Takumi Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi, Rochester

At Takumi Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi, teppanyaki-style meals emerge from the flurry of spatulas and blades that beat a staccato rhythm against tableside hibachis. Knives slip silently through nigiri, and chefs twist together maki rolls crowded with caviar, soft-shell crab, and avocado at the sushi bar. Hanging lamps flood the dining room with warmth, and patrons slide between tables en route to the bar, where glasses of imported Kirin and Sapporo suds chime against one another or the heads of popular robots beneath flat-screen televisions.

The scents of udon noodles and tempura dishes spill past the high archway at the restaurant’s entrance, which gives the building the appearance of a temple. On karaoke evenings, aspiring singers perform before a receptive audience rather than the inattentive stuffed elk in their living room.