Bar Sasa

First it was Bar Veloce, then Bar Tonno. So what's become of 17 Cleveland Place now? After a bit of a management upheaval, we ended up with...sushi. Former Morimoto chef Kyohei Fukushi continues to strut his stuff at Bar Sasa, where a large fishtank now greets visitors as they walk in to the long narrow bar.

In addition to more traditional sushi, Bar Sasa features innovative Japanese small plates, like a hamachi carpaccio drizzled with garlic oil (pictured above) and "sasa style" octopus, which is sliced and served with yuzu kosho and tosazu jelly (we had no idea what that was, but it tastes somewhat smoky). And don't miss the house-made fruit-infused shochu, which sits in pretty glass jars on a shelf among the rows of wine and sake behind the bar (some things haven't changed since the Bar Veloce days).

So stop by and check it out. But please try to refrain from sticking your hand in the fishtank -- the sushi's fresh enough.

Bar Sasa, 17 Cleveland Place at Kenmare, SoHo, (212) 966-7334.