Sushi Axiom, Allen

As a live DJ sends electronic beats skittering through Sushi Axiom's interior, a bartender skewers two lychee fruits for an exotic cocktail garnish. In the midst of the music and the colorful lights, Real Housewives of New York City alumna Kelly Bensimon and others have conducted meet and greets with hors d'oeuvres and cocktails. As the glamorous clientele mingles, chefs deftly slice sashimi and sample culinary traditions from across the world without finding passive-aggressive notes on the United Nations refrigerator. One recent fusion dish is the Asian jalapeño poppers, an appetizer that D magazine writer Jennifer Chininis praised for "the delicate crunch from the tempura, the heat from the sriracha, the coolness of the softened cheese.":