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Satsuma Restaurant, named for Japan's southwestern-most province and open for just one month, brings yakiniku to Bethesda for the first time.

In a Japanese yakiniku restaurant, diners are invited to grill thin slivers of various cuts of beef on a gas-fired brazier built into the dinner table. In seconds, translucent slices of perfectly seasoned Black Angus short rib meat are cooked to perfection. Hot from the flame, the morsel of meat is gathered up with chopsticks, then dipped into a flavorful sauce of saki, mirin and sesame seeds.

Bethesda's Satsuma is two authentic Japanese restaurants in one; the whole menu is available in both dining rooms. The main entrance opens into a smart café-style dining room within one of those iconic curved Bethesda storefronts. The space is well suited to a quick meal of sushi or shared appetizers a la carte.

Beyond this room lays the more elegant and leisurely furnished sushi bar and yakiniku dining room. Here, it is appropriate to remove shoes before being seated. Each table, furnished with a steel and brass brazier, is enclosed by wood benches with large cushions, and each enclosure is separated by curtains. Pensive Japanese music melts quietly into the ambiance.

Of the appetizers, Beef Tataki is thinly sliced beef tenderloin that has been seared rare and is served with a light tart Ponzu sauce with flavors of citrus and soy. Ika Yaki is an attractive presentation of grilled squid, sliced into tender bite sized hoops, and intended for dipping into potent slurry of freshly grated ginger, soy and sesame. Gyoza, pork dumplings, first steamed, then browned in a hot pan, are simple yet clearly handled with care and skill. The filling is moist and fresh; the wrapper is velvety from steaming, then crisped and caramelized from searing.

Most sublime is the Gindara Saikyozuke, a modest portion of delectable flaky black cod steamed to perfection and flavored with a hint of sweet miso. While an extravagant indulgence at $17, the dish is as much about a gorgeous piece of fish as it as the masterful preparation and simple presentation.

The sushi and sashimi at Satsuma is on par with the very best Bethesda has to offer. Miso soup, made with rich clear stock, arrives piping hot with its garnish of diced tofu and bitter greens. Chawanmushi is not so much a soup as a firm egg custard with steamed chicken, shrimp and scallions.

Aside from the Yakiniku self-grilled entrees, the restaurant serves tempting combinations of tempura, sushi and sashimi as well as other fried and sautéed items. The teriyaki chicken's gently blackened skin goes nicely with its sweet and sour dipping sauce.

Simple details get attention here. Oranges and sweet potatoes, for which Satsuma Province is known, appear as a garnish throughout the menu. Even the steamed rice looks and tastes freshly made and seasoned with care.

Satsuma Restaurant

8003 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda

301-652-1400, fax 301-652-0682

Hours: Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Mon.-Sat.; Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. 5-10:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 5-9 p.m. Sun.

Style of cuisine: Japanese

Appetizers: $2.50-$12

Entrees: $13-$30

Credit cards: All major cards

www.satsuma-jp.com/home