(Hotel restaurants are not eligible in this category)
Japanese Restaurant
OSAKA JAPANESE RESTAURANT
4205 W. Sahara Ave.
An old favorite holds its own with a decisive victory over 11 other choices in this ever-more cosmopolitan desert of ours. The popular sushi bar is as close as you'll get to the ocean around here, though last year's winner, Hamada of Japan, and Hakase Japanese Cuisine, remain viable second and third choices.
Our Pick:
KABUKI JAPANESE RESTAURANT
1150 E. Twain Ave.
Yes, we're getting boring in our yearly selection of this value-conscious (see our French selection above) favorite, which we'll sushi in to a fourth-straight staff pick. Check out the combination dinners before sharpening those knives and coming after us for bad punmanship.