, strange Anglo-Japanese paintings, and a permeation of blue lighting. It’s a little 1888-meets-1988, with the New-World-heavy, non-Asian-food-friendly wine list rooted, blissfully unaware, in the latter. Shoulder pads not required.