Owners Paul and Lilly Zhu were born in Shanghai, but their culinary background has always been Japanese food. That’s why they’ve turned a cozy little storefront on 39th Street into a venue that serves a wide variety of sushi, as well as noodle bowls and bento boxes. The bento, available for lunch or dinner, is a shiny lacquered wooden tray with five or six compartments, each boasting some dainty edible item: a jumble of salad, a mound of rice, a “cheese cracker” (a fried cream-cheese puff), fresh fruit, and one of seven entrées (shrimp tempura, breaded chicken cutlet, sushi, etc.). The ambience and service are quite charming. Unlike many Japanese restaurants, Friends serves dessert, including the almost indescribable rice pastry-wrapped ice cream treat called mochi. — Charles Ferruzza
Price: $$-$$$
Payment Type: All Major Credit Cards, Diners Club, cash
Parking: Free, Lot Available, Street
Reservations: Accepted, Recommended for Large Parties, Not Necessary
Attire: casual
Extra Info: also serves sake.
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