Prior to its incarnation as Ame, one of the better Japanese restaurants in Toronto, it was a snootier, spendier Japanese restaurant called Rain owned by the same chef team, the Rubino Brothers, who killed it off (with some help from the recession) and bore this cooler, more affordable version. 

The décor is kick-ass: concrete pillars, splashes of colourful silk and tall wrought iron panels that look dramatic in the dim light. The cocktail bar is stunning with a beguiling drinks list using seasonal ingredients, and a DJ spins Thursday through Saturday when the restaurant morphs into a dance club. 

The menu is modern Japanese, featuring sushi/sashimi classics with dashes of Rubino invention, succulent black cod with miso and fluffy tempura skewered onto wooden blocks. And the brothers positively coo over their authentic Robato grill. Continue the party at Maison (see Play) next door.