Blue Ribbon Sushi

This Japanese restaurant and bar is barely visible from the street, so keep your eyes peeled if you want a taste of authentic SoHo. Blue Ribbon isn't new – sushi connoisseurs have been coming for years – but it's still worth knowing about. Their flagship opened back in the 1990s at 97 Sullivan Street, literally around the corner, and now they have several locations. We immediately took a liking to this small, lively restaurant, where you can sit at the bar and watch the guys nimbly preparing lunch and dinner.

That they've maintained such high standards for so many years is, of course, a credit to Chef Toshi Ueki. Ueki and his crew turn fresh fish from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans into works of art, crafting complex rolls and salads with a mouth-watering subtlety you won't find in ordinary Japanese restaurants.

We recommend: Special Seared Tuna; Blue Ribbon and Dragon rolls.

Cuisine: Japanese/original.

Atmosphere: lively.

The crowd: locals, sophisticated tourists, sushi lovers.

Key info: The Blue Ribbon at 97 Sullivan Street is open from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m., meaning you can order fresh sushi or lobster with champagne well past midnight.

Tags: Blue Ribbon Sushi