The name Ginto means “silver rabbit,” but a recent visit to this Ikebukuro restaurant reminded us of the White Rabbit from Through the Looking Glass. Entering Ginto is, indeed, like stepping into an enchanted world. Just steps from the teenage paradise of Sunshine 60 Dori, Ginto is an upscale eatery with an air of mystery and sophistication.

The Big Apple motif is apt, as Ginto bills itself a casual NY-style restaurant. Sushi rolls, Manhattan clam chowder, “NY-cut” sirloin steaks and more adorn the menu, which has both Japanese (sashimi, sumibiyaki, sushi) and Western (nori rolls, steak, carpaccio) influences. Native Long Islanders that we are, we felt compelled to order or the NY Fair Course (¥6,000), on offer through the end of February, and paired it with the Olive set menu (¥3,800).

Things got off to an excellent start with both courses. The NY Fair’s appetizers were three nori rolls—two of the straightforward variety (salmon and negi toro), plus a creamy avocado and cheese. The Olive set had an assortment of cold starters that included bacon quiche, white-meat fish, and vegetable mousse topped with jelly. This was followed by a couple of slices of wonderful dried fig-and-bacon bread with kinmokusei (sweet olive) jam, which we preferred to the NY course’s castella cake (though we loved the spicy cherry and blueberry jelly that accompanied it).

The NY Fair’s Manhattan clam chowder looked good, with a ballooned crust mushrooming over the sides of a small porcelain pot, but digging through the flaky top revealed not the traditional tomato-based chowder but a thin, brothy soup. Next up was a blackened steak of yellowtail with foie gras and a teriyaki-like white wine sauce. Served with mushrooms and greens, this boldly flavored dish was the highlight of our meal. The sirloin steak was tender and tasty, dribbled with buttery basil sauce, but the portion was a bit small for our NY-size stomachs. Its side dishes of ratatouille and fruit compote were wonderful complements, however. Highlights of the Olive course included a tofu and crab chawamushi (egg custard), beef cheek with demiglace sauce and chicory, and an assortment of Ginto’s “fusion sushi,” which were close to the straight-up Japanese variety.

A steady stream of waiters made sure there was never a lag in the service, and all of Ginto’s food was presented with flair. Our fellow diners were older than the typical Ikebukuro crowd, mostly young businesspeople who, like us, seemed happy to have escaped into the rabbit hole that landed them at Ginto.