VILLAGE SAKE

For 15 years, Scott Whitman headed the kitchen at Sushi Ran, but two years ago he teamed up with firefighter Scott Porter to open a Japanese izakaya in the quiet Marin town of Fairfax. Immediately it became a culinary destination. There’s always a line, and no reservations are taken, but diners can call ahead to be put on the waiting list. The sushi, generally six or eight fish a night, is always immaculate, but Whitman really excels at other dishes, including the tempura of maitake mushrooms shrouded with a delicate coating, the chunks of chicken thigh threaded on skewers with scallions, the gossamer scallop-chive dumplings, and the grilled hamachi collar. The kitchen also has a way with vegetables, which might include kimchi Brussels sprouts or curried spaghetti squash hit with lime and ginger. The interior has a classic rustic sensibility, and the service is warm and helpful. It’s a restaurant that deserves to have long wait lists, and, while you wait, you can always have a cocktail at 19 Broadway or one of the other bars that line the street.

Cuisine Japanese | Specialties Miso black cod; grilled hamachi collar; tempura green beans; kimchi Brussels sprouts; curried spaghetti squash; charred octopus; smoked hamachi tataki | Seats 32 (plus 16 on the patio) | Prices $6-$15 | Noise rating | Parking Street, sometimes difficult

Vitals 19 Bolinas Road, Fairfax. (415) 521-5790. www.villagesake.com Dinner Wednesday-Monday. Beer, wine and sake. No reservations (call to be put on a waiting list). Credit cards accepted.

The chicken thigh skewers at Village Sake in Fairfax, which is worth the wait.