Miraku

Once a tanning salon, Miraku has been transformed from a den of cancerous vanity into a sleek sushi sanctuary.

by Elisa Ludwig

You may recall the classic scene in the '80s film The Breakfast Club when Claire's detention-mates look on with disgusted curiosity as she unpacked her bento box. Twentysome-odd years later, sushi is so ubiquitous that it's only a matter of time before we see a Lunchables version. Even so, we still take notice when a new sushi restaurant opens, hoping for a slice of toro or hamachi that'll make all the others seem redundant — or at least distinguish itself from the pack.

Among the more recent additions to the Philly sushi scene is Miraku, a Spring House BYO sibling that opened last year on the street level of the Center City One condo building. Once a tanning salon, Miraku has been transformed from a den of cancerous vanity into a sleek sushi sanctuary with yolk-yellow walls, rich wood floors and modern white tableware. The sushi bar is stationed toward the back of the room, while a hibachi cook-top table commandeers one side of the front. The soothing tranquility is only slightly disrupted by the rotation of piano renditions of easy-listening songs. (For many of us, "Endless Love" and the theme from Beaches are anything but.)

We start with tatsuta, a popular bar snack in Japan consisting of marinated and fried strips of chicken served with a bowl of ginger-mirin dipping sauce. A refreshingly cool tofu salad is composed of milky cubes of soybean curd, a tangle of green seaweed, a smattering of translucent bonito flakes and tomato slices with a thin soy dressing.

Sadly, the bar's output — while perfectly acceptable — is not transcendent, lacking the crisp nori, vibrantly flavored fish and precise presentation that make for truly great maki and sushi. Most memorable is the complex arrangement of textures in the Miraku roll, which features spicy tuna blanketed with sweet barbecued eel, thin slices of avocado and a sprinkling of black tobiko. There's also no denying the decadent pleasure of the tornado roll — lobster tempura embedded in Japanese mayo, lettuce and caviar.

The hot entrees are basic Japanese fare, like katsu, tempura and chicken teriyaki, slices of breast with a mahogany glaze and a pretty array of steamed baby carrots, red bliss potatoes, baby bok choy and broccoli. The tempura is especially good, lending shrimp, asparagus, zucchini and carrots a pleasingly airy-crisp coating. In all, it's a great value — especially for lunch, when most of the $7.50 to $13.50 entrees come with soup or salad and rice. Besides, the dining room sure beats the Shermer High library.

(e_ludwig@citypaper.net)

Miraku

1326 Spruce St.,215-732-1110,www.mirakusushi.com

Mon.-Thu., 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 4:30-10 p.m.; Fri., 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 4:30-11 p.m.; Sat., 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.

Appetizers, $5-$11.50; entrees, $10.95-$24.95

Credit cards accepted. BYO.