Sukiyaki House originally opened in 1976, in Gaslight Square. After closing in 2006, owner Anna Kwong (who bought the place in 2003) has finally found a new location in Penn West Plaza. The new space has 2,300 square feet, and boasts clean lines and a 23-foot sushi bar that seats 13 people. Kwong has kept four of her former chefs on staff, and added two new chefs from Japan.

The menu at Sukiyaki Houseis, of course, Japanese. What the menu calls 'Japanese tapas' seem to be shareable plates (perfect for the office workers in surrounding buildings out on lunch break.) Mussels Sakemushi are mussels poached in sake, butter, and garlic, and topped with salsa; Agedashi Tofu is flash-fried and topped with grated daikon and ginger; Gyoza are pan fried dumplings stuffed with pork and vegetables; spicy prawn tempura come with a chili aioli; and Oyster Ponzu come with a citrus soy vinaigrette.

There are a few main dishes on the menu, including grilled teriyaki chicken, grilled ponzu salmon steak, and sake-marinated broiled beef tenderloin, but the real stars here are the sushi and sashimi lists.

The sushi list has all the usual suspects (California rolls, with snow crab meat and avocado; tekka and aka tekka rolls, white or red tuna) as well as a couple of things that are a little more unusual, with distinctly western ingredients. A crunchy spicy tuna roll has hot sauce, cornflakes, cucumber, tempura crumb, sesame seeds, and green onions; a kelly tempura roll has prawn tempura, avocado, flying fish roe, and mayo; a mango roll has prawn tempura, fresh water eel, avocado, flying fish roe, cream cheese, and mango. The Alberta roll, of course, has beef tenderloin, cucumber, and red bell pepper; a volcano roll has seemingly innocent components like spicy green onion tuna, calamari, cucumber, lettuce, sesame seed, and then, boom! The mysterious volcano sauce.

Similarly, the sashimi list has the standards – salmon roe, white and red tuna, mackerel, and various types of salmon – and also includes toro (belly of tuna), uzura (quail egg) and tako (steamed octopus.)