From the outside, this narrow two-story shophouse looks like just another sushi bar in a city of countless raw fish eateries, even if the sleek granite and glass frontage does give it a modern touch. But step inside and you discover Isao offers something different. For a start, there is a relaxed homey feel. Simple booths run along the bamboo-clad wall while the rest of the space is dominated by the sushi bar and counter. You also get a warm welcome from the attentive and well informed staff. Ask them for a recommendation and you get a detailed explanation of the entire menu. It helps as Isao does sushi with a distinctly US twist—one of the chefs worked in Chicago’s Green Tea sushi bar. From our experience at Isao, it was time well spent. For appetizers don’t miss the volcano, a spicy scallop served in its shell and which looks like a glowering mound of molten lava. The result is far more appetizing: juicy, rich, tangy and spiced to perfection. Another favorite is the rosy salmon, melt in your mouth salmon and shavings of lemon formed into a delicate rose. Isao does have standard Japanese items but we recommend skipping the sushi platters in favor of the fusion offerings like Winter, a light and refreshing mix of soft white crab meat, ebi shrimp, avocado and carrot, all wrapped in delicately sliced cucumber and served with a zesty sauce. Another intriguing mix is the sushi sandwich, which has layers of tuna, salmon and sushi rice wedged between a crispy crust of deep fried tempura. It has to be said that the fusion experiment doesn’t always work. Crunchy, made of tempura batter stuffed with spicy salmon has a rather strong caramel flavor making it more like a dessert. But surely half the fun in fusion food is the adventure of trying new combinations and, for the large part, Isao hits the mark with artfully presented dishes that are innovative, fun and incredibly tasty. Corkage B300.