The Arts District and Tei-An are a perfect fit, as this Japanese restaurant provides an elegant and cultured experience in an aesthetically striking environment. Opened back in 2008, it has also played an important role in nurturing the city’s love affair with Japanese cuisine. The menu is varied and extensive, allowing diners to decide their own level of expense and experimentation. There’s everything from tonkatsu to tempura, as well as dishes like grilled freshwater eel (which comes with its crisped spine as you’d get in Japan), but its house-made soba and udon noodles—served cold or hot—are the house specialties. They come with an array of seasonal toppings and dipping sauces, many traditional and some, like Bolognese, more original.