Maisie's Sushi House, Modesto

A childhood spent in Japan as well as Japanese cooking lessons from her mother Sumako helped prepare Maisie Bell for her long career as a sushi chef. In 2009, after a quarter century in the kitchen, Bell opened her eponymous sushi house, where she and her staff prepare made-to-order sushi as well as grilled salmon, beef, and chicken dishes. Cool blues and greens define the interior of the sleekly modern eatery, where patrons tuck into specialty rolls such as Red Dragon, with tempura shrimp and spicy tuna, and the Unknown roll, whose ingredients are awaiting new names from the Witness Protection Program. The kitchen also whips up baked mussels in a spicy cream sauce, beef teriyaki, and traditional japanese curries.