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Purists will blanch at the absence of soy sauce on the table (you must request the housemade version) and the presence on the menu of such non-Japanese-sounding sauces as honey tamarind, aioli in spinach olive oil and (gulp!) wasabi pesto. Sleek, mahogany-lined Nëo lives up to its name by topping its fish in unconventional sauces or pairing them with unexpected condiments, like the serrano chilies that give a hamachi appetizer an excellent jolt. Some of the fish lacks the quality to stand on its own without the saucy pyrotechnics, but when Nëo succeeds, it does so memorably. Seasonal chef's tastings (for $80 and $100) may feature an exquisite oyster tempura in lime and apricot sauces; succulent octopus seasoned in sake sauce for ten hours; and cold monkfish liver and spinach in sake and carrot sauce.

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