Industrially sleek rows of lacquerred fins mark the exterior of Haku, the latest and handsomest entry in the Upper West Side sushi stakes. The same red metal continues, in twisting ripples and spikes reminiscent of bizarre marine fauna, on the walls inside the little restaurant and in the bright, modern sushi counter. Above, a thick forest of slender lights resembles a population of luminescent plants. With only 15 tables and a painstaking approach to service, Haku is hardly in competition with the local hot-sake-and-high-turnover sushi houses; its flashy design clearly sets it apart from their ubiquitous kanji-decorated curtains and polished wood. Instead, bankrolled by an owner of the thriving Ollie’s chain, it brings a pleasing boutique-style take on Japanese dining to the neighborhood.

Haku’s culinary model echoes that of Gari, the auteur-driven Upper East Side bastion of sushi that recently opened a West Side branch. Inventive cooked dishes share the menu with an assortment of sushi and sashimi, some of which, when paired with distinctive toppings, become elaborate compositions in themselves. Freshness is paramount, of course, with a rotating roster of top-notch fish and other ingredients. As a result, what’s actually available on any given night can vary a bit from what’s on the printed menu. But creativity and aesthetics are just as important, as seen in the gorgeous variety of the dishes.

A starter of tuna tartare ($9) towers above its brethren throughout the city. Those others are too often just a greasy dumping ground for leftover fish scraps, but this is a tower of prime, glistening red tuna pieces the size of casino dice, delicately dressed in savory soy, tossed with capers, and topped with a raw quail egg in a speckled half-shell. On the long plate alongside the tartare are two palate cleansers offering textural contrast: crunchy slices of lotus root, and firm, vinegary, pickled red grapes. Another starter, even more impressive, is billed as “whole horse mackerel” ($13), and indeed the entire silvery 6-inch fish makes it onto the plate, albeit in an unexpected form. The beautiful, intensely flavored flesh, cut raw into sashimi slices, preens on a bed of ice, while the intact backbone and head stands guard above them.

Main-course sushi can be ordered a la carte or in combos: a tour of all 10 assorted pieces with their toppings for $29, or the chef’s omakase selection starting at $40.The toppings harmonize subtly with the flavors of the raw fish, taking the place of the soy dip that so easily overwhelms delicate sashimi. As at Gari, several of the toppings have a sunny warmth that plays off the cool marine tang of the fish. A smear of mildly bitter jalapeno compote brings brilliant, rich yellowtail ($4 a piece) down to earth; scintillating herb salsa does the same for smooth, delicate fluke ($4). A piece of salmon ($4) is embellished by a small dab of creamy olive puree, whose quick, sharp burst of flavor lightens the salmon’s familiar heaviness. The richer specimens of sea life shine as well: A big piece of iwashi sardine ($4) wears a jacket of pickled seaweed that intensifies the sardine’s oily, fishy taste and shows off its freshness; salty, magnificently fresh-tasting lobster-claw meat ($6) is covered in a clear, jelled tomato essence and topped with a luxurious spoonful of briny Osetra caviar.

Rolls give the chef even more opportunity to harmonize flavors and textures. They range from pure and simple ones, like yellowtail paired with a bundle of crunchy, zingy watercress ($6), to quite complex confections, like chewy jellyfish seasoned with fig-miso dressing. A spicy tuna roll ($7) has none of the usual mayonnaisey cloy: Its spice is dark, smoky, and slow to burn, the superior tuna studded with crispy bits of fried tempura batter for additional interest. Other neoclassics are given similarly appealing twists: The restaurant’s California roll ($7) uses sweet blue-crab meat, and the salmon-skin roll ($7) wraps spicy radish sprouts and pickled radish in fried fish skin. Two eel rolls are particularly good as well: one of avocado thickly wrapped with succulent eel ($10); the other ($14) combining rich grilled eel, mild egg omelet, and shiitakes.

Cooked dishes don’t quite have the same appeal as the roster of fresh sushi, but they don’t fall far short. Tilefish wakasayaki ($20) is a traditional preparation in which the fish is simply salted and flame-broiled, its thin skin, scales intact, cooking into a wonderfully crunchy layer. Haku serves the dish with plump wild mushrooms and a thin mushroom broth that adds savor but doesn’t interfere with the primary flavor of the fish. A sauteed filet of black cod ($23) has a similar elegant simplicity; it’s served in a subtle vegetable jus.

Dessert upholds the high standard of the meal. A “soy panna cotta” is just a gentle white dome of sweet, silken tofu moated by juicy peach compote. It walks a graceful line between austerity and luxury, as does a yuzu tart – sort of a Japanese lemon bar drenched in stewed blueberries.

Equal billing is given to wines and sakes, either of which suits Haku’s flavorful cuisine. The former includes the light and juicy Brancott pinot noir, value priced at $7 a glass and $24 a bottle, and the fresh, dry Le Bonheur sauvignon blanc (also $7/$24). Among the sake highlights are the highly fragrant Yatsushiku tokubetsu junmai ($8 a glass) and the dry, easy-to-drink Sougen junmai at $55 a bottle. Hitachino Nest’s effervescent white ale, at $8 a bottle, makes a wonderful complement to the food as well.

Haku’s quality is comparable to good destinations downtown and elsewhere, but its hipness level and prices are significantly, mercifully lower. The restaurant’s consistently high production values make it a noteworthy addition to the neighborhood and the city at large.

Haku, 2425 Broadway, 212-580-2566.