Sekisui, Saint Louis

Chef Thom Chantharasy has formed a bridge from the southern US to Japan—and it's edible. At Sekisui Sushi Bistro, the culinary artist packs Cajun and Delta flavors into nearly 70 specialty rolls. The result is spicy crawfish combined with avocado and po'boy-inspired combos of fried oyster and katsu sauce. He doesn't skimp on the presentation either. Rolls with names such as Godzilla, Firebird, Elvis, and X-Men come plated so gorgeously that they've won awards and tempted art curators to consider refrigerating their galleries. Rounding out the menu, Thom's team whips up plenty of other Japanese specialties: everything from beef tenderloin kebabs to pork-flavored ramen chock full of black mussels.