Sakana may not be as pretty as some of its competition, but there’s a reason why it is set to open a second branch in Langsuan despite only launching last October. This hidden gem in Aree Garden reminds us of Sushi Masa’s barebones setup: a few tables in a glass box and sushi chefs slicing and blow-torching at the counter. Sakana is always packed, and you may even spot the occasional bigwig, like Mr. Abhisit, who is a regular. Of course, the menu is dominated with all kinds of sushi, from raw to grilled, which are both excellent and reasonably priced. Ease yourself into this vast selection with one of their sets, like the Last Order (B1,000), which includes sushi (akami, salmon, hotate, engawa and hamachi), sashimi (saba, hamachi, salmon and akami) and maki (akami and salmon). The generous cuts practically hide the rice beneath them, and are incredibly fresh. The hotate (raw scallop), in particular, is naturally sweet, tender and absolutely delectable. On occasion, you’ll be offered a free sample and, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to try the grilled engawa (flounder’s fin, B130). If not, we strongly recommend you order it—it’s totally to die for, if you can handle its rich, fatty flesh. Even with the less-than-thrilling tamago sukimi don (shredded tuna and spring onions topped with ebiko and egg, B180), the produce remains very fresh. We’d rather go for something with a bit more seasoning, though, like Sakana’s delicious maki (rolls). Take the Rainbow Roll (salmon, tuna and squid maki topped with avocado, B260): it looks just like the chain restaurant variety (and costs the same), but the freshness of its ingredients and their harmonious combination is wow-worthy. If you’re really obsessed with getting the freshest catch, you can check their Facebook page for what fish has just arrived, but Sakana really stands out for its consistency and we would go back any night.