Mikado Japanese Restaurant   

Credited with introducing upscale Japanese cuisine to Circle City, this downtown restaurant and sushi bar still packs 'em in every night between its blond wood-panelled walls. Both original supporters and the younger 'Sex and City' crowd seem to soak up the relaxed vibe created by the vases of orchids and smooth river rocks -- used as chopstick rests. Things only start to get intense when one looks at the menu. Crunch bowls of vegetable and seafood tempura are spiced up with a myriad of pungent sauces. And the long list of ahi tuna and salmon can be ordered as hot or mild as your tastebuds will allow. For a truly memorable evening, Mikado offers its classic nine-course emperor dinner. But control freaks beware. The kitchen decides what is rolled between rice or simmered in broth for your feast.