by Loretta Chilcoat Jergensen
MINATO JAPANESE RESTAURANT
800 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD  410-332-0332 

You might miss its rather unassuming façade as it blends into the downtown architecture—but then you’d be missing one of the most popular sushi restaurants. Minato’s popularity is well deserved, especially at lunch time when its followers flock like pilgrims for the bargain basement Minato Sushi Lunch. Just $7.50 gets you six pieces of nigiri, a half tuna roll, a half California roll, and rich miso soup. Dinner is a hit too, with fat Bento boxes, eight types of noodles and delicious vegetarian selections. Grab a spot at the hoppin’ bar and admire the chefs’ skill—they’ve been known to toss a few freebies patrons’ way. Named “Best Sushi Scene” and “Best Japanese Restaurant” by local media, it’s a great place to grab a bite.