Oishii Sushi Bar   

What have the people of Chestnut Hill done to deserve a restaurant as good as Oishii? Every year, when the local rags speak as one to elect Fugakyu as Boston's best sushi bar, suburban diners scratch their heads in confusion -- while thanking their lucky stars that Oishii will remain a secret for another season. It's truly a miracle of mis-marketing that this diminutive dining room -- where Clio/Uni chef Ken Oringer often stops to shoot the sheesh about sashimi -- is not even on the map for most Bostonians. Even bracketing its glamorous connections (not only is Oringer a fan, but the owner is an alumnus of New York's Nobu) and ignoring its cult following, it's still obvious that this restaurant is head, tail and fins above Fugakyu and all other comers. Among the more than 35 makimono (rolled sushi) on the menu are options both traditional and unexpected, including an assortment of rolls invented by customers. But raw fish isn't the only thing to rave about here: the shu mai is to die for and the hot dishes (from udon noodles to spicy soups) put the entrees at nearby Jae's to shame. Despite its relative obscurity, Oishii is always mobbed with regulars (an inevitability in a restaurant with less than 15 seats), but you'll be the rare exception to the rule if you don't consider the food worth waiting for. -- Julia Clinger