{image1}After 15 years, Izumi's restaurant moved next door, to the old Milwaukee Western Fuel Co. building, 2150 N. Prospect Ave. The new dining space is much larger and classier, complete with an enclosed tatami room, and more like the Third Ward's Nanakusa than neighbor-to-the-north Ichiban.

However, it is completely perplexing why Izumi's, with all of its upscale upgrades, still features a waiting area that's too small.

In the old space, there was almost no room to wait for a table, which definitely became a word-of-mouth drawback. Now, it's a little bit better, with a bar and more room to linger, but on a crowded Saturday night we still felt at a loss for personal space. It's particularly surprising walking through the doors of the mammoth and ornate Herbert Tullgren-designed building only to feel like a sardine stuffed in a sushi joint.

But despite our initial concerns, the rest of the evening played out swimmingly.

Aesthetically, the space is larger and airier with a sparse, arty feel. The lighting is excellent; enough light to read the menu and identify who's who, but ambient enough to create a soothing environment. Best of all, the new restaurant doesn't have a fishy smell hanging in the air, something that bummed us out at the old digs.

After a 45-minute wait, we agreed to seats at the sushi bar and ordered the "Dinner for Two" ($48.95) so we could sample a little bit of everything, along with two more Sapporo beers and a small bottle of sake.

Like the old spot, the service was good -- our server was gracious and accommodating -- and the overall vibe was warm and friendly.

We started with the miso that was much like the soup we remembered from before: light, with only a hint of fish, and decorated with tender tofu and streamers of seaweed. The tempura was excellent, with a light, non-greasy breading and crispy veggies beneath, including a sweet onion, yam slices and more.

The high point of the meal was the sushi, with thick slices of fresh fish that were not even the slightest bit funky. Plus, the rolls were tighter and less sloppy than previous visits. The sashimi was good too, but this raw-fish eater needs a little sweetly fused rice to really enjoy the ride.

The chicken and seared whitefish platters -- two menu newbies cooked on a robata yaki grill -- were melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Flavors exploded without overpowering, the presentations were pretty, and the portions were sizable but not Ponderosa-obnoxious.

Finally, the green tea ice cream was the ideal end to a nearly perfect meal. What were we complaining about in the waiting room?

For more information, or to make reservations for parties of at least six, call (414) 271-5278.