A gem in Wakefield. At this tidy little restaurant with blue-black walls, chef-owner Junji Aoki creates and plates little works of art. He's a twinkling presence behind the bar, whether making sushi or talking about his fish. Here you'll find rich ankimo, or monkfish liver; rolls incorporating shiso, radish sprouts, and even apple; and daily specials flown in from Japan. A giant futo maki is bursting with vegetables. A roll of white tuna with wasabi tobiko plays the creamy fish off the sinus-clearing green eggs, which pop satisfyingly in the mouth. The quality of the fish and the handiwork is high, especially given the price tag.

On the weekend, Sushi Island has live jazz. There's some connection between this genre of music and this genre of food. At many sushi places jazz is playing - not cheeseball jazz but the good, smooth stuff. Perhaps it has something to do with the artistic temperament of the sushi chef.