VIBE

We went before the 2009-2010 renovation but loved the quiet yet ultra cool vibe. Diners manage to see-and-be-seen as they nibble on the out-of-this-world sushi and small plates. The service is appropriately slick and attentive. The renovation has brought a lounge bar as well as a sleek sushi counter to the ground floor.

CROWD

The cool crowd rubs shoulders with business execs on expense accounts, daters out for a special occasion, and foodies looking for a Japanese fix.

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

Something cool and with-it, but not too flashy. Try a subtle yet on-trend skirt or dress and low-key accessories.

GO HERE WITH

A date; a sushi connoisseur; socialites; colleagues or clients

WHY WE LIKE IT

Such fashionable scenestering and exquisite eats don’t come cheap, but if you seek to impress, Sake no hana is ideal.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

The prices are steep and getting steeper, although the new menu’s pricing seems to be less scary.

GOOD TO KNOW

Renovations were completed in April 2010, with a new Daisuke Hayashi-designed menu and a sleek GBRH-designed ground floor. Go easy on the sake–the bathrooms, though cool, are an elevator ride away (at least pre-renovation). And if you’re keeping track, yes, this is yet another Alan Yau venture (his others include Hakkasan, Busaba Eathai, Princi, Wagamama, etc.).

CLOSEST COMPS

Nobu (New York); Hakkasan (London)

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