Afraid To Eat Raw Fish? Now's The Perfect Time To Dive In. By Rebecca Cook PEOPLE CAN EASILY be divided into two categories. While a division by gender may seem to be the most obvious way to separate the masses, I have in mind a more subtle yet telling distinction: those who eat (and love) sushi and those who would gladly endure a root canal rather than dine on octopus or sea eel. More's the pity for these poor souls who--to use a phrase frequently uttered by my mother when some new vegetable was soundly rejected by her finicky offspring--don't know what they're missing. It's true that among the many dishes offered at a traditional sushi bar, some will appeal more to your individual tastes than others. You may indeed have to overcome a bias against fish served in a form other than crispy sticks. And you may well feel slightly intimidated as you sidle up to your neighborhood sushi bar where, it seems, everyone but you knows exactly what to do. Not to worry--you can do this. All you need is an intrepid dining spirit, good powers of observation and some guidance to a few of Tucson's premier sushi spots. First off, let me say that when it comes to sushi, Tucson is no culinary slouch. Once the home of only a few sushi venues, our city now boasts a virtual tsunami of these eateries. While I would like to have dined in them all (and I am privately committed to doing just that eventually), I offer now my impressions of five of Tucson's more tempting sushi possibilities: TAKAMATSU RESTAURANT, 5532 E. Speedway, tops my current sushi list for a variety of reasons. The consummate freshness of every ingredient, the creative and sometimes even whimsical presentation of the food, the young Latino apprentice frequently working behind the bar who earnestly and good-naturedly seeks to learn the art of sushi from the master chefs, and the simply stylized, airy ambiance of the restaurant give it an overall appeal that's unrivaled. The daily specials posted at Takamatsu demand serious consideration. An Alaskan Roll consisting of crab, salmon, slivered cucumber and avocado encased in the usual barely sweetened shari rice and dusted with sesame seeds was particularly memorable; and the California Roll with the sautéed scallops (yes, several varieties of sushi involve cooked fish!) spooned over the top was also marvelous. The only drawback here is that the service for getting drinks and your bill needs some fine tuning and can result in some irritating delays. Be sure to order the large bottle of Japanese beer to avoid uncomfortable drought periods. SUSHI-CHO RESTAURANT, 1830 E. Broadway, stakes its reputation on providing an unparalleled experience of sushi perfection from start to finish. No sooner are you seated at the bar than a rolled, warm wash cloth appears accompanied by a steaming bowl of miso soup, the only time in my survey that this light, tasty broth was included as part of the meal. Sushi-Cho also uses only ingredients sparkling fresh from the sea and garden. Most lovely here are the varieties of nigiri-zushi, thin slices of fish (yes, raw) served over a hand-formed oval of rice with just a dab of that wonderful fiery wasabi (Japanese horseradish). I generally think of sushi as bite-sized, but at Sushi-Cho you need a big mouth to eat your sushi without embarrassment. I'm not complaining, mind you, I just mention this for those contemplating Sushi-Cho as a first-date option when potential big-sushi complications might be better avoided. The meal ends with a lovely peeled and sliced sweet orange, delicately rearranged within its rind. THE ORIENTAL GARDEN Restaurant Lounge, 15 N. Alvernon Way, has a remarkably adept sushi bar, with the highlights here being the chef's "recommended" specials. The prices here tend to be slightly lower, with many options available to sample at $3 each. While all of these restaurants offer "spicy" tuna or yellowtail dishes, the versions served at the Oriental Garden border on incendiary. Ingest cautiously. SHOGUN JAPANESE RESTAURANT and Sushi Bar, 5036 N. Oracle Road, provides a somewhat campy atmosphere (lots of bamboo, little Japanese laterns and kimono-clad waitresses) but does a serviceable job with its sushi. No specials are featured, but the extensive menu offers some intriguing regional innovations on the roll theme, with New York, Vegas, Philadelphia and Tucson represented. Somewhat alarming at Shogun was the fact that individual item prices are not listed on the sushi menu, making me wonder if costs fluctuate from day to day. Perhaps not surprisingly, the total bill ran a little higher than average. (In all restaurants, most sushi items ranged from $2.50 to $9.50.) BUNBUKU JAPANESE CUISINE, 4520 E. Broadway, is small compared to its competitors in the sushi market, but don't let this deceive you. The folks here know what they're doing, and while the presentation of the dishes may not be as fancy as some of the other restaurants, the food is just as delicious. The menu isn't as extensive, and no specials or improvisations are featured, leaving all the more room for traditional sushi items. I wish I had the space to fully describe each item sampled, but these generalities and tips are the best I can do for now. So, take a deep breath and dive into the local sushi scene. The surf is way up. Photo by Sean Justice

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