• SLIDESHOW: Check out more photos and listen to Dana Craig dish on Sushi Ninja

I graduated from college long enough ago that the last thing I want to hear when I go out to eat is an educational lecture on exactly what I'm about to eat.

However, a recent visit to Sushi Ninja and a follow-up phone call with owner Hunter Haglund changed my opinion on being lectured about food.

On the surface, Sushi Ninja, in World Cup's former Robinson Street home, doesn't look very different from any other Richmond sushi joint.

A flat screen plays Godzilla movies (a la Sticky Rice), rolls have entertaining names (a la Sumo San) and the décor is marked by light wood and lots of black (a la Akida, Osaka, Kobe, Ichiban, etc.).

But what you won't find at Sushi Ninja is much outside the realm of shockingly fresh raw fish -- no hibachi, no noodle bowls, no tater tots. If you don't adore sushi, this may not be the restaurant for you.

But then again, it may be if learning can lead you to appreciation.

During my weeknight dinner, head chef Michael Brown voluntarily explained every last detail -- each fish's origin, preparation and flavor -- to an intrigued family hovering over the sushi bar. My friend, a two-year veteran of a New York City sushi restaurant, said she almost learned more during our meal than she did during her restaurant tenure.

During our phone call, Haglund said he sees dining at Sushi Ninja as an educational process -- something that will finesse Richmond's collective sushi palate, which is now limited by "the immense stopgap between quality sushi and what's out there now."

Sushi Ninja's fish is flown in fresh daily from Hawaii, and its chefs adhere to three principles: superior knowledge, superior quality of ingredients and superior presentation.

You may be thinking, "Well, isn't this the case at every sushi restaurant?" In reality, no. Saku block (frozen sushi grade fish) is more common than not.

And this is why I appreciate Sushi Ninja's educational mission.

Chef's choice sashimi platters range from $30 to $200. I admit my mouth hit the floor when I saw no descriptions next to these prices. When I asked our server what exactly the platters included, she was unsure.

As I later learned from Haglund, the menu pricing is merely a guide. As is customary in sushi bars in Japan, the idea is to get diners to name their price range, and the chef will tailor a sashimi platter according to their preferences.

But this is where Sushi Ninja's vagueness currently causes problems. Our meal turned out to be exceptional, but not knowing this ordering process until my follow-up call caused us to miss out.

Subsequently, we chose one of two more descriptive sashimi platters, Setting Sun Sashimi ($18 for 12 pieces), which included walu (Hawaiian escolar), hamachi (yellowtail) and ahi tuna.

Beautifully arranged with asparagus spears to resemble a sunset, each piece was silky smooth and quietly redolent of floral and citrus.

Rolls boast the same high-quality fish. Southern Samurai ($12) featured sweet potato inside with meaty slices of eel and avocado draped on top. Peach coulis and a sprinkling of pecans were intriguing accents, but peach slices instead would have limited the unappealing mushiness.

The Shogun ($13), a futomaki (large) roll stuffed with shrimp tempura and succulently sweet Virginia crab and draped with blood-red slices of ahi, was excellent. Notably, the barely breaded shrimp's flavor wasn't smothered by tempura. Eel sauce added a hint of sweetness to complement the light drizzle of a spicy, mayo-based sauce.

The Sakura appetizer ($6), described as "a blossom of crab dip surrounded by lightly salted wontons," was also beautiful delicately seasoned crab with barely a hint of "dip." My only complaint was that the fried wontons were too fragile to scoop up the crab.

I look forward to seeing how Sushi Ninja develops. Will it reshape Richmond's standard for quality sushi? I hope so, but only if diners are open to digesting an appetizer of education. dcraig@timesdispatch.com.