Whenever I see a very small restaurant with a large menu, I wonder how well the food will be executed. It’s easy to get in over your head in a small kitchen when you’re overly ambitious. But in the case of Blue Nami in Orangevale, I don’t worry a bit. Despite the length of the menu and the enthusiastic crowding the restaurant experiences regularly on weekend evenings, the sushi chefs’ faces remain swathed in smiles. Peace emanates from this pretty little restaurant, buoyed by the rock and plant-adorned waterfall gurgling happily on the back wall. The blonde wood tables and chairs do a lot to brighten the space, as do the contemporary scarlet glass lamps hanging over the sushi bar. Indulge your passion for elaborate sushi rolls at Blue Nami, where you can devour rolls with creative names like the Pink Caddy (includes eel, crab cilantro and salmon); the Honey Dew (with shrimp, avocado and mango) and the Sexy French, which features cream cheese and spicy tuna in a soy and cucumber wrap. There’s also a great line up of appetizers, from the “chicken bomb” (chicken marinated in a “special sweet and spicy sauce”) and shrimp tempura to fresh half-shell oysters, served up with spicy lemon sauce. If you’re feeling adventurous, check out the “Blue Nami Specials,” elaborate and unusual dishes such as the “Nami Salsa,” tuna served with a salsa prepared from bell pepper, mango, tomato, cucumber and apple. This is an uplifting dining experience. — Kira O'Donnell

Insider tip: Blue Nami is buried in a shopping center along busy Greenback Lane. It is difficult to see from the street.

Reservations: Recommended for parties of four or more

Payment methods: MasterCard, Visa

Alcohol: Wine and beer

Corkage fee: $8

Hours: Monday–Thursday: Lunch 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Dinner 5–9:30 p.m.
Friday–Saturday: Lunch 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Dinner 5–10 p.m.
Sunday: Dinner only 5–9:30 p.m.