Ponzu

Though its menu is sprinkled with common dishes such as shrimp tempura and salmon teriyaki that you might find at any Japanese restaurant, Ponzu is anything but typical. Elements of Japanese, Malaysian, Indian, and even European cuisine flood each meal, from roti prata Indian bread topped with curried chicken and potato to more than 30 house special maki rolls and Portuguese-style fish baked in tinfoil. The chefs take a keen interest in their diners’ health as they prepare entrees in vegetable and soy bean oils, avoid adding MSG to dishes, and add weights to the end of chopsticks to boost patrons’ strength. As diners dig into the spread of Eurasian cuisine and clink glasses of sake—Ponzu offers a choice of more than a dozen types including hot and sparkling—they’re surrounded by pale yellow walls and the calming luminosity of pendant lights.