There's a lovely waitress in Fremont. She's my new favorite--stylish like an anime character, all wide-eyed and effortlessly graceful, with bright pink hair, translucent skin, a sculpted pixie haircut, and a lithe physique. She (along with perfect scallops) is partly why Chiso is so alluring to me lately.

To eat here is to be continuously, disarmingly surprised. Its mere existence is a contradiction: a sushi restaurant in a thatch of beer-soaked taverns and cluttered shops; a sleek, minimalist space in a neighborhood not known for being minimal. Chiso's gleaming surfaces, spotless concrete floor, and fancy art-gallery lighting belong in New York City's Flatiron District rather than a mellow, tree-lined block in the "Center of the Universe."

But sophistication is not to be mistaken for coldness. Each time I've been here, the wait staff--especially Pink Lady--has been gracious and unobtrusive (there is nothing worse than an anxious, hovering server: "Is everything okay?" "Can I get you folks anything else?" "How's your dinner so far?" PLEASE! GO! AWAY!), which only enhances Chiso's flawless sushi and ambitious Japanese specials. In addition to standard selections, this menu spotlights delicacies I had never tasted before and knew very little about.

This is where to come if you're wondering about ankimo (monkfish liver, $6), which--served with seaweed, lemon, ponzu sauce, and chili-daikon pulp--is subtle, tasty, incredibly smooth and creamy. Or try the swordfish toro (belly, $6.75): It's cured in sea salt, seared, and fanned out across baby lettuces, which provide crisp support for those rich, fatty, salt-crusted slices.

Chiso features more exotic nigiri, such as sea urchin ($6), striped sea bass, or red snapper (both $4.50)--fish I never expected to eat raw, gleaming atop a thin film of wasabi and draped over rice, all delicious; I tried raw octopus and mackerel (more customary, but hardly everyday) for the first time (both $3.50), and now I'm completely hooked. I still think about that buttery mackerel, which was inherently smoky and layered with hints of sweet/salty.

And, despite a deep fear of the geoduck (my feelings toward live geoducks are similar to how I feel about Woody Allen's recent onscreen love interests: squirmy, uncomfortable, disgusted), and its dubious birthday suit (beige-tinted tissue with curled edges... eek!), I had some anyway, chewing extra-slow, letting the cool flesh roll around on my tongue. Again, I was surprised. It was really, really good.

On impulse, and to Pink Lady's approval, I ordered kohada (shad, $5), only to discover that it is served not only raw, but with skin and scales intact. I felt so... brutal and carnivorous; it tasted pleasantly of seawater, but was not at all fishy.

For those who are sushi-hesitant, even Chiso's basics are thoughtfully embellished: Real snow crab is used in the rolls, instead of the usual lumpy imitation crabmeat. The unakyu roll ($6.50) provides the ultimate Safe Sushi Experience, blending broiled eel with the clean taste of raw cucumber. Tempura ($3-$8.50) is given an image-boost as well: Unique options include shiitake and enoki mushrooms, lotus root, asparagus, nasu eggplant, and green beans.

Ho-hum pork dumplings elsewhere, gyoza ($5.75) are augmented here with bits of shrimp and nira chives; and the fabulously simple seared albacore salad ($8.50) marries alternately sharp and soothing flavors--dollops of mashed daikon and ginger rest on slices of super-rare tuna and impeccable greens, with tart ponzu sauce sprinkled throughout.

The albacore salad, with its lustrous tuna and vivid colors, looks as beautiful as it tastes, which seems to be the rule here. Everything that comes out of this confident kitchen is arranged artfully, with details in mind. Remember this as you wolf down your meal at Chiso. Take note of the careful aesthetics on your plate. Try something you have never tasted before. Your senses will expand to meet the experience. And tip your servers well.

Chiso

3520 Fremont Ave N, 632-3430. Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 pm; dinner Mon-Sat 5-10 pm (Sun 9 pm).