Hot fusion: Inyo is a very pleasant surprise

Norman Acho is like an unknown who comes out of nowhere to win the U.S. Open. In his first venture as a restaurateur, he has hit the equivalent of a hole-in-one.

Inauspiciously tucked into a building on Woodward Avenue, a block north of Nine Mile in Ferndale, Inyo is a surprise waiting to be discovered.

With its Asian-influenced contemporary décor in muted colors, except for the splash of red provided by a striking mural, its ambitious fusion menu and black-clad staff that shows the effect of meticulous training, it has a crisp, professional feeling -- despite the fact that it has been open only three and a half weeks.

Meticulous is a word that fits everything from the subtle black and gold fabric on the banquettes to the white china bowls and plates in geometric shapes set off by bright red chopsticks, the cast-iron Japanese tea pots, and, of course, the fresh fare that emerges from the kitchen and from the handsome sushi bar.

Acho credits executive chef Kenny Wee as the most important part of the equation. Wee created the menu and oversees the connoisseur-level fare that ranges from simple, but well-handled, dishes such as miso soup and shrimp dumplings to elaborate entrees such as live lobster sauteed with fresh mango and herbs, and pepper steak made with certified Angus beef and wild mushrooms.

Wee also offers an omakase experience, a seven- to 10-course meal at three price levels, $75, $150 and $200, with all dishes chosen by the chef. It requires 24-hour notice.

Certainly, many people will be motivated by the décor -- that includes spacious wood-topped tables set into upholstered banquettes so tall they make the setting almost private -- to order either sushi or sashimi.

That's the province of Jing Yu, who prepares specialty rolls (makimono) such as the signature Inyo roll -- king crab, Japanese cucumber, mango sauce and strawberry topped with caviar -- at $17 the most expensive of the rolls, but a stunning visual and taste combination. The touch of sweetness from the strawberry is surprisingly harmonious with the saltiness of the caviar atop the rolls.

His repertoire includes much more, from the ubiquitous California roll to the Vegas with shrimp tempura, marinated crab, avocado, eel, sesame seeds and sweet eel sauce.

Salads seamlessly combine east and west, including the spicy tuna salad, a gorgeous presentation of glistening ruby cubes of tuna atop thinly sliced avocado fanned into a flower shape, along with a tumble of mixed greens. It's a steal at $9.

Another notable salad offering combines slices of grilled chicken breast with greens, baby spinach, tomatoes, avocado, thin strips of red bell pepper and asparagus cut into thin slices.

Other recommended dishes: the bone-on beef short ribs cut into bite-sized chunks and sweetened with Asian pear, and surprisingly, the resonant hot-and-sour soup as well as the miso, not at all an offhand dish here.

Although Japan is the main inspiration at Inyo -- named for the Japanese symbol that represents the universe as a circle enclosing with negative and positive elements -- there are also touches of China, Korea and Vietnam.

Another element is the bar, which reflects the fresh approach of the kitchen in specialty cocktails made with fresh juices and infusions.

While the presentation here is extraordinary, it is not camouflage. The style and skill of the kitchen and sushi bar shine through.

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