Kashi Sushi & Steakhouse review

It's always showtime at Kashi Sushi & Steakhouse.

After all, this jazzy newcomer is the scion of Kashi in Huntington, which on some nights has the beat of a club plus the rhythm of a restaurant.

Kashi S&S adds hibachi cooking to an already lively mix. If you're devoted to the style, flames shooting and metal clanging, here's a fine place to revel in it. But, as at the first Kashi, sushi and sashimi, with some New American additions, are the primary reasons to eat here.

You'll dine in a sleek, colorful, glittery setting, with a very active crew of chefs at the sushi bar and an equally sharp, knife-wielding cast in the hibachi wing.

They cover a lot of territory. This Kashi is situated in a 7,500-square-foot space that previously hosted Tandoor Grill and a dance studio. The renovation took about nine months.

Immediately, you should nibble on "chu chu lobster," a union of Maine lobster salad, seared pepper tuna and coconut-laced guacamole. Not exactly classic Japanese, but it tastes good. Same for the cleverly constructed blue-crab fajita.

Turn traditional with delicate, steamed shrimp dumplings; and their flavorful, pan-fried vegetable counterparts. Miso soup is much better than the standard stuff; and the lemongrass hot-and-sour soup delivers an aromatic, subtle spin on the staple.

Nigirizushi, or uncooked fish on ovals of vinegared rice, is excellent. Especially good: striped bass, mackerel, yellowtail and bigeye tuna. The sashimi also is first-class, from sweet shrimp and sea scallop to fluke and red snapper.

From the house's "signature rolls" come winners from the first Kashi. "Twister" gyrates with white tuna tempura and spicy lobster; "Sunset Blvd" goes show biz with tuna, salmon, yellowtail and avocado in a seaweed wrap; the spicy-crunchy tuna, avocado and jalapeño "Takayama" introduces "ranch aioli."

Seafood risotto, with black and brown rice, lobster and shrimp, is a diverting, artfully arranged, east-west production. So's the less-complicated, tasty filet mignon seasoned with Thai basil.

Filet mignon highlights the hibachi selections. You can mix and match with combination dinners, which take in shellfish, Chilean sea bass, salmon, chicken and vegetables.

Routine tempuras and teriyakis, and an unwieldy tuna tortilla stand out for not doing so. Desserts also have little appeal, unless you're up for fried banana, fried ice cream or the "original" Cheesecake Factory cheesecake.

Either way, the party goes on.