Izumi

Lukito wasn't flawless. For example, his chirashi was clumsily presented with underseasoned rice. But I had more nitpicks with the hot-food kitchen, which dabbled in some silly ideas that just tried too hard. I'm thinking of the jarringly sweet mango-tofu sauce with the scallop and strip steak "surf-and-turf," and that odd bit of Franco-Italo-Japanese fusion that is the wasabi-infused crepe topped with mozzarella and an herby cashew-crusted scallop. Not only was it awkward to eat, the whole contrivance was upstaged by the seemingly afterthought addition of some wonderfully chewy, flavorful shiitake caps (three days in the making!).

Still, those are small complaints from otherwise happy meals that finished with some decent desserts - a creamy panna cotta topped with yuzu marmalade; a plop of meringue-topped baked Alaska filled with coconut ice cream and chocolate cake that tasted far better than it looked; and a vividly creamy green-tea creme brulee.

We were shocked to discover back at our beer table that a dark Scotch winter ale from Belgium's Canaster was the perfect match for that herby creme brulee (especially with a minty shiso leaf chaser). But Baver, who co-owned the now-defunct Pretzel City Brewing Co. with his brother, is already wise to the affinity between beer and Japanese flavors.

He said he hopes that Izumi will soon be selling empty growler jugs that can be filled with craft beer at a discount from one of the neighboring gastrotaps now lining East Passyunk – including the good drafts at Paradiso.

If that's the unexpected future of this storied Avenue - pasta, pubs, poblanos, and sushi - no wonder I'm getting hungry.

Next Sunday, Craig LaBan reviews Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House in Center City. Contact him at 215-854-2682 or claban@phillynews.com.