The buzz: The first overseas offshoot of famed Tokyo establishment Hashida Sushi—headed by master sushi chef Tokio Hashida—is helmed by the chef’s son Kenjiro Hashida, a Japanese food personality in his own right who goes by the nickname “Hatch”. The younger Hashida has got some serious culinary chops of his own, having trained at prestigious cooking school L’Ecole Tsuji Tokyo and apprenticed under his father.

The vibe: It’s an elegant and minimalist setup, with light wood all round. Entering the space, guests wander down a narrow corridor (with pebble covered floors) leading to the main dining room, where a long chef’s counter awaits. It’s all very zen. The servers dress in kimonos too, adding to the classic atmosphere.

The food: Dine on lunch sets (from $80) and dinner courses (from $300) including seasonal nigiri sushi such as sea bream, ark shell and tuna, plus specialties like chawanmushi with fugu shirako (egg custard with blowfish milt), and salmon roe and sea urchin rice. For dessert, the chef also makes exemplary macarons in delicate flavors (think cherry blossom) as well as traditional Japanese sweets.

The drinks: There are fine sakes (from $30) and Bordeaux wines, from silky whites like 2005 Chateau Carbonnieux Blanc ($189) to complex reds such as 1996 Chateau Margaux ($2,168), to go along with the meal.

Why you’ll be back: For a refined sushi experience in a sophisticated and understated space, this is probably the best in town.

Eat this at Hashida Sushi: Nigiri Sushi. It's one of I-S Magazine's 50 things to eat before you die (2013).