If You're A Sushi Fan, Your Ship's Come In At Yuki. By Rebecca Cook DINING AT YUKI Sushi is a little like taking a brief sail around the harbor on a gorgeous, sunny day. The insistent whisper of a steady, gentle breeze keeps things moving along at a satisfying clip, making the experience challenging enough to sustain interest without ever causing concern that the crew could at any moment be toppled into the drink. Upon entering the diminutive restaurant, which is tucked into the corner of a small shopping center off Sabino Canyon and Tanque Verde roads, the diner is first struck by what appears to be a bustle of noisy activity at the sushi bar. In fact, as explained to us later, the chefs always call out a greeting to arriving guests. Although our limited knowledge of Japanese didn't allow us to grasp the significance of the salutation, we were immediately met by a smiling kimono-clad hostess uttering recognizable phrases of hospitality. She guided us swiftly to a nearby table. A nautical comparison is inescapable at Yuki Sushi, where mainsails, colorful jibs and fishing nets are generously employed as decorative accents. Even the serving platters for sushi and sashimi appear as nearly table-length wooden junks without the sails. The kimono-style tunics of the waitresses and sushi chefs further reflect the theme with their turquoise background punctuated by brightly colored tropical fish. Of course, fish being the abiding staple of Japanese cuisine, Yuki Sushi fills the bill. But the restaurant also offers an expansive menu featuring Korean grilled meats, teriyaki and a variety of soba noodle dishes. Going to Yuki Sushi and scrupulously avoiding the piscine pleasures is a definite possibility--but oh, what you would miss! Yuki's sushi menu is extensive and impressive. Even people who regularly frequent such establishments cannot fail to be impressed by the variety and creativity of the varied listings. Part of the fun of any sushi bar is to pull up a chair alongside an assembly of fellow diners who've each developed their distinctive approach to eating sushi. As unfamiliar rolls and dishes appear before the adoring audience, one can assess the responsive bliss quotient by carefully observing the countenance of the recipient as he snags the morsel with a pair of chopsticks and pops it into his mouth. "Pardon me, but what are you eating?" is a common refrain at sushi bars. While this inquiry might be considered rude in other dining venues, it's practically de rigueur when seated at a sushi bar. Not only is such felicitous curiosity acceptable, it's encouraged. This way novices can expand their culinary horizons and sushi virtuosos can share a portion of their repertoire. When you sit down at a sushi bar, it's instant community. It's also an ideal opportunity to view a master at work. Sushi chefs are not only craftsmen, they're accomplished artists, carefully choosing just the right balance of ingredients--both in terms of taste and appearance--and then molding the whole into an edible masterpiece. The night I visited, appreciative patrons at Yuki burst into applause from time to time as they watched the chefs devise their next showpiece. And the taste of these treasures? For those who wrinkle their noses at the mere thought of eating raw fish, I have two pieces of advice: First, some sushi is actually cooked, so don't be standoff-ish just because cold is the norm. And, second, don't knock it if you haven't tried it. There's a reason why this gastronomic phenomenon has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. If you must ease into it with something cooked, try the unagi. Okay, so the notion of fresh water eel doesn't thrill you. Trust me--once it's been broiled and placed atop a nugget of barely sweetened rice, you'd never guess it was part of a creature that once slithered through the water. Traditionally, unagi is eaten on one of the hottest days of the year (late July in Tucson seemed appropriate) in order to ensure strength and vitality for the next 12 months. Good unagi has a rich, buttery flavor and an appetizingly firm texture. It's usually grilled until crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, placed on rice and then drizzled with a sweetened soy-based sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. No bones, no fishy taste; just a beautiful, savory sensation. Promise. California rolls are also a popular choice of recent sushi converts, no doubt because they, too, feature cooked contents rather than raw. Rice and paper-thin sheets of seaweed called nori are wrapped around crab meat, avocado and slivered cucumber and carrot. Aside from some confusion about what it's like to eat seaweed (barely salty and mildly chewy), most people find nothing objectionable in this item. There are several other options sans raw fish to consider when ordering off the sushi menu (in particular, check out the green mussels, volcano and caterpillar rolls); but when you're ready, don't be afraid to forge ahead into the sensuous world of nigiri. Thin slices of consummately fresh fish are lightly seasoned with just a dab of wasabi (Japanese green horseradish) and then wrapped around a bite-sized bullet of rice that's been sweetened delicately with rice vinegar. It may sound simple, but the cool texture of the fish, the zestiness of the wasabi and the fluffy tang of the rice contribute to miraculously forming one of the most euphoric food experiences on the face of the planet. Don't start with the octopus, but feel free to indulge in the tuna, salmon or yellow tail. You won't be sorry. If sushi just doesn't cut it for you, Yuki's regular menu is at the ready. Appetizers such as egg rolls or tempura are exceptional: manifestly fresh, and in the case of the egg roll, served with a piquant chile sauce rather than a cloying syrup of sweet and sour. Although not originally a Japanese food (apparently Portuguese missionaries introduced the concept), tempura is now considered an integral part of Japanese cuisine. It may seem like a contradiction in terms to talk about fried food that's light and fresh-tasting, but with well-executed tempura, this is precisely the case. Slices of various vegetables and pieces of shrimp are dipped into an ethereal batter and then deep-fried until puffed, crisp and golden. Tempura must be eaten while hot and quickly dipped rather than soaked in the light soy sauce that accompanies it. It is a scrumptious beginner to any meal. Less adventuresome souls will do well to order one of Yuki's teriyaki dishes. Tender chunks of chicken, steak, salmon or shrimp are marinated in a thickened soy sauce, skewered and then grilled to a tender state. Served off the skewer with steamed white rice and preceded by a steaming bowl of miso soup and an unadorned green salad dressed with a pureed sesame dressing, Yuki's dinner boats constitute a complete meal. (A special children's menu also features teriyaki dishes designed to please younger palates.) Yakisoba dishes also abound. Literally translated, yakisoba means "burned buckwheat noodles," but Yuki's variations bear no trace of carbonized crunch. Depending on your preference for vegetables, chicken or shrimp, the earthy-tasting noodles are tossed with a tangy sauce consisting of soy, garlic and ginger, and then fired on a griddle before appearing in a large bowl at your table. This is Japanese comfort food at its finest. The Korean influence is most evident in a series of dishes featuring pork, including one item that mixes meat with tofu and kimchi, the pungent, spicy-hot condiment made with fermented, pickled cabbage. So bone up on your Japanese salutations and prepare to set sail for Yuki Sushi. It's a lovely tour across a section of the Pacific Rim. Yuki Sushi. 7153 E. Tanque Verde Road. 546-9854. Open for lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday. Full bar. All major credit cards accepted. Menu items: $1.50-$19.95.

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