Bizen

We’ve been known to drive all the way to the Berkshires just to eat at Bizen. Owner Michael Marcus—a potter who makes all the restaurant’s ceramics—values authenticity, as evidenced in his organic-everything menu of sushi, tempuras, noodles, and robata, cuts of fish and poultry seared over a special charcoal grill. Marcus even added a series of private Japanese tearooms next door, where diners sit in private enclaves and embark on 11-course Kaiseki odysseys. 17 Railroad St., Great Barrington, 413-528-9696.