Sushi chef Hiro Takanashi smiles from behind the bar as he turns out beautiful specialty rolls loaded with sprouts, pea shoots, avocado, and glistening red tuna. The garden-fresh ingredients served at this compact sushi restaurant reflect its rural Haiku address, but the stylish decor suggests somewhere more cosmopolitan. Start with a side of house pickles or kinpira gobo—a salty, sweet, and sour mix of slivered burdock root. Then proceed to the sushi menu for excellent nigiri, sashimi, and rolls. Not up for sushi? The wonderful Nuka bowls—your choice of protein piled atop fresh herbs, crushed peanuts, sesame lime dressing, rice, and veggies—are deeply nourishing. At lunch, burgers with Maui beef or chopped fresh catch are also an option. For dessert, try the house-made black sesame ice cream. Tip: Nuka doesn’t take reservations and is often packed; plan to eat early (before 6pm) or late (after 7:30pm) to avoid crowds.