Chefs have been slicing maki and sashimi behind the black-granite counter at Sansui Restaurant and Sushi Bar since 1994. Uniting down-home hospitality with a deep knowledge of Japanese fare, they answer guests' questions about the restaurant's dishes, which range from standard tempura and teriyaki to the more exotic tako sunamono appetizer, in which octopus soaks in a vinegar sauce. Servers transport these artful creations through an interior adorned with floral accents and wall-mounted decorative fans traditionally used to waft hunger-inducing food scents toward one's enemies. In the lobby, sunshine filtered through rice-paper screens alights on a tall potted bamboo plant as patrons carry out parcels of sushi-grade tuna, salmon, or yellowtail, which Sansui also sells by the pound. (Call in advance to place orders.)