We have all indulged in Shanghai's dubious all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurants at one time or another. True, they allow you to be greedy at an affordable price. But paying a little more can yield a much more enjoyable dining experience than any conveyor belt of stale sushi.

Sun with Aqua, with an area of 1,000 sq.m, offers a trendy, lively atmosphere, with a modern design that plays with water, light and music. Piles of grey cement blocks and bamboo poles divide the room, while in the center, a large open kitchen gives you a view of skillful chefs preparing your much-anticipated meal. Try the house specialty, yakiniku kamameshi (barbecued beef in stockpot rice, RMB 85) with tempura mori (assorted tempura, RMB 120) as a tasty, crispy accompaniment. It may not sail past on a plastic plate, but it¡¯s good value just the same.

Sun with Aqua 
Open time: 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-11pm. All cards.
Location: 2/F, 6 Bund, Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu
Tel: 021-63392779
Cost for two (excluding drinks): RMB 365