Sushi Jin suffered under the weight of its opening rave reviews, but has since found solid footing. Of course, it’s better if you sit at the sushi bar and engage the Japanese sushi chef—they’re less gregarious than the Nippon chefs, but their omakase usually involves not only the freshest, but some of the most exciting and traditional dishes in town. The nice vibe, minus the least bit of pomposity or arrogance, is a welcome respite from the noisy poseurs.

Tuna belly dependably melts in the mouth, and hamachi is silky and slightly buttery, served at the appropriate not-icy temperature. When available, grilled hamachi collar (same as cheek) is moist and succulent as ever; never toss away your fish heads, by the way—face meat’s where the magic is. Ask for uni seared atop a raw scallop—it’s mind-blowing; the uni’s buttermilky softness plays off the smooth, sweet scallop, and the two dissolve into one.

You’ll also find a rare treat here in the pressed sushi: fish (usually saba—horse mackerel) is pressed between well-seasoned rice and sweet kelp, then sliced into intensely flavored cubes. As ever, hands off the soy sauce, and the chef smears on as much wasabi as he feels is needed to balance with the well-seasoned rice. Your job is just to trust and enjoy; and, of course, offer some sake to your gracious host.