It's a shame that Haru, the elegant Japanese newcomer at Third and Chestnut streets, doesn't have a dress code. I'm sure their parent company, Benihana, put a great deal of money into converting this old bank, with its soaring ceilings and stunning colonial windows, into a sleek, multiroom restaurant. The luggage-leather booths overhung by cylinders of light, the votive candles that climb the glass wall behind the sparkling bar — through which you can view the great staircase and dimly lit room above — deserve a better-dressed crowd than we saw on a recent rainy night. Despite the weather, the place was throbbing to the beat of rap music, and upstairs, by the fireplace, a hip crowd held sway. Downstairs, where we chose to sit, we were surrounded by men in malodorous T-shirts that would be better at an Eagles game. Haru is the seventh restaurant in a chain from New York that has locations scattered through Manhattan from 18th Street to 76th Street, and should be justifiably proud of their Philly offspring. However — and this is not just Haru's problem — in most of the restaurants around town, this generation simply feels that it's fine to go out to eat looking as if you have just gotten out of bed.

Haru bills itself as Japanese "fusion" cuisine, so I guess that means that spring rolls of duck and vegetables with black plum hoisin sauce, and a lemony ceviche of king crab, shrimp and octopus, bridge the gap between East and West. It doesn't matter, because they, like everything else we ordered, tasted fine and were beautifully presented. The menu lists many appetizers: dumplings of king crab; yakitori of grilled chicken, salmon and filet mignon; panko-crusted oysters; and a number of rolls and tartars. There are many varieties of sushi and sashimi, and a few hot entrees, salads and soups. We tried a delicious new tartar called a Dynamite Roll that consisted of chopped tuna and king crab, bound by spicy mayonnaise and layered with black, red and green tobiko (flying fish eggs). Another, consisting of shredded pork, fish and vegetables, did not thrill me. Much better was the simple tuna tataki, presented on a handsome glass plate, ringed with slices of rare tuna with an avocado salad on the side. Or Kumamoto oysters on a bed of ice and decorated with an orchid, but splendid in their own plump brininess.

The bar turns out all the multicolored drinks that seem to be popular these days, but we stuck with Grey Goose martinis spiked with sake, which were great. With the meal, we chose one of the high-end sakes, which had an almost fruity note. From the sushi bar at the entrance to the restaurant, which was empty the other night but is usually packed, we had some very good sushi on stunning rectangular glass dishes. Aside from the freshness of the fish, the key to really good sushi lies in the rice, and this rice was excellent — fragrant and compact but not gummy. We had delicate sweet shrimp that came with a maki of shrimp heads that were deep-fried and rolled with vegetables (carrot, daikon, etc.). The toro was superb — so fat and tender that it melted on the tongue. And of course, the uni (sea urchin), was like foie gras tinged with iodine and a whiff of the sea. Sometimes, I think that I could live on sushi and sashimi, but not the hand roll of rock shrimp and avocado that seemed so promising — it was just plain dull, even with the dipping sauce of soy with a bit of wasabi. Perhaps we should have ventured into the realm of Special Maki: the Park Avenue Roll with gold leaf, mango, tuna and avocado at $18; the Rainbow Roll of shrimp, striped bass, yellowtail, tuna and salmon at $17; or the Emerald Roll of crab, asparagus, oshinko, caviar and kiwi at $18. I believe that these combinations are manufactured with American palates in mind, like the addition of kiwi — a bit de trop I think.

After a stab at the Tempura Nor Awase of shrimp, shiitake, asparagus and yams, we could not eat another bite. Not the crispy duck with scallion pancakes that is a take on Peking duck, or the Chilean sea bass or the garlic shrimp. We did find room, however, to try dessert. One was a banana roll that was banana rolled in fried pastry with a chocolate dipping sauce, which was very sweet and tasted exactly like what it was. I much preferred the tempura cheesecake — cubes of cheesecake, somehow deep-fried in tempura batter without losing their identity as cheesecake. I would have preferred some green tea ice cream or such, but by now the noise was driving me bananas.

In this handsome enclave of Haru, they have a lovely, polite and helpful staff, under the watchful eye of Howard Hou, the general manager, who has come from the New York Harus to run the baby of the group. With chic surroundings and decent food, a place like this can be a singular experience, but I just kept remembering Yeats' line: "That is no country for old men."

Haru 241-243 Chestnut St., 215-861-8990
Mon.-Tue., 4:30-11 p.m.; Wed., 4:30 p.m.-12 a.m..; Thu.-Sat., 4:30 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sun., 4-11 p.m.

Appetizer, $5-$14, entrees $16-$29, sushi $2-$6 per piece, rolls $3.50-$18

• Wheelchair accessible.
• Smoking permitted in lounge.
• Reservations suggested.
• All major credit cards.