Ten feet from the rumble of the Lakeview L tracks, Fresh Sushi & Noodle Lovers is way too charming a Thai joint to pull off the minimalist chic its babbling brook décor and angular flatware flirt with. It'd simply be called Fresh, if that were the case.

You could point out some ambitious maki rolls like the Frutie Yummie, rolled in salmon, avocado, scallions, sliced strawberries and blueberry drizzle ($12), or the sinus-incapacitating, steamed wasabi pork dumplings ($5), as frou-frou arguing points. But once they hit the table in healthy, five-piece palm-sized portions, it will all make sense. As with all Thai joints, there are literally hundreds of options, with all the curry and rice dishes represented, ringing under $9, sans the shrimp option. The namesake noodle-lover plates make like the maki and assemble themselves by destination – Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo – either in a bowl or off the wok, dressed in everything from ground beef to jalapeno peppers ($7-$10).

The sushi, however, although indeed uber-fresh, is a tad overpriced, with platters of eight nigiri starting at $18, and a la carte at $2.50/piece. Otherwise, the place is all elbowroom all the time, as those L tracks kind of cloud it from nearby Belmont foot traffic.

Average cost: $10-$20

Centerstage Reviewer: Gavin Paul