Sushi X is the lone occupant of a black-painted brick building that glumly overlooks the Edens Expressway. Its dark, almost mysterious facade makes you wonder whether the X has an implied meaning you wouldn't normally associate with a sushi restaurant (or any restaurant outside of Amsterdam). Your suspicions show no signs of fading after walking inside, where candlelit tables, navy and silver walls, a black ceiling and music more commonly played in a nightclub set the tone whether it's midday or midnight. But hang around for a little, and you begin to marvel at how cozy you feel (you'll soon realize that the X is actually an exponent, making it "Sushi to the X").

The off-kilter vibe of Sushi X was created by two former Sushi Wabi chefs who wanted introduce a loungy sushi restaurant to the city's sashimi scene. Delivery (check the Web site for boundaries) and carry out constitute the majority of Sushi X's business, but the dining room does get crowded around dinner time and later.

Sushi X's menu is as chic as its interior design, and it conveniently sides traditional sushi rolls (California, spicy tuna, Philly…) with options you won't find anywhere else. For $13, the godzilla, with tempura shrimp, spicy mayo, scallions, roe, cream cheese, tempura crumbs, avocado, eel sauce and wasabi mayo, is so enormous that you'll probably be full before you're halfway through. The yellow jacket, with hamachi (yellowtail), shitake, avocado, wasabi mayo and mango, has a bit of sweet tanginess you'll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. All rolls can be made to order, so be your own chef and throw in an intriguing ingredient to your usual roll for a slightly unique taste.

Average cost: $21-$30

Centerstage Reviewer: Laura Brown