Origami   

This popular Japanese restaurant will have to do battle with Kikugawa on the Hennepin Bridge for local sushi bragging rights. But there is no denying Origami's excellence, as evidenced by the many awards the restaurant has collected -- for sushi and everything else. One look at the extensive menu will tell you what to expect once you enter this smart, sleek venue, located inside a preserved 19th-century stone building at the edge of the Warehouse District. The menu reads like a seafood and vegetable glossary, yet the modest prices allow you to indulge yourself to your heart's content. There is much more to enjoy, as well, on the lunch and ala carte dinner menus. Mackerel, octopus and other delicacies of the deep join chicken, pork and even a specially styled filet mignon. The full bar offers a wide selection of sakes, domestic and imported beers (including Japanese, of course) and a very respectably priced wine list. Like any good sushi place, Origami has many loyal followers, so make reservations during the week or get on the waiting list on weekends. -- John Sharpe