SLIDESHOW: More photos of Sushi O

I often end up acting like a giddy schoolgirl when I talk about my love for Osaka Sushi on River Road.

In fact, a particular girlfriend and I would probably make Osaka's sushi bar our permanent residence if it wouldn't lead to our loved ones filing missing persons reports.

When I learned that Chris Tsui, Osaka Sushi's owner, had plans for a new spot called Sushi O, I was barely able to contain my anticipation.

Pulling into Sushi O's shopping center parking lot, I was shocked (and pleasantly surprised) to find a small but inviting patio. Sure, it overlooks the parking lot, but flashes of red and metal made it feel a bit chic.

Inside, I was more shocked -- and impressed.

A massive painting of a woman's eyes done up geisha-style towers over a row of dark wood and deep red upholstered booths. Down the center of the open room is a high-top, communal dining table leading to a small sushi bar.

Here, a floor-to-ceiling Buddha keeps watch over the coolly suave space as red pendant lights splatter flashes of color throughout.

We were seated at a table tucked beside the glass entry, giving me a great view of the space but causing our server to often forget us.

Drinks took some time, andthe duration between appetizers and entrees was obscene. Nearby couples came, ate and left in the interim.

The wait gave us ample time to explore the smartly conceived drink list -- beer, wine ($28-$60), high-end sakes (mapped by their regions of origin) and specialty martinis.

I tried The Frog & The Lily Pad ($10), Absolut Citron, honeydew liqueur and fresh, house-blended cucumber and mint juice. It was phenomenal, like a facial in a glass -- refreshing and slightly sweet. Now, if only it could pull off the exfoliation benefits.

While Sushi O's appetizers include the usuals (gyoza, edamame, shrimp shu-mai), others are more innovative, such as Kani Dip ($7), chilled spicy crabmeat salad, and sake-broiled mussels ($10).

A mix of julienned crab stick, cucumbers and crunchy tobiko, the dip/salad was as good eaten with chopsticks as it was with accompanying crispy sesame flatbread, each bite simultaneously delicate, brisk and spicy.

The mussels were as sinful as Oysters Rockefeller, topped with an indulgently rich cream sauce studded with ground sesame and masago (capelin roe).

Like Osaka, Sushi O serves entrees for sushi lovers and sushi novices. Sushi bar combos boast fun names, ranging from "1st Base" and "2nd Base" to "I Love Sashimi" and "Double the Passion," based on diners', um, sushi experience.

From the specialty rolls, I tried the Dragonfly ($14), a shrimp tempura roll topped with seared tuna and scallions, and Dr. Oh ($14), spicy crab stick and avocado inside soy paper topped with wild salmon and crunchies.

Presented beautifully amid colorful swirls of spicy and sweet sauces, the combination of tempura and cleanly fresh tuna was spot on. Everything balanced smoothly -- flavor, texture and subtlety.

Dr. Oh, on the other hand, wasn't so "oh." While the portion of salmon was generous, the soy paper made the overall texture unpleasantly mushy. The crunchies helped, but I think this would be better with typical nori.

Chef's specials include everything from a 20-ounce, grilled Angus New York Strip ($29) to Tokyo-Style pork medallions accented with sake and honey ($18).

We tried the filet mignon ($22), served with spinach fried rice. What we got was amazing but, because of the vague menu description, we were surprised it wasn't a full filet.

The meat was sliced and sautéed with red peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and asparagus, boasting melt-in-your-mouth tenderness combined with a peppery, sweet punch.

The accompanying rice, however, was bland and better overlooked.

Sushi O has everything that makes Osaka so swoon-worthy -- an elegantly contemporary setting decrying its shopping center locale, a balanced menu of creative sushi and high-quality meats and a respected owner who knows his clientele. Sushi O simply needs time before I'm forced to split my sushi bliss between the two.