Haru Sushi, a classy and high profile Japanese restaurant located at the bottom of the Prudential Center in downtown Boston, serves the best sushi and Japanese seafood in town, but it can be expensive, too. The "Sushi and Sashimi for Two" plate, an excellent choice for any couple, has a lofty price of $58, which might scare away those who don't realize that it's actually a great deal. Knowing that a full meal with tip will cost at least $30, frugal college students need to know what Haru offers that makes it worth the splurge.The bottom line is that although the food here is worth it, save Haru Sushi for a special occasion. The elegant atmosphere, succulent food and quick service guarantee diners a memorable birthday or anniversary experience.

College students rarely eat here, and the ones who do are well-dressed and always in celebration. Businessmen and other uptown types frequent the place, marking the restaurant with relaxed chatter. Bamboo decorations, shoji sliding doors, fancy bathroom towels-Haru Sushi really is a great place to be. Plus, it's easy to forget about the wallet when the food and surroundings here are so pristine.

But let's get to the important question-is that "Sushi and Sashimi for Two" plate really worth the $58? The plate's description is as follows: Four pieces of tuna, two pieces of super white tuna, four pieces of salmon (not surprisingly, the salmon is smooth, buttery and delicious), two pieces of shrimp, two pieces of yellowtail, two pieces of eel, one California roll, one tuna avocado caviar roll (this one sounds enticing, but Haru actually offers many better rolls than this) and one crunchy spicy salmon roll.

The plate is definitely worth it. Of course, when the individual pieces are ordered separately, the total costs much more, but it's the overall package that seals the deal. The slices of sashimi are expertly cut and taste very fresh. As previously mentioned, the salmon is absolutely perfect-whether plain or with rice, ginger, radish, soy sauce or wasabi. The tangy, yet juicy shrimp surprised me-for once, I preferred it to the uncooked fish slices.

Haru's California roll is extremely simple and altogether unremarkable, but the combination of rice, seaweed, avocado, cucumber and imitation crabmeat can be filling if one feels the portions for the plate are not enough (the plate had an adequate amount of food for me). The crunchy spicy salmon roll served as a delicious contrast to the other sushi rolls-its fried exterior and combination of sriracha and other sauces was addicting.

One of my dining partners does not eat raw seafood, so she ordered the chicken teriyaki from the hot entrée menu. I would argue that the best that Haru Sushi has to offer is its selection of sushi rolls and sashimi plates, but the cooked dish was impressive.

Perfectly steamed broccoli and snow peas and a rather unique teriyaki sauce complemented the tender chicken. Unlike other types of teriyaki sauce, this had a complex mix of sweet, salty and savory flavors that had a natural, homemade tinge to it.

It may be a small detail, but my favorite part of Haru Sushi is its ginger. Never have I had ginger so sweet and subtle. Many people dislike the ingredient for its punchiness, but the ginger here has a deeper, throatier taste to it than normal sliced ginger found at Japanese restaurants. While it has a complex taste, the ginger doesn't assault the senses like it usually does. Eat it with any sushi or seafood and a dab of soy sauce for a delectable bite of Japanese food that packs more flavors than I can suitably describe with words.

We ended our meal with fried cheesecake with strawberry, which received top marks from everyone. Although Japanese restaurants aren't usually known for dessert, don't forget to request the dessert menu after eating at Haru Sushi. If it's a special someone's birthday, the cheesecake can be a great and scrumptious surprise.

Even if there is no occasion, the food at Haru is always excellent. Bring some friends, a large appetite and a larger wallet and delve into one of the top choices in Boston for Japanese cuisine.

Haru Sushi is located at 55 Huntington Ave. in Boston and can be reached at (617) 536-0770. It is open from 11:30 a.m. to midnight from Tuesday to Saturday and from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays and Mondays.