RESTAURANT REVIEW:

Getting surprised is one of the best aspects of dining out, and I can’t explain the joy I get when I discover a new place. The newest find was quite by accident.

The freeway was packed with rush-hour traffic, and I decided to get off and take streets home. It was while I was driving down Fairview when I saw a strip mall with a few restaurants and thought I would get some dinner and then rejoin the crush of humanity.

Sushi Sho has the appearance of just another Japanese restaurant jammed into a plaza. The usual businesses are here: a liquor store, pizza joint, a Mexican restaurant and a Laundromat.

The less than optimum location and low-key appearance don’t provide an indication that anything special waits inside, but the exterior is quite the opposite of the interior. Inside is a very friendly, casual dining room and sushi bar, stressing a warm and inviting facility.

The counter occupies the right side of the room and wraps around in an arc. Behind it is a friendly sushi chef. There are several tables and chairs as well as booths and it is much bigger than the outside would suggest.

Being by myself on this Sunday evening I chose a seat at the sushi bar and it gave me two great vantage points. The first was of the flat-screen television showing the evening football game, and second was a front row seat to watch the chef prepare the dishes.

That proved to be an experience. The chef, whose name was Shiro, was fascinating to watch. He was meticulous in his preparation, laboring over even the simplest of rolls. He would adjust fish so it was in the right spot and primp and prod and push items until he was satisfied.

That same attention to detail is present in the food. The restaurant has a philosophy of using the best ingredients and it was definitely evident.

My first dish was a special called honeymoon oyster. Shiro said the dish was named because every honeymoon should be hot. The two oysters on the half shell were adorned with a quail egg, sea urchin, orange and green tobiko, which are tiny fish eggs, and as many drops of hot sauce as you can stand.

I took four, and it was spicy, but not too bad. The texture might turn off some people, but I enjoyed the combination of the oyster and the quail egg.

The Ichiban was next.

The main ingredient is imitation crab that I was surprised tasted as good as it did. Most imitation crab tastes like it has been outside in the sun for two days, but this was moist, fresh and very flavorful. It was the only thing wrapped inside the rice, but atop was a fresh piece of avocado and a thumb-sized piece of shrimp. It was topped off with sesame seeds and orange tobiko.

I enjoyed the imitation crab so much I tried another variation of it. The Costa Mesa dish uses the crabmeat surround by rice and whitefish, a sweet sauce and chopped green onions on top. It is then baked in a little toaster oven and served warm.

Chef Shiro recommended that dish. He was very entertaining, with a pleasant personality. If you are in a hurry though, don’t come. With the chef’s visiting and intense cooking style, dishes do not come out with assembly-line quickness, and while I think that is great, others less patient may not.

JOHN REGER is the Pilot’s restaurant critic. His reviews run Thursdays.