Russian Hill, San Francisco · restaurant
Eighteen years in the same Russian Hill room, Okoze runs its omakase like a standing appointment — $70 for nine pieces of chef's choice nigiri, each picked for what came in that morning. The Medai Carpaccio (Japanese butterfish, ikura, wasabi oil, yuzu ponzu) makes a case for starting before the rice, and the Kanpachi Volcano (amberjack, avocado, jalapeño, spicy ponzu) is a good reason to arrive early. Small room, no flash, but serious fish.