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This south Buckhead spot bills itself as "Contemporary Japanese Cuisine" — a fair description of what's going on with a menu that ranges from straight-up sushi and sashimi to imaginative rolls and much more.

SUSHI BAR STYLE: The stylish, smallish dining room at Starfish Sake & Sushi Bar is similar to the quietly plush atmosphere at its neighbor, Restaurant Eugene. Soft banquettes upholstered in beige and muted carpeting and lighting effectively muffle the rush of traffic on Peachtree. The attentive but unobtrusive servers glide about speaking in hushed tones — though the space around the sushi bar is more animated, sponge-painted in bright orange and blue. And the sushi chefs, working behind the sparkling glass cases glistening with bright seafood, are eager for audience participation.

Becky Stein/SPECIAL (ENLARGE)
Starfish's 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' sushi roll is a surf-and-turf concoction of spicy tuna and beef tataki.
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MEANDERING MENU: Beyond the simple, check-it-yourself sushi list, the multi-page fine dining-style menu is a confusion of categories and choices. West meets East with entrees such as grilled steak and desserts such as crème brûlée. But don't ignore the lengthy roster of daily and weekly specials scribbled in front. On a recent night, the shrimp and asparagus tempura was a standout. Lightly battered and fried to a delicate crunch, it's wrapped in minty shiso leaves and served in long spears with tangy ponzu dipping sauce. Once a chef's treat, for some devotees of Japanese cuisine, hamachi kama has become a flavor fixation. At Starfish, it appears as a $20 entree. The kama, or "collar," is cut from the area of the yellowtail around the face of the fish, with skin and bone left intact. Most often broiled, it's sometimes served with a bit of raw belly meat. Either way, it's a juicy-rich delicacy comparable to toro.

ROCKIN' ROLLS: Sushi snobs who like to deride the popular specialty rolls will find lots to hate at Starfish. But for those who think fun is where you find it, the likes of the movie theme-titled "40 Year Old Virgin," "Cinderella Man," and more than 20 other wild and crazy rolls will be welcome feasts. Another showcase for Starfish's way with fried seafood, the "Monster-In-Law" roll mixes crunch and creaminess with softshell crab, avocado, cucumber and masago. More unusual, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is a surf-and-turf combo of spicy tuna and beef tataki, rolled with avocado and a peppery sauce.

SAKE TASTES: Starfish has a decent wine list and the usual selection of light Asian lagers. But sake is where things get really interesting. While prices can be a bit a bit dear, the $10 four-sake sampler, elegantly served in tiny tumblers on a wooden tray, is a really great deal.