At the beginning of the summer, I overheard some talk of a new sushi restaurant on Chandler Street. Sushi always grabs my attention, and Miyazawa sounded different ? less drama, more cuisine-centric and focused on the craft of sushi. Many restaurants become dependent on alcohol sales to such an extent that the kitchen can be relegated to a supporting character. Sushi Miyazawa is BYOB and stands entirely upon its reputation for freshness and quality.

We put it on our “must try” list and have paid it a couple visits. Simply stated, Chef Nori (Norihiko Tsukuda) has considerably raised the bar for sushi quality and presents what is truly an exciting experience in flavors and presentation.

My natural instinct would be to approach the cuisine analytically, but his seductive layering of flavors and textures leads me to toss out the overthinking, to appreciate what’s placed before me and simply enjoy.

With that said, I’ll get right to our meal. My friend started with the Sunomono Salad, a small dish of delicate crab meat nestled between deep-green seaweed, flecked with sesame seeds and shaved cucumber, marinated in sweet and sour vinaigrette. Draped over the top of this was a fresh jumbo shrimp. The colors ? salmon-pink, deep-sea and pale greens ? were attractive, and the flavors were refreshing.

My Spicy Miso Soup was unlike any I’ve had before; seafood-infused broth was buttressed by the flavor of small in-shell clams partially emerging from the bottom of the bowl. Each spoonful was a delight of harmonious flavors. Perfectly formed cubes of tofu were remarkably soft and so tender, they seemed to melt in my mouth. I’m still incredulous – there’s simply no comparing this to any other tofu I’ve had anywhere.

Hopefully, when you visit Sushi Miyazawa the list of specials will feature gyoza. If so, order them. In English, one might call them Japanese potstickers. A mixture of finely minced pork and chicken is wrapped in thinly rolled-out dough, artfully crimped and pan-fried till the bottoms are deep brown and crisp. The top of the gyoza, however, were steamed pale and delicate. They were so delicious the order of six vanished in minutes; each grasped in our chopsticks and dipped in a bowl of tasty sauce.

From there, we moved to my favorite: Sashimi. Chef Nori slices perfectly fresh fish (four species) into traditional portions arranged on a leaf-lined slate with a generous dab of wasabi and nests of shredded radish. With sashimi, there is no margin for error. At Sushi Miyazawa, it is perfect, an homage befitting these magnificent sea creatures. Purity, simplicity and glistening freshness.

When it comes to sushi dining, I often think that sashimi is the apex of the experience and that maki rolls are, well, a sub-genre for those seeking refuge from the total fish experience. This is clearly not the case at Sushi Miyazawa; Chef Nori’s “special” maki are exciting in their combination of flavors, textures and sheer beauty.

This creativity was on full display with his Worcester Maki. Eight or nine slices alternated salmon and albacore tuna wrapped around crunchy, spicy tuna and rolled in snow-white rice. A topping of wasabi tobiko ? tiny fish eggs dyed jewel-like green – provides additional exclamation marks of crunch and zesty flavor.

There are a few masterful sushi chefs in the area. But when I dine upon Chef Nori’s creations, I feel as if it were the first time I was experiencing the cuisine. Presentation is simple elegance; the attitude is free of drama and one of friendly self-assurance. Each of the maki specials we’ve ordered has been an exciting experience of flavor layering in combinations totally new to me.

In a way, I regret raving about Sushi Miyazawa. It’s a small place, clean but not fancy, with less than 20 seats, a scale that assures a personal experience with the affable staff of two or three. A feeling of discovery and delight in such wonderful cuisine binds the handful of customers into a group of co-conspirators.

So far, there’s been a minimal queue for seating. But when Worcester discovers Sushi Miyazawa, I’m going to wish I’d kept it a secret.

Sushi Miyazawa • 372 Chandler St., Worcester • (774) 420-2900 • sushimiyazawa.com

Bernie Whitmore