Nisen Sushi

Comparing Nisen Sushi in Woodbury with its Commack sibling parallels the movie twinship of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.

They're related, but ...

Nisen Sushi proclaims itself big and bold as holiday lights and as noisy as an '80s office party in overdrive. Compared with this production, the original appears to have taken dual vows of modesty and silence.

The Woodbury restaurant delivers lush textures and eye-catching colors, dramatic fabric-draped arches and a perpetual motion sushi bar -- where TVs showing samurai films almost mirror the dining room's pace.

But for all the beaded metal, the rough and smooth stone, the bamboo plants and assorted curves and swirls, what finally matters here is the talent of executive chef Kent Monkan.

Monkan, veteran of Heirloom in Locust Valley and Panama Hatties in Huntington, offers a seasonal treat: a new American take on Japanese cuisine that often tastes as good as it looks. And the sake flows.

A puree of edamame with a creamy swirl; and a light, smooth spin on lobster bisque are excellent openers. Miso soup will please traditionalists. And his lobster salad, with Asian greens and honey-roasted walnuts, is a dewy splurge.

Beef short ribs, deboned and glistening under a citrus-ginger glaze, are expertly braised, capped with crisp lotus chips. Monkan playfully accents yellowtail sashimi with blueberry-jalapeno salsa and brings mango salsa to the pan-seared salmon.

But vegetable tempura disappoints, its less-than-crunchy coat just peeling away. And the Tai usuzukuri, or slices of snapper, show up thick and chewy rather than translucent. Tuna tortilla: an overspiced clash of cultures.

The miso-cured cod, however, is first-rate; likewise, the steamed red snapper with yuzu-soy dipping sauce. Monkan's new-age surf-and-turf combines velvety Kobe-style beef and a tea-smoked lobster tail, finished with a roasted garlic-truffle hollandaise sauce. Even better are the rosy, barbecued Australian lamb chops, atop braised mustard greens, paired with a diverting lamb-shank gyoza or fried dumpling.

There's considerably less to the "floral herb crusted wild king salmon," which, despite shaved fennel, Meyer lemon and beet-juice emulsion, needs a spark. The sautéed soba noodles give the vegetarian tasting plate its only star.

But the house's sushi entertains and satisfies. The "crazy tuna" number combines spicy tuna and black pepper tuna; the TNT includes bluefin too, garlic chips and "truffle soy." The volcano erupts with spicy tuna and avocado; and the "monkey jump" with yellowtail and salmon, mango and chile paste.

Still, the most curious production is dubbed "chocolate beef," with seared tenderloin, tarragon, asparagus, leek and a sweet chocolate sauce that unfortunately impales everything on the cutting edge.

Monkan's lead desserts are poached-pear sushi, a clever and flavorful finale dressed for the festivities; and a jazzy chocolate souffle cake with green tea sorbet. The pineapple upside-down cake and Fuji apple fritters are skippable. But the crackling green tea creme brulee slyly straddles both worlds.

Of course, you could dive into the sake-infused tofu cheesecake.

Arnold and Danny would enjoy it.