Bonsai Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Greensboro

Working behind the sushi bar at Bonsai Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar, the team of sushi chefs wraps up and arranges more than 100 types of flavorful opuses. Volcano rolls mimic a blooming flower, decorated with spirals of sauce and petals of ginger garnishes, whereas sushi and sashimi combinations adorn the tiny tiers of wooden boats. The components of the pieces are just as inventive as their presentation. For example, the Tornado roll—one of 29 maki specialties—cocoons spicy tuna, cream cheese, jalapeños, and pineapple inside a tempura shell.

The kitchen's hibachi chefs, on the other hand, appreciate the aesthetic of well-seared meat. They grill salmon, steak, scallops, and chicken as part of made-to-order, multi-course entrees, all of which arrive with ginger or mustard sauce, meant for spilling on shirts. The traditional Japanese meals match the spirit of the surrounding decor: colorful parasols, pictures, and even fabric kimonos hang from the walls, and paper lanterns cast a cozy glow over tabletops.