A Review of Miso Japanese Restaurant, in New Haven AT first glance, there was nothing on the menu at New Haven's Miso Japanese Restaurant to distinguish it from other sushi menus in the area. Open since 2002, the Ninth Square establishment offers an assortment of traditional Japanese and fusion appetizers, and the usual list of sushi and sashimi entrees, and cooked dishes. The selection of special rolls is smallish and the seafood variety is not unusual. But two meals at Miso revealed it to be far from average. The excellent quality seafood is cut with a practiced hand. Flavors are distinctive, fresh and bright. Simplicity and restraint are the bywords here, starting with the spare, contemporary décor. A long, narrow slice of a space, the restaurant is done in natural tones and an industrial loft style, accented with exposed brick, bamboo and walls of recycled paper. The design is open plan: there's a sit-down bar as you enter and a sushi bar at the back; tables occupy the rest of the space. Bathrooms feature wok-shaped metal sinks and stone-embedded floors. The black-clad staff is efficient and competent, even on a busy Saturday night the weekend before Yale University's graduation ceremony. And it's hard not to be endeared to a waiter who brings warm hand towels - real ones, not prepackaged towelettes - along with the menus. One could happily dine here on sushi and sashimi alone. But we were delighted with the elegantly presented appetizers. Tuna carpaccio was a seamless, gleaming, red pool of expertly sliced tuna that looked as if it had been poured onto the plate; the vibrant yuzu (Japanese citrus) sauce was irresistible yet did not obscure the flavor of the tuna. Ultra-fresh rock shrimp tempura was served in a neat pile, the tiny shrimp sweet in their light, crisp tempura jackets. A drizzled spicy mayonnaise topping was subtle enough to highlight rather than overshadow the delicate morsels. We loved the age tofu, an often prosaic dish of deep-fried squares bathed in sauce and sprinkled with dried, flaked bonito, a member of the mackerel family. As with all of the fried food at Miso, no taste of frying oil marred the delicate flavor and cloudlike texture of the bean curd. Neither did the sauce intrude; it managed to be both light and potent. We also sampled an appetizer portion of sliced hiramasa, a fatty fish similar to yellowtail, topped with coins of jalapeño pepper, and accompanied by a rich soy concoction. Special rolls at Miso are wonderfully restrained and clean tasting, offering a play of contrasting textures and tastes. There is no excessive use of sugar or spicy mayonnaise and the flavor of each layered ingredient is perceptible. Aka roll was a winner, featuring spicy steamed shrimp, crunchy cucumber and masago (the orange-red roe of the small capelin fish), wrapped in tuna and finished with a modicum of fresh mango chutney. The more familiar volcano and spider rolls also exceeded expectations; again, the latter's deep-fried soft shell crab was airy and crisp, capturing the flavor of the crab. For sashimi, we tasted buttery mackerel, tuna, velvety yellowtail, warm eel and creamy, sliced live scallop. All were delicious; the eel was more moist and less sweet and salty than I often find it. Presentation was careful and attractive, including savory shiso leaves and edible orchids. And the sharp, radish taste of the finely shredded daikon suggested it was freshly prepared. Chirashi, a classic dish of sashimi on sushi rice flavored with sweetened vinegar was top notch - at many places, the rice is less seasoned, or not at all. To end the meal, we challenged the sushi bar with two classic but less usual sushi preparations: the first was uni (sea urchin roe) with shiso, tobiko (flying fish roe) and the yolk of a quail egg; the other a traditional Japanese palate cleanser of shiso leaf with ume (pickled plum paste), bonito flakes and mountain yam. Our waiter struggled gamely with the order but the sushi chef executed both orders expertly, substituting cucumber for hard-to-find mountain yam. Commensurate with the quality, prices at Miso are higher than many of its competitors in the area, which is to say that hungry fish lovers can spend $50 to $60 a head with very little effort. Save a few bucks and skip the forgettable lava cake for dessert. The fish is pleasure enough. Miso Japanese Restaurant 15 Orange Street New Haven (203) 848-6472 misorestaurant.com THE SPACE Upscale and spacious with a contemporary, loftlike atmosphere. Lighting is muted but not too dim. Comfortable seating at tables or sushi bar. The restaurant gets very noisy when crowded. Wheelchair access. THE CROWD A cross-section of urban types, including a hip, youthful crowd at the bar, people on dates, larger tables of students with their parents. Children would be fine. THE BAR Full bar and international wine list, including a few choices of sake. Wine by the glass, $7 to $12. THE BILL Appetizers, $4 to $17; sushi (two pieces) and sashimi (three pieces), $6 to $10; entrees/sushi bar dinners, $19 to $39; rolls, $6 to $18. Lunch specials (some include miso soup and rice), $9 to $20. All credit cards accepted. WHAT WE LIKED Rock shrimp tempura, edamame, negimaki, age tofu, tuna carpaccio, hiramasa with jalapeño, seaweed salad; yellowtail, tuna, mackerel, live scallop and eel sashimi; sushi with uni, shiso and quail egg; shiso with ume, bonito flakes and cucumber; volcano roll, spider roll, aka roll; chirashi. IF YOU GO Lunch: Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Dinner: Monday through Thursday, 5 to 9:45 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10:45 p.m. Sunday, 3:30 to 9:45 p.m. Reservations recommended. Metered parking on street and discounted parking in the Chatterton lot at George and Orange Streets. Do not park in lot adjacent to restaurant; it is reserved for tenants.