Sharaku Sushidokoro

Sharaku is the most authentic Japanese restaurant in metro Detroit, offering 25 daily-changing appetizers, including catches of the day, and a relatively short list of entrées. As in Japan, the decor is spare, blond wood, and meals are served with a minimum of pretension — just artful arrangements of the food and garnishes themselves. For sushi, you may want to branch out and try rolls of dried squash, burdock, ume shiso (green tea), natto (fermented soybeans) or orange clams.The chef’s choice “sushi deluxe” will come with 10 lovely nigiri pieces plus a roll, also with crunchy pickles of radish turned bright yellow and cucumber now purple, and a delicious opaque broth with the most delicate of scallions, still crisp. At the back of your menu, look for a long list of liquors (shochu) distilled from different grains: sweet potatoes, barley, rice, buckwheat or potatoes (the most popular). Takeout available for sushi only; party platters also available (minimum $25 order).