Japanese tradition meets American cool in Nikko, where the decor and atmosphere will leave you comfortable, relaxed and ready to enjoy your repast. The sushi is masterfully created, and unlike some places, you'll get enough to fill you up. Other traditional dinners you can order include Sukiyaki, which is thin slices of steak with vegetables cooked in a pot, and Ton Katsu, a crusted pork loin on baby greens. The restaurant can be crowded on the weekends, and it's not really dim enough to be romantic, but the food makes it well worth your while to visit.

This trendy sushi bar is a favorite among Charlotte locals. Tucked in the Dilworth neighborhood, Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge features the usual nigiri and sashimi, but the star of the menu is their wide selection of specialty rolls. Their "Panthers Roll" serves up a hefty portion of spicy tuna and avocado, while the "First Love Roll" features crab, fresh mango, shrimp and avocado. Not to be outdone, the drinks menu is just as impressive with offerings like a blueberry soju sake martini.

What happens when you mix sushi and burgers? Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar serves this interesting combination of Japanese and American cuisines to its adventurous patrons. A good place to experiment with food, it allows diners to mix and match dishes calling it the 'Burgushi'. Try a Deliverance Roll which contains pork wrapped in seaweed and covered with barbecue sauce or sample a Bento Box with a burger-sushi combination. An open mind is all you need as you experience two diverse cultures come together in a memorable gustatory experience.