Mizu Yakitori

RIVER NORTH. Owner Annie Zheng presides over a simple black-and-white dining room where the traditional and the offbeat meet on the menu. Delicate cuts of meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetables are cooked to order over sizzling binchotan charcoals in a glass-encased kitchen. Adventurous diners can try traditional Japanese chicken skins and beef livers or nibble on nagiri, sashimi, and other sushi rolls at the granite-topped bar. A private tearoom is also available.