THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Sens

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Sens Restaurant Review:

Despite the urban-chic funk of this trendy spot, chef-owner Johnny Chu doesn’t skimp on the high-end cooking. His fish comes fresh from the local Asian markets and he uses premium soy sauce and real wasabi root. He also offers some surprisingly sophisticated dishes like hot-rock beef (raw meat you cook on a super hot stone and then wrap in lettuce), or tender quail that’s been marinated overnight and steamed before he fries it crisp. The tiny place may look a bit like a Zen nightclub---thanks to the bar glowing in blue neon light and the cozy cubby seating supervised by a giant statue of Buddha---but the staff’s professional training and Chu’s attention to kitchen detail reminds us that we’re here to eat. Not that the contemporary cocktails, Japanese sakés, shochus and beers don’t compel, but the focus is on the pan-Asian bites, like smoky beef marinated in lemon grass and bundled in grape leaves, or red curry tofu served in a clay pot with tofu, bok choy, straw mushrooms and okra. Expect unexpected flavors and be sure to bring lots of friends because the plates demand to be shared.