In Shanghai, the words "Japanese food" conjure up thoughts of all-you-can-eat-drink-¡®til-you-die joints, sake bombs and blurry memories we prefer to keep buried in the far recesses of our minds.

But for times when you are feeling a bit classier, now there is Sun with Aqua. Sitting atop Dolce & Gabbana in the bling-bling 6 on the Bund, Sun with Aqua oozes freshness. From the fish on my plate, to the fish in the aquarium, to the decor, right down to the flower arrangements on the wall-freshhh (and luxurious).

Sun's interior is a fusion of traditional Japanese aesthetics and Western minimal design, think slate, wood, glass and tatami. At the center is a semi-open glass kitchen, with bar-style seating, which makes it ideal for solo dining. There are several enclosed tables of different sizes for private and business functions and, my favorite, a little enclave with a few tables reserved just for couples.

We kicked off the evening with the Sake Tasting Box, an assortment of three or six different brands of sake, each in a shot glass. Accustomed to drinking the drink-'til-you-die variety, Sun's selection of sake was a party for my taste buds.

While leafing through the menu, I noticed that unlike most other Japanese restaurant menus, Sun displays items first in English, then in Chinese and then Japanese. We were told that Sun is directed mostly to foreign and local Chinese clientele. That explains the relatively larger food portions (which is A-OK with me).

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