Don’t be misled by the “C-word” in Café Japengo. Those who caught San Diego’s early sushi explosion know very well that the “café” is a large and stylish pioneer in Asian-fusion cuisine, with ample seating, an inviting sushi bar and popular cocktail lounge. Since opening some 18 years ago as a cornerstone restaurant to the Hyatt Regency La Jolla Aventine complex, the kitchen still represents ground zero for creating trend-setting entrées and sushi rolls that are as uniquely pretty as they are luscious.

New executive chef Timothy “Jay” Payne, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, has influenced the menu with aggressive flavors and lighter textures, while slightly trimming the meal portions. Yet, my companion and I found that they’re still substantial as we forked endlessly in a deep martini glass stocked with an invigorating Tuna Tartare strewn with pine nuts. The ultra-fresh cubed ahi offered a gentle kick from chilies that contrasted beautifully with diced mangos and apples. Alongside was a bowl of homemade chips made from Yukon Golds, purple Peruvians and starchy taro root – each adding different flavor nuances to the tartare when paired.

As we awaited our rolls from the sushi menu (prep time about 45 minutes on very busy evenings), we gravitated to Hot and Sour Tomatillo Soup, a fusion of the traditional Asian recipe and Mexican chicken tortilla soup. Tender, pulled poultry surfaced from the bottom, and a squiggle of crème fraiche on top added a smooth consistency. Another starter, a panko-crusted crab cake with Asian pear compote, delivered a fine dose of heat from Thai chili sauce hiding within. But the combination of star anise and brown sugar used in the compote became the dominatrix of the dish in that it jangled the ocean sweetness of the Maryland blue lump crab, we felt.

Intermission from the main menu came in the form of two sensational rolls from the sushi bar, overseen by sushi chef Jerry Warner, who trained under Japengo’s original sushi master Osamu Fujita. Beyond outstanding was the citrusy Fifty-Fifty Roll, consisting of crab and cucumber wrapped with rice, fresh salmon and yellowtail. Slivery pieces of lemon were embedded in the top layer, which magnified the wonderful freshness of the other ingredients. And kudos to our waitress for strongly recommending a bright burgundy-Chablis blend from France (Chartron & Trebuchet) that complemented the roll as naturally as milk befits cookies.

A house specialty that’s not listed on the sushi menu is the TNT, a no-rice, high-protein roll of chilled crab and semi-cooked tuna ensconced in a warm, crispy tempura coating. The pin-wheeled slices were served in a web of wasabi aioli that seeped into the layers just enough to give the fish a creamy, robust pith.

The sushi list offers some other progressive choices as well, such as the Pizza Roll (crab, smoked salmon, avocado and rice baked with crab-garlic mayo), the Funky Roll (soft-shell crab, cucumber, rice, smelt eggs and powdered seaweed) and the Tootsie Roll made with crab and shitake mushrooms.

While redirecting our taste buds to the hot entrées, we remarked on the restaurant’s tolerable noise level in an atmosphere nearly full of chit chatters amid low-beat music. The din is strangely tempered here, despite an interior design of hard elements and a deconstructed ceiling – invisible soundproofing that I wish every restaurant in the world would discover.

From the “fire-roasted oven” section, we tried the Coconut Chicken, served in a green curry sauce with firm seasonal veggies. Wasabi root imparted pleasing pungency to the crisp chicken, although it muted the stamina of the toasted coconut, which I easily accepted once I dove into the dish.

Expectedly a little sweet was Tamarind Halibut, sporting a light sheen of fruitiness. The fish was flaky and satisfying, and complimented by a mound of excellent mashed fennel – a refreshing departure from heavy mashed potatoes used often in other restaurants to compensate for light fish dishes.

Among the few wok items available, we chose a half order of the Ten-Ingredient Fried Rice. The menu lists only five of the ingredients – chicken, shrimp, pork, egg and vegetables. There were also green onions, asparagus, snap peas, carrots and bean sprouts – a deliciously varied mouthful with every chomp.

Dessert was a no-brainer – pan-fried Bread Pudding drizzled in caramel sauce and served with poached pears and ginger-peach sorbet. With our tongues well adapted by now to the chefs’ wizardry in fusion, the pudding sated our palates with a final hurrah of complex flavors that qualify Café Japengo as one of Southern California’s edgier destination

restaurants.