Also good are starters of fried yellowfish rolls that have been dipped in seaweed batter, and noodles and shrimp tossed in sesame sauce.

Less successful, noodle offerings - with udon or soba - arrived bland and mushy, and the shrimps and scallops tossed with them were tough with overcooking.

Other dishes, like whole shrimp fried in blistering oil for a few seconds and tossed with white pepper, chili pepper and coarse salt, are perfectly authentic.

This salad, I have to say, would also be very good with some sweet, juicy, coral shrimp tossed in, instead of the tarts.

The green papaya salad ($5) is sprightly and moderately spiced, though I'd like to taste more fish sauce in the dressing and see some dried shrimp tossed in for good measure.

An entree that deserves attention was the golden crispy shrimp - jumbo shrimp tossed with glazed walnut halves, crisp confetti-thin noodles and onions in a sweet-spicy sauce.

We also liked a full-flavored pan roast of small scallops, shrimp and lobster in a saffron broth tossed with linguine.

Other options are a combination of poached sea scallops, shrimp and squid tossed in a vinaigrette, and grilled shiitake.

A jury yesterday decided against a widow who claimed that a flying sizzling shrimp tossed by a Benihana chef led to her husband's death.

Red curry shrimp tossed with long beans and tomatoes in a chili-powered coconut milk sauce also drew raves.