After cutting his teeth at Matsuhisa, Tatsu Nishino opened this lively restaurant near Madison Park in 1995. More than 15 years later, it's still the place where Seattle's elite go to have sushi. Given his mentor, it isn't surprising that there are two aspects to Nishino's menu: traditional Japanese dishes, which include pristine cuts of high-quality fish, and more progressive fare like snow crab tempura on a creamy wasabi sauce or curried halibut cheek with sautéed mushroom, swiss chard and cilantro aioli. The "smartly decorated" dining room always seems to be full, and there are so many tasty-looking dishes on the menu that one reviewer suggested you "work up a big appetite" by taking a walk through the beautiful Washington Park Arboretum before dinner.