It's easy to tell when a new restaurant is going to reset the standards for dining. Within two days of opening, word of the incredible MF Sushi bar began to leak out among hungry Atlantans. Owners Alex and his brother Chris, a veteran sushi chef, took what others might have considered an initial risk opening their sleek new sushi bar and restaurant on Ponce de Leon in the new residential and commercial building adjacent the Old Spaghetti Factory in Midtown. MF Sushi is the first restaurant in the state of Georgia to serve only sushi, and there is no kitchen. What might have crushed another outfit has put MF Sushi on the map and keeps customers returning over and over again.

The name of the restaurant comes from Chris's nickname, "Magic Fingers," which he acquired over the last decade in sushi bars across the United States, where he demonstrated his perfection in the art of sushi preparation. Chris and his brother are not shy about the sushi experience they deliver to discriminating sushi eaters.

The restaurant, along with the menus, logos and Web site were all designed by Alex, a professional designer who left the corporate world to execute his and his brother's vision of delivering the best quality sushi experience possible. The interiors are sleek and elegant, self-described as "uber-hip Pacific design you may have encountered on travels to the left coast."

Hardcore sushi connoisseurs who have found it difficult to find the quality of fish, perfection in preparation and variety found in Japan or the finest American sushi eateries need not look any further. MF Sushi flies its fish directly from Japan to Atlanta overnight, and Chris takes it upon himself to assure that his regular customers get what they come for. With the accuracy of a Vegas card counter, Chris and his team prepare each night for the guests they know will walk through their door - creatively anticipating their desire for impeccable MF Sushi.

Now considered one of the most talented sushi chefs in the country, Chris has received rave national reviews from the Wall Street Journal and Atlanta's own finicky John Kessler. Sitting next to my guest Jenny and I is another sushi connoisseur who has come specifically for the high quality Uni, or sea urchin roe, -- an adventurous delicacy that provides a unique taste and experience. Another regular has brought his parents in who sit and rave about it with delight. Other regulars continue to stream in throughout the evening seeking the simple elegance that has made MF Sushi so complex.

Be careful asking for trendy rolls that other sushi bars have made you accustomed to - that's like ordering a hamburger at Chops. MF Sushi truly specializes in fish and more fish, and is the only sushi bar I know in Atlanta that serves real crabmeat sushi. To Chris and Alex, sushi making is truly an art, and the quality of their presentation is superb.

The Tuna Tataki is smooth and delectable, and the Otoro, or fatty tuna, is the finest I have ever had. The wasabi is scraped fresh for us from the root and provides the perfect compliment to the buttery texture of both forms of nigiri sushi we sample. As it should be with sushi, the quality and pure, clean flavors of the indigenous ingredients (the fish, vegetables and rice) makes seasoning, spices and sauces unnecessary. We are treated to crisp, cool saki that complements the warm, comfortable ambience of the restaurant. Prices range from $4 - $15 for pieces and rolls, and the vegetarian menu is limited. There are 40 kinds of cold sake along with a nice wine list.

A sushi meal is not a meal unless it balances the three facets that have been mastered at MF Sushi: a cozy, friendly bar; the artistic presentation of the sushi; and the quality of the ingredients.