285 Japanese Restaurant, Lakewood

The former 285 Restaurant specialized in Chinese food with a few Japanese dishes sprinkled in, but after it changed hands in 2015, it became a traditional Japanese eatery known as 285 Japanese Restaurant. To complete the transition, the owners brought in a Japanese chef, Ogi, and created a traditional seating area on the floor complete with leg-less chairs.

The new menu focuses primarily on sushi rolls, which chef Ogi creates with thick slices of salmon and tuna, chunks of avocado, and a drizzle of tangy sauces. He also warms up bellies with teriyaki platters and savory bowls of ramen. And he'll eventually hand over the cooking to his guests with shabu-shabu, thinly sliced meats and vegetables that they can cook themselves in a hot pot at the table or on any lava rocks they happen to have in their pockets.