The deluge of new sushi spots in the last couple of years probably had lovers of raw fish thinking that all their culinary desires were being fulfilled. They had best think again and pop over to Nikko, which quietly opened last month at the corner of Capron Street and that tiny offshoot of South Avenue tucked under the entrance to 490 East. Well, "quietly opened" may not be totally accurate; once the foodie underbelly of Rochester began whispering about the eclectic menu and imaginative drinks at the sophisticated new downtown eatery, the buzz got quite loud.

Nikko is the creation of Mark Chiarenza (he also co-owns Murphy's Law) and Marco Muoio, who did stints on the line at Tastings and Tony D's before trading in his whites to manage the day-to-day operations at his fledgling restaurant. A warm, stylish space built of bricks and beams, Nikko is anchored by a glowing bar, with a sleek open kitchen purring in the corner. That's also where you'll find the sushi bar, where Chef Ching Imperial Bolima and his assistants are slicing gorgeous cuts of fish into both jewel-like sashimi as well as inventive rolls like the Sumo ($12), consisting of Dungeness crab, asparagus, avocado, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and rice paper with Himalayan rock salt. And those who've sworn off the white stuff should rejoice: Nikko not only offers brown rice, but multigrain rice, too.

Chef Jeremy Nucelli, late of Warfield's High Point, heads up Nikko's kitchen, complementing the sushi bar's offerings with some artistry of his own, often with an Italian bent that is as unexpected as it is harmonious. Besides crostini, pasta, and deliciously inspired takes on caesar salad, porchetta, and chicken cacciatore, Chef Nucelli also does a fantastic charcuterie plate ($16, and if you're lucky it'll include Nikko's dreamy duck-liver pate) as well as a mighty burger ($16), made from house-ground beef topped with Maytag blue and Gruyere cheeses, smoky onion jam, roasted garlic aioli, and arugula, and served with pommes frites. The cocktails run the gamut from classic potions like a luscious Sazerac ($7.50) to original concoctions like The FDR ($8), a blend of Nikko's smoked-bacon bourbon, Amaro CioCiaro, Carpano Antica vermouth, and bitters, while the globally sourced wine list is ambitious yet accessible.

Actually, "ambitious yet accessible" might be a fitting description for Nikko itself. "We're gonna push the envelope," Muoio says. "I want to keep things interesting."

To find Nikko in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

Nikko is located at 1 Capron St. Dinner prices range from $8 to $27. The restaurant serves Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.; Thursday-Friday 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-11 p.m.; and Saturday 5-11 p.m. Bar open late. For more information, call (585) 454-2908 or visit restaurantnikko.com.

Wheat watchers

Some are gluten-free by necessity, whereas some have banished wheat and other grains from their diet by choice. And some fall into neither category; they're merely intrigued by the creative and nutritional possibilities that exist when a baker takes the typical ingredients out of the equation. But all those people should know about a few bakeries around town that are keeping the oft-neglected gluten-free in mind.

Maybe you've already enjoyed a little something from Donna Marie's Gluten-Free Bakery (164 Newbury St., (585) 254-0706, donnamariesbakery.com), which, since 2009, has supplied places like Wegmans and Starry Nites Cafe, along with augmenting the in-house bakery at Lori's Natural Foods. But Donna Marie's also has a fully stocked location of its own, selling, among other things, muffins ($2.15), breads (the cinnamon-raisin loaf is $5.15), and pizza shells ($4.89).

The recently opened Ellie's Gluten-Free Bakery (1000 Turk Hill Road, Fairport, (585) 223-6411, elliesglutenfreebakery.com) specializes in gluten-free/dairy-free/soy-free baked goods, like both cream and fruit pies ($12), cutout cookies ($1.50), and layer cakes (8" cake, $34). Ellie's can also accommodate vegan custom orders.

The Mooseberry Cafe (2555 Baird Road, Suite E, Penfield, (585) 348-9022, mooseberrycafe.com) is a new venture by the Mooseberry Soap Co., and though it's not strictly gluten-free - the cafe also has an impressive menu of breakfast and lunch items, as well as juices and smoothies - Mooseberry showcases GF and vegan desserts (like an organic GF chocolate fudge cake, $4.95/slice), and offers the full-sized versions of the treats for sale through its website.

New brew

Drinking responsibly can also mean going easy on the planet. So toast to your own environmental consciousness with the Rochester-made Kyoto Protocol, a collaborative beer by local artisans Roc Brewing Co. and Joe Bean Coffee Roasters. The latter provides the fair-trade and organic Sumatra Gayo coffee to the former, who infuses its IPA with the cold-dripped brew. The results are now on tap at Roc Brewing Co.

Roc Brewing Co. is located at 56 S. Union St. It is open Thursday-Friday 5-10:30 p.m. and Saturday 3-10:30 p.m. For more information, call (585) 794-9798 or visit rocbrewingco.com.

Back to life

Longtime Rochester bar owner Jeff Boscarino (Bosco's Bombay Bicycle Club, Penny Arcade, Paradise Alley) has revivified the formerly defunct downtown mainstay Richmond's. The tavern once again serves a full menu, and I do mean full: soups, pizzas, salads, and sandwiches, along with the usual range of bar food (wings, rings, sticks, poppers) and more substantial entrees like fettucini carbonara ($14.95) and steak au poivre ($17.95).

To find Richmond's in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

Richmond's is located at 21 Richmond St. Food prices range from $4.95 to $21.95. It is open daily 11 a.m.-2 a.m. For more information, call (585) 270-8570.

Closed

Pittsford Seafood Market is now closed. Formerly located in Pittsford, most recently at the corner of Monroe and Rowley streets, the market specialized in fresh fish and Eastern European food items. No reason was given for the closing.

Chow Hound is a food and restaurant news column. Do you have a tip? Send it to food@rochester-citynews.com.